More people die from lung cancer than from breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer combined. Given the severity of these diseases, the medical community has begun emphasizing quality-of-life issues during cancer treatments. Holistic treatments for lung cancer do not replace, but rather complement conventional medicine practices by treating the whole person, including their emotional and spiritual well being. Some holistic treatments speed recovery and may prevent future relapses.
Mind-Body Practices
Mind-body practices include meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques. In their guide to holistic therapies for lung cancer, the American College of Chest Physicians strongly recommends for patients to take up some form of relaxation technique. These practices are known to increase well being and assist in pain management. Visualization techniques, such as hypnotherapy or dream work, help with emotional aspects of lung cancer therapies, and also with falling asleep.
Amino Acid Therapy
Amino acid therapy has been a holistic treatment since the 1960s and continues to show strong results in lung cancer recovery, according the A.P. John Institute of Cancer Research's guidelines for lung cancer. By adapting the diet and including more amino acids, cancer cells are "starved," reducing their rate of growth. Amino acid therapy can complement any ongoing cancer treatment, although it is more often prescribed for small-cell lung cancers that cannot be eliminated by way of surgery or chemotherapy treatments. The A.P. John Institute recommends working closely with a physician to design a diet during this short-term treatment plan.
Acupuncture
Chinese medicine has used acupuncture for thousands of years. Although Western scientists dispute the claim that acupuncture works by interacting with the body's energy centers, or "meridians," they no longer dispute that acupuncture gets results. For lung cancer, acupuncture effectively reduces nausea from chemotherapy and radiation therapy and may diminish chronic pain, according to The American College of Chest Physicians' guidelines on lung cancer. The group also recommends acupuncture for helping lung cancer patients quit smoking.
Spirituality
Spirituality may be defined as a person's relationship and response to the mysteries around life, death, and the meaning of existence. Spiritual practices include mind-body relaxation techniques as well as prayer and community involvement. For years, medical practitioners have integrated spiritual care into end-of-life and hospice care, but now the benefit of spirituality is recognized in all stages of lung cancer, including prevention and recovery.
For example, in 2004 researchers from the School of Nursing in Austin, Texas, published a study suggesting that lung cancer patients benefited from spiritual practices. In particular, the researchers found that participation in prayer circles as well as directly addressing questions about life meaning significantly improve psychological and physiological responses to lung cancer treatment.
Nutritional Supplements
Increasingly, self-help cancer websites recommend nutritional supplements that have not been evaluated by the FDA. Some patients do benefit from nutrition supplements, but some supplements, even traditional herbs, may contradict the effect of prescription medications. Other popular "cancer-fighting" vitamins, such as vitamin B12, have been debunked by medical research, according to the National Institutes of Health. Because everyone is unique, always discuss nutritional supplements with your medical provider and work together to design a supplement plan.
