> Health and Disease > Cancer > alternative medicine for cancer

Despite the fact that more Canadians die of heart disease, cancer is the disease most people fear.

Cancer is not a single disease, but a word used to describe a process. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of mutated cells which group together to form a tumour. Metastasis occurs when some of these cells break away and begin to grow elsewhere. It’s likely that most of us have a few mutated cells in our bodies at any given moment, which our immune systems are able to seek out and destroy. In cancer however, the mutation and growth of abnormal cells outstrip the immune system’s ability to eliminate them. Exactly what causes normal cells to mutate into cancer cells is not known by researchers and there is not likely a single cause.

There is evidence that mutations occur due to faulty genes, viruses, carcinogenic chemicals and oxidative damage. We may not know exactly how one individual develops cancer, but we do know a lot about what increases the risk. Poor dietary habits, for example, contribute to approximately one third of all cancers in North America and cancer will kill 50 percent of all smokers. (Would you play Russian roulette with a half-loaded gun?)

An Ounce of Prevention

To decrease your risk of developing cancer, adopt a nutritious, organic diet, specific for you; maintain an ideal body weight; avoid tobacco, alcohol and coffee; exercise frequently; drink plenty of pure water; express your feelings in healthy ways; avoid known carcinogens; avoid excessive sunlight; avoid hormonal therapies; and do what you can to lessen environmental pollution. It’s always better to focus on preventing a problem than treating it.

Of course cancer is much easier to treat in its early stages. Early detection also gives you the freedom to choose less harmful forms of treatment, with better chances of success. Don’t ignore suspicious lumps, pain, skin lesions or unexpected changes in digestion, bowel or bladder habits. Have a yearly cervical smear, routine prostate exams and do monthly self examinations of your breasts or testicles.

Take Charge

If you do develop cancer, don’t panic. Take some time to learn about all possible forms of treatment. Discuss treatment options with your oncologist, alternative practitioners and cancer survivors. Read and search the Internet for information. For every type of cancer, there is someone who has been cured of it. The first step in treatment is knowing that cancer is not a death sentence. You can be cured.

A treatment plan that covers many angles gives you the best chance of success. Whether you choose to do alternative or complementary therapy, there are some basic guidelines everyone should follow. Always remember that whatever type of treatment you choose, it’s always your choice. People who take charge of their own health and feel in control, have higher survival rates than those who just do what they are told.

Detoxify Your System

Loreen Dawson is a naturopathic physician practising in Sechelt, BC.

Source: alive #218, December 2000