The American Cancer Society has reported that half of all men and a third of all women in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes. Although there are many forms of cancer, all forms of the disease begin with abnormal cells that grow out of control.
Unlike other illnesses that are eradicated by the body’s natural defense system, cancer needs to be treated with powerful medical interventions. Unfortunately, most of the current cancer treatments available have some debilitating side effects.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have received much attention as an adjunctive therapy in cancer treatments because they address many of the unpleasant symptoms and side effects that come up during and after chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy and surgery.
If you are currently undergoing treatment for cancer, acupuncture and Oriental medicine can provide real help by decreasing many of the side effects associated with conventional cancer treatments
Some of the issues acupuncture can help with include:
- Pain Management
- Nausea
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Depression and Anxiety
- Dry Mouth
- Night Sweats and Hot Flashes
- Fluid Retention
- Weight Maintenance
Acupuncture takes a holistic approach to health care and is particularly useful in providing pain relief, reducing the impact of side effects, accelerating recovery, and improving overall quality of life.
According to the National Cancer Institute, acupuncture may cause physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. It is proposed that, by stimulating physical responses in these areas, acupuncture positively affects blood pressure and body temperature, boosts immune system activity, and causes the body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins, to be released. P
Clinical trials have examined the effects of acupuncture on cancer as a disease, as well as the symptoms caused by cancer treatments. Results have shown that, for many patients, treatment with acupuncture relieves symptoms or keeps them from getting worse.
Relief for Nausea and Vomiting:
The strongest evidence of the beneficial effect of acupuncture has come from clinical trials that investigated its use for relieving nausea and vomiting. Several types of clinical trials using different acupuncture methods showed acupuncture reduced nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and surgery.
Boosts the Immune System:
Human studies on the effect of acupuncture on the immune system of cancer patients showed that it improved immune system response, including an increase in the number of white blood cells.
Improves Pain Management:
In clinical studies, acupuncture reduced pain levels for some cancer patients. In one study, most of the patients treated with acupuncture were able to stop taking drugs for pain relief or to reduce their doses.
Relieves Pain and Stiffness during Hormone Therapy:
In 2010, the Journal of Clinical Oncology published the results of a small study that concluded that acupuncture helped relieve pain and stiffness in breast cancer patients who were simultaneously being treated with hormone therapies.
Minimizes Dry Mouth:
In 2009, the medical journal Head and Neck reported the results of a pilot study done at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The subjects were people suffering from head and neck cancer. The authors concluded that the pilot study demonstrated that acupuncture can improve the subjective symptoms of radiation-induced dry mouth as early as two weeks after starting treatment. They found that benefits can last for one month after treatment ends.
A study published in January 2000 in the medical journal Oral Diseases, confirms the efficacy of treating xerostomia with acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Researchers analyzed the data of 70 patients who suffered from dry mouth due to radiation therapies, Sjogren’s disease, and other causes. Researchers discovered that patients who received 24 acupuncture treatments had an outstanding improvement in their salivary flow rate (SFR) for up to six months after treatment. It was also concluded that continued acupuncture treatments could increase one’s salivary flow rate for up to three years.
Reduces Pain and Shoulder Dysfunction:
In 2008, Dr. David Pfister, chief of the head and neck medical oncology service at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, reported that patients found significant reductions in both dry mouth and pain and shoulder dysfunction after neck dissection with the help of acupuncture. Dr. Pfister highlighted the potential role of acupuncture in oncology.
Reduces Hot Flashes:
In 2011 a Yale University/University of Pittsburgh study of women with hot flashes brought on by conventional breast cancer treatment, found that women who received acupuncture had a 30 percent reduction in hot flashes.
Nausea is an indicator that something else is wrong. Depending on the severity and duration of vomiting, some level of dehydration may occur. In severe cases, this may become a medical emergency. Small sips of warm water may help the patient stay hydrated or, if this is not tolerable, sucking on ice chips may help.
Here are three simple acupressure techniques you can perform at home to help alleviate your nausea.
1. Pericardium 6 (P6) or Inner Gate
To locate this point, place your hand with the palm facing up. Starting from the middle of the wrist crease, place three fingers down below your wrist. Your index finger should be in the middle of two tendons. If you are having trouble locating the tendons, flex your wrist and they should be displayed more prominently. Press Inner Gate lightly with the pad of your thumb. You can slowly increase pressure and go deeper into the point. Continue this exercise for up to five minutes if you are using heavy pressure. However, some people experience more relief from nausea when they continuously press with gentle to moderate pressure. If this is the case for you, it is safe to apply acupressure for longer periods of time. This may be especially helpful in cases of motion sickness.
2. Outer Gate or San Jiao 5 (SJ5)
If your nausea still persists, you can activate this partner point to Inner Gate. It is found on the opposite side of the forearm from Inner Gate. With your thumb on Inner Gate and your middle finger on Outer Gate, complete the circuit by squeezing the points together using moderate pressure. Hold for a few seconds and then release. This can be done for up to five minutes. If you feel you need a little extra self-care, you can place your hands near your heart, close your eyes, and breathe deeply as you perform this technique.
3. Abdominal Circular Motions
This exercise covers a larger area, and is less exacting. First, put your hands on your hips, at the level of your waistline. Next, adjust your fingers so they are all below your ribs, with your pinky resting around the level of your belly button. Your fingers should be lined up with the nipples. Press into the abdomen using circular motions and gradually expand your motions outwards for another couple of inches. This technique can be quite soothing and is best when performed sitting down, for two to three minutes.
If you wanted to create the perfect smoothie with Anti-Cancerous properties, potent Anti-Inflammatories, as well as Anti-Viral, Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal constituents, look no further than adding TURMERIC. Although turmeric has a lightly bitter taste, you won’t even notice it in this delicious recipe that will have you craving it daily.
Take a look at the incredible health benefits of this plant.
– Digestive Aid
– Blood Purifier
– Anti-inflammatory
– Wound Healer
– Skin Tonic
– Analgesic
– Anti-Viral
– Anti-Bacterial
– Anti-Fungal
– Antiseptic
– Anti-Carcinogenic
– Fat Metabolizer
– Cholesterol Reducer
– Gas Reducer
– Expectorant
Powdered Turmeric has been used for centuries to treat a host of illnesses. It inhibits Inflammatory reactions, has Anti-Diabetic effects , reduces Cholesterol among other powerful health effects. A recent study led by a research team in Munich showed that it can also inhibit formation of Metastases.
CURCUMIN, the natural pigment that gives the spice Turmeric its yellow color, has increasingly come under the scientific spotlight in recent years, with studies investigating its potential health benefits.
Turmeric Smoothie Recipe
- 1 cup Hemp or Coconut milk
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple or mango chunks
- 1 fresh banana
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric (can be increased to 1 tsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon CInnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon Maca (optional)
This recipe is best consumed in the morning on an empty stomach. Not only will it increase your energy for the first half of the day, but it will clear your mind and infuse your body with some of the most powerful Antioxidants in the world. Now that’s a great breakast idea!