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Naturopathic and Oriental
Medicine to Support Patients Undergoing Cancer
Treatments
Naturopathic and
Oriental Medicine is a natural approach to health and
healing. For patients with cancer, these form of
medicine helps create a healthy environment both inside
and outside the body. The goals of natural medicine for
patients undergoing cancer treatment include:
- Support normal
metabolism during treatment
- Help decrease side
effects of cancer treatments (pain, nausea, vomiting,
etc.--see list below)
- Help boost the body’s
immune system
- Provide strategies
for long term cancer prevention and health
maintenance
- Improve energy,
well-being and overall quality of life
Other
common side-effects of chemo, radiation and surgery:
|
• pain |
|
• nausea/vomiting
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| • depression |
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• night sweats
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| • diarrhea |
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• numb fingers/toes
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| • dry/irritated skin |
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• sleep disruption
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| • fatigue |
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• urinary tract
infections |
| • constipation
|
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• weight loss/wasting |
All of the therapies
listed below are complements to traditional cancer
treatment options.
Clinical Nutrition:
That food is the best
medicine is a cornerstone of naturopathic medicine.
Some medical conditions may be treated more effectively
with foods and nutritional supplements than by other
means, with fewer complications and side effects.
Botanical Medicine
(Herbs, Minerals, and Vitamins):
Many plant substances are
powerful medicines. Where single chemically-derived
drugs may address only one problem, botanical medicines
are able to address a variety of problems
simultaneously. Their organic nature makes most
botanicals compatible with the body's own chemistry;
hence, they can work gently, and with few toxic side
effects.
Oriental Medicine:
Chinese medicine is a
healing philosophy that is complementary to naturopathic
medicine. Meridian theory offers an important
understanding of the unity of the body and mind and adds
to the Western understanding of physiology.
Acupuncture provides a method of treatment which can
unify and harmonize the imbalances present in disease
conditions, which is untreated, can result in illness.
Homeopathy:
Homeopathic medicine is
based on the principle of "like cures like." Clinical
observation indicates that it works on a subtle, yet
powerful, energetic level, gently acting to strengthen
the body's immune response and triggering the healing
process. Homeopaths believe that the more dilute the
remedy (small doses), the greater its potency.
Psychological
Medicine:
Mental attitudes and
emotional states may influence, or even cause, physical
illness. Counseling, nutritional balancing, stress
management, and other therapies are used to help
patients heal on the mental/emotional level.
Here are a few links
and more information about how Naturopathic and Oriental
may help you:
Cancer Treatment Centers
of America
http://www.cancercenter.com/complementary-alternative-medicine.cfm
National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/
healthprofessional/allpages
Memorial Sloan-Kettering
www.mskcc.org/aboutherbs |
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