Many people suffering from cancer choose natural and alternative ways to relieve the side effects of cancer therapy. Others use alternative medicine to treat the cancer, eschewing conventional medicine. There are numerous natural approaches covering a wide range of modalities for building your system, relieving symptoms and helping yourself recover from many types of cancer. Consult your health practitioner before starting new treatments. However, there has been no significant FDA testing of these methods, and the FDA prohibits alternative cancer treatment manufacturers from presenting any information that makes their "supplement" appear to be medicine.
Natural Raw Food Juicing
Much research is being done on the efficacy of raw foods in the form of juices for the treatment of cancer. In the 1940s and 1950s, Max Gerson, the founder of Oasis of Hope Clinic, wrote about the medicinal effects of raw food juicing for the treatment of cancer. Those results are published in "A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases and the Cure of Advanced Cancer by Diet Therapy." When food is consumed in its raw state, it contains its full range of nutients, phytochemicals and cancer-fighting compounds. Many of these compounds may kill cancer cells, according to Gerson. Juicing a variety of fruits and vegetables helps make the nutrients more readily available and digestible. In addition, it's easier to consume a greater quantity of fruit and vegetables by drinking the fresh juice than from eating the entire food. This makes it easier and more effective to get large quantities of healthful nutrients. Many choose organic over non-organic fruits and vegetables to avoid any pesticide or other chemical residues that may remain in the foods. Always work with an experienced nutritionist who's familiar with juicing.
Herbal Treatments
Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years in the treatment of numerous diseases, including cancer by Eastern medical systems as well as by natives and indigenous tribes around the world. Depending on the kind of cancer you have, an experienced practitioner may prescribe herbs to help with side effects either from conventional therapies or to attempt to destroy the cancer itself. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that green tea contains multiple compounds that are high in antioxidants, polyphenols and other nutrients that help destroy free radicals, which have been found to play a significant role in the development of cancer. The UMMC adds that green tea may help prevent skin cancers. "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook" discusses herbs such as ginger and peppermint, which may help reduce nausea after chemotherapy; echinacea, which boosts the immune system and fights infection; Coriolis versicolor, a mushroom, which may help treat certain colon cancers; and ginseng, which helps reduce fatigue. Consult an herbalist familiar with the treatment of cancer for the best choice of herbal therapies for your condition.
Homeopathic Medicine
Homeopathy has been used as an alternative treatment for cancer and other serious diseases since its inception in the mid-1700s. If you choose homeopathic treatment, find a homeopath who's familiar with and experienced in the treatment of cancer. Certain homeopathic remedies may help prevent the growth of tumors or even put certain cancers into remission, says Manfred Mueller, president of the North American Society of Homeopaths. Remedies such as Conium have been found effective in some cases for treating hard tumors anywhere in the body. It may be especially helpful for cases of breast and prostate cancer. Mueller says that Thuja may be the best treatment for certain soft tumors such as sarcomas and tumors of the connective tissue.
Additionally, several homeopathic remedies may help treat the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Radium bromatum is used for the treatment of radiation poisoning, according to the UMMC. It's often found helpful in treating people who complain of arthritic pain in the joints after radiation, it adds. The Cadmium family of homeopathic remedies -- such as Cadmium sulfuricum and Cadmium metallicum -- has also been used in the treatment of cancer and for the adverse side effects of conventional cancer treatment, according to Mueller. Do not self-treat with homeopathic remedies if you have cancer. Always consult a professional who is experienced in homeopathy.
Other Considerations
Many homeopathic remedies are available over the counter, but most remedies used in the treatment of cancer are only available through a practitioner. Alternative treatment for cancer is no less serious than conventional treatment and should never be taken lightly. Your alternative practitioner and your conventional doctor should be informed of your decisions to use a variety of treatment plans. Ask them to consult one another for your best interests.
References
- "A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases and the Cure of Advanced Cancer by Diet Therapy : A Summary of 30 Years of Clinical Experimentation"; Max Gerson: 1997
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Skin Cancer
- "The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook: Your Everyday Reference to the Best Herbs for Healing"; James Duke; 2002
- Manfred Mueller RSHom(NA), CHC; North American Society of Homeopaths; Asheville, NC
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lung Cancer
- Cancer Tutor--Metropolitan State College of Denver: Raw Food Treatment For Cancer
