On Cancer
It’s hard to live with cancer, and I know this to be unfortunately true. My husband has stomach cancer (gastric cancer) and we’ve found it to be a very trying time. I have found that he can barely eat, his nutrient levels are down, and he cannot get up and move around as much as either of us would like. Nausea, pain, and a host of other unpleasantness accompany this disease. So I’m including a page regarding this dreadful disease, because there are many natural ways to relieve the pain and unpleasantness (as well as inconveniences) associated with it. I will include the best possible references I can, and in so doing, I’m giving up my sources. So pay attention. This disease hits hard, close to home, and is so commonly ignored until it’s too late for much beyond chemotherapy and surgery, neither of which is easily dealt with.
8 Natural Options to Relieve Cancer-Related Pain
by www.SixWise.com
Pain can be a severe symptom of cancer. Of those who suffer from cancer, “Many have so much pain that they need sedating doses of narcotics. And they are often too tired to get up and move around; they spend most of the day sitting or even in bed,” researcher Timothy C. Birdsall, MD, vice president for integrative medicine at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, IL reports to WebMD. Fortunately, a number of natural pain-relief options exist.
1. Vitamins
Cancer patients often receive treatment in the form of chemotherapy and/or radiation, which have been known to destroy cancerous cells. Unfortunately, these harsh treatments can also destroy healthy cells and deplete your body of energy and vital nutrients. Not only do nutritional supplements — vitamins — help restore vital nutrients to your body, they also have been shown to reduce cancer-related pain.
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) — MSM is a nutritional supplement that occurs naturally in plants, animals, and the human body. It has been shown to relieve pain and muscle spasms, improve circulation, and reduce autoimmune diseases. Evidence shows that when MSM is combined with DMG and SAMe, metabolic pathways are created that aid in cancer prevention.
Start with a low dosage of MSM (to avoid gastrointestinal upset) and gradually increase consumption over two to three weeks. MSM should be divided up and taken with meals, or in lotion form rubbed over the area of concern. Patients take anywhere from 2 to 60 grams per day. Talk to your doctor in order to find the dosage that works for you.
Vitamin C — Healthy tissue is formed when healthy cells are bound together with collagen. Cancer cells spread by destroying the collagen that binds the healthy cells together. Vitamin C has been found to rebuild this collagen, which slows and prevents the growth of tumors. Slowing the growth of cancer is an indirect way of reducing cancer-related pain.
Consult your doctor before taking high doses of vitamin C. People have been known to take 50 — 60 grams every day. Diarrhea is a sign that you’ve taken too much and vitamin C consumption should be reduced, but abruptly stopping the high doses of vitamin C can lead to scurvy and an increased susceptibility to cancer. So vitamin C consumption should be reduced gradually over several days.
Vitamin B17 — Vitamin B17 can be thought of as a natural form of chemotherapy. Cancerous cells create unhealthy amounts of the enzyme betaglucoronidase. This enzyme breaks down vitamin B17 into two helpful components. It creates the painkiller benzaldehyde, and also the poison cyanide, which kills cancerous cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.
Although B17 is cheap and readily available overseas, it is more expensive and more difficult to find in the U.S. because of the politics involved when it comes to large drug companies wanting people to purchase their patented drugs. Talk to your doctor, herbalist, or pharmacist about where to find B17 in pill form.
The good news is that B17 is found in a number of foods, such as barley, bitter almonds, garbanzo beans, wheat grass, lentils, flaxseed, and in the seeds of apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, and plums. To treat cancer, consuming a few seeds each day might be recommended (50-60 seeds a day). To prevent cancer, consume several seeds, bitter almonds, garbanzo beans — whichever you prefer — each day.
Salts of Cesium, Rubidium, and Potassium — A study conducted by a Dr. Keith Brewer on high pH therapy for cancer elicited promising results. Over the period of several weeks, not only did tumor masses disappear, but “all pains and effects associated with cancer disappeared within 12 to 36 hrs.”
The salts raise the pH in cancer cells, which ultimately destroys the cells. The presence of these salts in your body neutralize the acidic toxins that are released from the cancerous tissue, rendering them nontoxic.
Each day patients ingested 3-6 grams of cesium chloride or rubidium chloride paired with 2-4 grams of potassium chloride and other nutritional supplements. The doses were divided up and given at meal time.
2. Biofeedback
Biofeedback therapy teaches you to learn to control bodily functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, muscle relaxation, etc. through the use of a device that detects very small physical changes. The device alerts you to these changes with easily-identifiable signals. Over time people can learn to calm themselves and control their body’s reaction to pain, stress, anxiety, etc.
A 2005 report from the American Cancer Society notes that biofeedback may be able to ease pain and “improve the quality of life” for some cancer patients. Certified biofeedback therapists can teach patients this treatment method. With practice patients can ultimately perform this method on their own.
3. Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a process of deep relaxation/intense concentration that utilizes the power of suggestion to help people change how they perceive pain. A hypnotherapist will give simple suggestions to help you experience the pain in an alternate way. The same can be done for stress and anxiety.
Findings published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management showed that children who were hypnotized in trials reported significantly less cancer-related pain (as well as anxiety and distress) than those who were not.
4 & 5. Aromatherapy & Massage
Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that is used to affect a person’s mood or health through the use of essential oils (volatile liquid plant materials) and other aromatic compounds from plants.
Massage therapy promotes relaxation and relief of muscle tension, aches, stress, etc., through kneading of the skin, muscles, and tendons.
Especially when used together, aromatherapy, particularly utilizing chamomile essential oil, and massage therapy have been shown to alleviate pain in cancer patients.
A randomized study in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews observed the effects of massage with or without chamomile essential oil on cancer patients. Pain was decreased most significantly through the use of massage with the chamomile oil.
Massage should be avoided by people with a low blood count, and for those with osteoporosis, bone-related cancer, or other bone diseases, make sure that the massage therapist only applies a light pressure.
6. Acupuncture
The ancient Chinese healing technique of acupuncture is another way of relieving pain by controlling the pain sensations of various parts of your body. This is done by inserting very fine needles into the specific points on the body that are related to the areas of the body feeling pain.
Findings from a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (Vol. 21, No. 22: 4120-4126) showed that ear acupuncture therapy reduced pain by 36% in participants with advanced-stage cancer.
“It’s important that the acupuncturist should have experience working with patients who have cancer, or at least experience working with patients in the hospital,” advises Lily Zhang, MS, who manages the acupuncture program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. “The acupuncturist should have a close relationship with the oncologist so if there are any concerns, the acupuncturist can communicate it to the doctor right away.”
Anyone taking blood thinners or having a low blood count should know that acupuncture is not safe for them. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning any new treatment.
7. Meditation
Meditation is a state of deep concentration and mental control where you use relaxation techniques, deep breathing, etc. to help focus on one image, thought, or idea. According to information given by Moores Cancer Center of the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, meditation may decrease pain and stress in cancer patients by calming the mind and relaxing the body.
8. Music Therapy
Music therapy is the use of musical intervention, such as listening, making music, song writing, or improvising with instruments in order to reach a person’s therapeutic goals. Scientific data supports the idea that music therapy occupies neurotransmitters that would otherwise be used to send pain messages to the brain, thus decreasing your perception of pain, according to information from the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.
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Red Chili Peppers
Health Benefits: These peppers, which include the popular cayenne pepper, contain capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps with pain relief. Chili peppers have been found to help:
- Clear congestion by clearing mucus from the lungs and nose
- Boost immunity
- Prevent stomach ulcers by killing bacteria
- Help with weight loss
- Reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels and platelet aggregation
- Prevent cancers, including stomach cancer
- Relieve pain
How it’s Used: Chili peppers are, of course, great in Mexican dishes, but that’s not all. Try them with other vegetables, tuna salad, chili, corn bread, dips, curries, soups, sauces and more.
Interesting Tidbit: The hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains. Some of the hottest chili peppers out there are the habañero, Scotch bonnet, and jalapeño peppers.
Health Benefits: Chief among parsley’s beneficial properties is its ability to fight cancer. Animal studies have shown that it can inhibit tumor formation, particularly in the lungs. It’s also known to neutralize carcinogens including those found in cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke.
Parsley is also a rich source of antioxidants and heart-protective nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene and folic acid.
How it’s Used: Parsley comes in two popular varieties, curly and flat leaf. Fresh parsley is more flavorful than the dried variety. The curly version tends to have a more intense flavor than the flat-leaf variety. Use it in soups, salads and casseroles, or to top fish, meat, potatoes, vegetables and more.
Interesting Tidbit: Parsley is a great breath freshener at the end of a meal.
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http://ezinearticles.com/?Health-Benefits-Of-Parsley&id=111028
Parsley is perhaps one of the most commonly used but therapeutically under-rated of herbs. How often one sees a dish in a restaurant garnished with parsley, and the waiter leaves the parsley on the serving dish or the customer rejects it as mere decoration.
Parsley contains more vitamin C than any other standard culinary vegetable, with 166mg per 100g (4oz). This is three times as much as oranges and about the same as blackcurrants. The iron content is exceptional with 5.5mg per100g (4oz), and the plant is a good source of manganese (2.7mg per 100g) and calcium (245mg per 100g). It is also exceptionally high in potassium, with one whole gram of potassium in 100g (4oz) .
In the Middle Ages parsley was used for many conditions including ‘fastening teeth’ (because scurvy which is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C makes the gums spongy and the teeth loose) and for ‘brightening dim eyes’ (bad eyesight is a sign of shortage of vitamin A). The old herbalists often had good results without their knowing the chemistry involved. The old Greeks were in awe of parsley because the herb was associated with Archemorus who was eaten by a serpent having been put on a parsley leaf as a baby by his careless nurse. Henceforward he became the harbinger of death.
On the bright side, they decorated the heroes of the isthmian games with parsley garlands and decorated the many maidens that sang at feasts in the same way. This last use may be associated with the great effectiveness of parsley in increasing menstruation and helping in regular process of monthly periods. This action is due to the presence of apiol which is a constituent of the female sex hormone estrogen. The plant was used against the effects of malaria with some success and Father Kniepp said it was one of the most proven of all remedies as a diuretic to cure water retention or dropsy.
Today parsley is a valuable therapy for kidney stones, as a diuretic, for rheumatism, menstrual insufficiency and as a general stimulant. It settles the stomach and improves the appetite. The high content of vitamin C is not only useful in its own right, but also assists the absorption of the valuable quantity of iron.
Parsley juice, being a herbal drink, is quite powerful and is usually taken in quantities of about 2 fl oz (50ml) three times a day and is best mixed with other juices. The leaves can be deep frozen and are easily stored. It is a good idea to use parsley in cooking as well as in the form of juice. Dried parsley is not a very satisfactory alternative to fresh and has a coarser flavor.
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Colon Cancer:
Natural Tips to Lower Your Risk of This Common Cancer
by www.SixWise.com
There are about 150,000 new cases of colon cancer each year in the United States. Colon cancer is cancer of the inner lining of the colon. The colon makes up about 5 feet of the large intestine, connecting to about 6 inches of rectum.
Colon cancer, colorectal cancer, and rectal cancer are all pretty much the same disease — colorectal and rectal cancers affect the area of the colon that is closest to the rectum. The American Cancer Society states that poor dietary habits, obesity, and inactivity will be responsible for at least 1/3 of all cancer deaths this year.
Because colon cancer occurs in part of the digestive tract, what you decide to eat has a lot to do with your risk factor for this disease. With that in mind, here are some top tips to lower your risk.
1. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Diets low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and high in red and processed meats, trans-fats, sugar, and processed foods high in preservatives (i.e. cancer-causing nitrites and nitrosamines), increase the risk of colon cancer.
Chemicals found in cigarettes and the charred areas of charred or char-broiled meats contribute to the growth of colon polyps and tumors. The good news is that making positive lifestyle choices, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake (alcohol use can damage DNA, causing abnormal cellular replication which is a precursor to cancer), increasing activity — exercising for 30 minutes 3-5 times a week — and eating a healthy diet (including 5-9 servings of vegetables and fruit a day) will help to reduce your risk of not only colon cancer, but all cancers as well as other health problems.
In terms of diet, make sure to choose healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, tuna, fish oil, flax seed, and walnuts. Make sure to limit shortening, margarine, and other foods containing partially hydrogenated oils — these are found in a number of processed foods. Replace fried foods with baked, steamed, grilled, or broiled foods instead.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, make sure to wash and scrub all produce under running water, peel produce or remove the outer leaves when possible, and buy organically grown produce as much as possible to reduce your risk of cancer-causing pesticide consumption.
An excellent product that will help to remove pesticides from your produce better than water alone is Vermont Soap Organics’ Wash dem Veggies. This fruit and veggie wash naturally eliminates the pesticides, dirt, mold and other residues found in so many of today’s fruits and vegetables.
2. Colon Cancer Screening
The longer cancer goes untreated, the higher the risk of mortality. Early detection is key. For men and women over 50, there are a number of tests used to screen for colorectal cancer. A barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy, used in conjunction with a digital rectal exam (DRE), have been shown to detect early cancer and polyps. The Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) as well as the Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) should be used yearly to test for early cancer (not polyps, which could turn into cancer).
The FOBT and the FIT are take-home multiple sample methods. The colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy employ a long, small, flexible tube with a video camera attached to examine the large colon. The colonoscopy is recommended every 10 years, the sigmoidoscopy (investigates a smaller area of the colon than the colonoscopy) every 5 years.
Tests should begin after the age of 50, according to a study done by Francis M. Giardiello, MD, of The John Hopkins University. Talk to your doctor about which test(s) are right for you.
3. Vitamin Supplements and Foods
Certain foods, vitamins, and herbs have also been shown to lower the risk of colon cancer:
- Folate
- Folate is a type of B vitamin that is found in a number of foods. Research shows that folate can reduce the risk of colon cancer and reduce the risk of DNA damage in the body, which can lead to cancer.
- Folic Acid
- Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate found in supplements or added to fortified foods. People with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an increased risk of developing colon cancer. A number of people with UC take the folic-acid-depleting drug sulfasalazine. Some research shows that people with UC who took at least 400 mcg per day of folic acid were 62% less likely to develop colon cancer. Just like folate, folic acid has also been shown to reverse damage to DNA, such as caused by alcohol use. Because damaged DNA can ultimately contribute to cancer, reversing those effects can help to reduce cancer.
- Selenium
- Low levels of selenium in the blood have been found in patients with a number of different cancers, colon cancer included. One particular study that treated patients with 200 mcg of yeast-based selenium per day for 4 years showed a 50% decrease in overall cancer death, with a 58% decrease in incidence of colon cancer.
- Calcium
- Some research has shown that taking calcium may reduce precancerous indications in the colon, as well as reduce the risk of colon cancer.
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
- According to a preliminary study, increasing conjugated linoleic acid intake may reduce the risk of colon cancer. CLA is found in grass-fed beef and grass-fed dairy products, including butter.
- Vitamin C
- Some research shows that women, not men, may have a reduced risk of colon cancer after taking vitamin C supplements.
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin E intake has been shown to reduce the risk of precancerous polyps and cancerous tumors in the colon.
- Vitamin D
- Although more research is necessary, some research shows that vitamin D may reduce your risk of colon cancer.
- Fish oil
- Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil supplements have been linked to a reduction in markers of the risk of colon cancer.
- IP-6
- IP-6, also known as inositol hexaphosphate, phytate, or phytic acid, has proven anticancer qualities in animals, especially in colon cancer. A side effect of IP-6 is that it blocks the absorption of minerals. IP-6 can be found in a number of foods, such as oat bran, wheat bran, and flat (unleavened) bread.
- Fiber
- Fiber can be taken as a supplement, or consumed as part of your diet. Although a diet high in fiber-filled foods, such as broccoli, whole grain products, and fruits has been shown to reduce overall cancer risk, there is a debate going on as to whether or not fiber specifically reduces the risk of colon cancer, as was previously thought.
- Aspirin
- Research is ongoing, but some evidence shows that taking an aspirin a day can help to prevent the formation of polyps that can lead to colon cancer. Consult with your physician before taking aspirin daily to make sure that the benefits outweigh the risks.
- Almonds
- Almonds have been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer in animals.
- Garlic, onions, leek, chives
- This group of allium-type vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal-type cancers, including colon cancer and precancerous colon polyps.
- Blueberries
- Blueberries have been shown to reduce colon cancer by 57% in animals.
- Green tea
- At least 3 ounces a day of green tea can help to reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including colon cancer and breast cancer.
Make sure to check the individual supplement or herb for any side effects or interactions.
