What can Natural Medicine do for Cancer Treatment?
By Lauren Young, ND
published showing new benefi ts to integrative therapies as well as more effective conventional treatments. At the same time, many diets, supplements and therapies boast unsubstantiated claims. It is a very confusing landscape for patients and their families. As a naturopathic physician, my role in oncology is to help navigate this terrain with patients, helping them fi nd complementary thera- pies to help their treatment with their oncologist and keep them feeling empowered, in both body and spirit.
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Whether it’s the people who have lived their whole life mind- ful of their heath or people who never really had to consider their body and self-care until a diagnosis, cancer and its treatment can be an overwhelming paradigm shift. For the fi rst time for many people, surgeries and treatments are being done to them, instead of them doing things for themselves. This concept is described as a locus of control, which is the perceived control of one’s life. The driving force in treatment or in a patient’s life often becomes more aggressive treatments; surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The beauty of involving integrative therapy in cancer care, such as naturopathic medicine, is it continues to help keep the loci of control with the patient. Empowering patients with nutrition, lifestyle, meditation and other nurturing modalities ensures they maintain their power through the process of treating cancer. Why is this important? Having a strong internal locus of control for health has been associated with better outcomes in a myriad of health conditions, including cancer, and also associated with better self- management and quality of life after initial treatment.
Goals of Integrative Treatment
It is important to set expectations of what natural medicine can do for cancer treatment. Often people want to avoid conventional treatment and only do natural treatments. While it’s completely understandable and appealing to only help the body help itself nat- urally; the benefi ts and outcomes of conventional treatment need to be appreciated. When cells have gotten to the stage that they are defying the immune system and natural mechanisms of self control are lost, more aggressive treatments can quickly help address these cell changes. That being said, utilizing natural supplements and dietary strategies can dramatically improve outcomes.
Optimize Conventional Treatment and Reduce Side Effects Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are the most studied and
have the best documented results when it comes to cancer treat- ment. However, they are not without harsh side effects, long-term
20 Natural Nutmeg - October 2017
ancer treatment is one of the most heavily researched fi elds in medicine. Scientists and researchers are constantly seek- ing better and novel treatments. Daily studies are being
risks and major concerns for many patients. Naturopathic physi- cians do not administer these more aggressive treatments, but often advocate for them because of their effectiveness. Using natural sup- ports such as acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, massage, nutrition, vitamins and herbs, the treatments can be more effective at killing cancer cells and with less side effects which often halt treatment. Reducing side effects not only makes treatment more comfortable, but often prevents lasting damage and allows the patient to get on the other side of treatment without delay. Also, cancer cells unfor- tunately have mechanisms to thwart treatment, but research shows in some cases supplements can downregulate cancer’s defense mechanisms and make the medication more effective. More and more herbal preparations and nutritional supplements are being studied in conjunction with chemotherapy treatments. Offsetting side effects and protecting healthy cells has to be carefully done to not offset the strength and benefi t of chemotherapy or radia- tion. Because there are so many interactions with medications, it is extremely important to discuss all of this with a physician familiar with oncology as well as vitamins and herbs. One study found that up to 75% of people on supplements had interactions with their cancer treatment.
Strengthen The Body: Before, During and After Treatment One of the best tenants of naturopathic medicine is Vis Medi-
catrix Naturae or the healing power of nature. The body has the ability to heal itself and be strong. Preparing for surgery can involve reducing infl ammation and strengthening tissues and muscles. Dur- ing treatment, supporting the immune system and the digestive tract can help continue assimilating nutrients and protecting healthy cells. Once in remission, often patients want to detoxify. Detoxi- fi cation is a process the body does daily, but when looking to “detox” after treatment, it should be about nourishing and nurturing those natural processes in the body. Detox should be about healing the mechanisms of clearing toxins from the body, not purging the body or depriving the body in any way.
Naturopathic and integrative medicine plays an important role
in oncology, and it is being recognized more and more by con- ventional medicine. Because of that, more research and interest in natural supplements and medical diets is evolving. Nutrition and novel applications of nutrients like IV Vitamin C are two treatments on the forefront that we are going to explore.
Updates in Nutrition Nutrition can be one of the most powerful tools for a patient
with cancer. At the same time, nutrition before and after treatment, should be discussed with a physician or nutritionist. Medical diets can vary according to the type of cancer, body composition of the
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