Archive for the 'Cancer' Category
FIGHTING CANCER: CANCER DETECTION
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There is one type of cancer where screening almost certainly does make a difference to the outcome and that is cancer of the cervix (neck of the womb). Why is this so when it isn’t for our previous example of lung cancer? One reason is that most of the cervix can be easily seen with a speculum (internal examination). Cells can be gently scraped from the outer part of the cervix and from the part that we can’t see on internal examination—the small inner canal leading to the womb. This is the Pap smear which, when correctly taken, contains samples from all parts of the cervix to be examined under the microscope. What we cough up does not contain cells from every part of our lungs. The cells in the lung samples are only those that have fallen off by themselves, with the Pap smear they are gently scraped off. Next, the cells of the cervix go through a recognisable pre-cancer stage. This means that cells which are very likely to develop into cancer if left untreated can be identified under the microscope in the Pap smear. It takes quite a few years for pre-cancer to develop into actual easier Which can spread.
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As a rule, tests to check the central nervous system are only recommended if there is good reason to suspect a problem there. One exception is in certain types of leukaemia and lymphoma, which have a high chance of spreading to the meninges. With these, it is advisable to check for meningeal involvement right from the start. If the tests are clear, preventative treatment may be recommended as part of a treatment plan aimed at curing the cancer altogether.
Normal X-rays do not show up the brain or spinal cord at all, because they are completely enclosed in bone. A radio-isotope scan is one way of ‘seeing’ the brain. Unlike for liver and bone, the substance that is injected is not concentrated in the brain cells. What it actually shows up are the areas that have more than the usual amount of blood flowing through them. Cancer deposits show up because they nearly always have a greater blood flow than the normal parts of the brain. The CT scan is another way of showing cancer deposits in the central nervous system. The deposits usually let through less X-rays than the normal brain and spinal cord.
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A much talked about green powder in the world today is barley grass. This is a food supplement taken from barley before the grain has developed. It is claimed to be a powerful immune system stimulant, an antioxidant, a good source of chlorophyll and possibly a preventative for cancer, diabetes and many other ailments.
Barley grass helps to boost energy levels. The chlorophyll found in barley grass assists the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. It is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, SOD and live enzymes, which literally makes this green powder a living, healing food. SOD found in barley grass helps the body to detoxify chemicals and foreign substances, thereby helping to prevent the onset of disease and cancer.
One of the unique qualities of barley grass is its ability to protect the fibroblasts in the lung cells from the damaging effects of radiation and other cancer-causing substances. However, barley grass must be taken on a regular basis before exposure to these toxins in order for this protection to occur.
In my practice as a naturopath, I am privileged to hear of the most wonderful real-life stories of self-healing from cancer patients. I know of one man who removed a cancerous tumour in his knee and pelvis by consuming large amounts of barley grass and chlorophyll in addition to a pure, organic whole foods diet. He had previously tried conventional medicine but to no avail. After only a few months of using nature cure remedies such as these he re-visited his doctor for follow-up tests. There were no signs of the tumour present in his body, much to the surprise of his doctor.
This is one real-life account and I am sure there are many more. However, what may work for one person may not work for another, as humans we are all completely different in our genetics, personalities and physical characteristics. To find an ideal program to suit your specific needs, it is always best to consult with a caring, professional and experienced health practitioner.
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A balanced diet and moderate consumption of healthy foods without regular overeating are the most important components of a healthy diet, especially on a long-term basis. Other aspects, such as eating organically produced foods, are important in the fine tuning of our diet and perhaps to avoid conditions/diseases related to the ingestion of pesticides, and other chemicals and toxins.
Nowadays, fruits, vegetables, meats and grains are produced relatively quickly to allow for the increased demands of a growing population. To do this, most farmers use pesticides, hormones and special chemicals to speed up the overall production process, and keep their crops and livestock in the best looking condition possible. This also allows for a higher percentage of sales, but what about you as a consumer? As a consumer you may be unaware of the long-term harmful effects these chemicals may cause. Conditions such as cancer, asthma and chronic bronchitis have been linked to deadly chemicals produced from crops and meats.
Chickens are a good example of this intensive farming process. They are cruelly kept in tiny little cages and injected with large amounts of antibiotics and hormones to rapidly increase their growth rate. A little chick grows from being a baby to an oversized chicken in less than six weeks due to the use of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones placed in their feed, and injected into their bodies. Where do you think these chemicals go?
These chemicals do not evaporate into thin air. When you buy these chickens from supermarkets and chicken shops, you are exposing your children to the effects of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones. In my naturopathy practice I have been able to see the effects that excess intake of poultry has on the health of my clients. Women and men often present with conditions such as infertility, candida, emotional and hormonal imbalance, menstrual problems and other similar health conditions related to excess hormone and antibiotic intake. By simply avoiding these hormonally treated meats and using free-range poultry instead, many of my clients have returned to good health. In fact, two of my female clients who were unable to fall pregnant, conceived after simply removing hormonally treated meats from their diet and replacing these with free-range and organic produce.
It is a much safer choice in our society today to try to purchase organic produce. What this means is that the crops and meats have reached the market without the use of any chemicals. The soils have a good amount of nutrients and minerals, allowing you to get a greater value of nutrients from organic produce. Try to avoid chemical additives and chemically treated foods. Instead purchase organically grown produce, which provides ten times as much nutrition as its comparative chemically sprayed produce and allows you to avoid any harmful side effects associated with the use of pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones.
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CANCER: KNOWLEDGE IS THE KEY
Author: admin
Knowledge in its essence is self-empowerment. It provides us with a level upon which to communicate, to ask questions and seek answers. Without knowledge, we remain in a dark and ignorant position and hand our power over to those people we believe have the right to choose the direction of our lives. Knowledge of your own health condition is extremely important. If you wish to have some control over the direction of your cancer and you still want to keep your strength and self-worth, then seek answers.
I now realize there is very little information available to people with cancer, as the medical profession prefers to keep details of this a closely guarded secret. Even they understand the power of knowledge and wield this all too dangerously to their advantage. This is one of the main reasons I chose to write this book. During my fight against cancer, I found very limited information about my type of cancer and the doctors were less than happy to provide me with further details. This can make you feel extremely frustrated and helpless. Many medical professionals prefer to keep information regarding your cancer on a strictly need to know basis. For whatever reason this is chosen, try not to give in and seek your own answers, especially if the doctor you are seeing is reluctant to delve deeper for you.
One advantage of today’s modern world is the advent of the internet. Here we can find a multitude of answers and it is, in most cases, totally free. At the back of the book I have listed a number of wonderful and informative websites that you may find useful in your fight against cancer.
Ask your doctor for copies of all test results and statistics about your type of cancer, and any other printed information they have available about your illness. It is advisable to ask the doctor to provide you with a photocopy from the latest MIMS concerning the side effects of your cancer treatment and drugs. (MIMS is a drug guide used by health professionals, detailing pharmaceuticals and their side effects). At least this way you can be aware of any nasty side effects or symptoms from cancer treatment. It is definitely less of a shock to be forewarned, than to wake up with some frightening symptom that you’ve never experienced and you were never warned about.
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Lung Damage
Diet
• Eat plenty of yellow, white and orange vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, apricots, squash, garlic, radish, onions, ginger, cauliflower, bamboo shoots, lotus root, green leafy vegetables and onions.
Vitamins and Nutrients
• Coenzyme Q10 improves oxygenation (90 – 270 mg/day).
• Beta-carotene and vitamin A (50 000 IU/day), vitamin Ñ and vitamin E. Silica is also useful.
Herbs
• Astragalus, Echinacea, pau d’arco, horsetail, mullein and myrrh are all very useful herbs for strengthening and protecting the lungs.
Lifestyle
• Practice deep breathing exercises daily to oxygenate and heal the lungs. Other useful exercises include yoga, tai chi, martial arts, chi gung, aerobic exercise and swimming.
Maintain Weight
Diet
• Try to eat nutrient-dense, protein-rich foods. Good sources of protein include fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, halibut, cod), organic chicken breast/thigh or turkey, legumes, soy products, brown rice, organic/grain fed meats (red meat no more than 3 times/week) and nuts and seeds. Drink energy/protein drinks, fruit shakes and smoothies.
• Making vegetable soups with legumes, vegetables and a protein source is a great way to maintain weight and energy levels.
• To stimulate the appetite eat plenty of alfalfa sprouts – these miracle sprouts have long been proclaimed as an excellent appetite stimulant.
Vitamins and Nutrients
• Free form amino acid supplements (3 1/2 grams/day) or protein powder.
• Vitamin  complex supplement is also very helpful.
• Malabsorption in the gastro-intestinal tract can cause rapid weight loss as nutrients are not being absorbed to maintain body mass. If lowered absorption is present, supplement with either digestive enzymes, bitters or hydrochloric acid supplements.
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Cancer is an extremely common condition in today’s society. The treatment for cancer, especially in less affluent countries is already pre-determined by the doctor. This is also the case in many Western countries like Europe, New Zealand and Australia. It is almost guaranteed if you have any type of cancer you will most likely need an operation to remove the cancerous growth or tumour, followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy or cancer drugs to prevent further cancer from occurring in the future or to remove the remainder of the cancerous cells in the body.
In countries more advanced in technology such as America, an alternative treatment may be offered. The doctor may remove a portion of the tumour and send this off for testing to see which type of chemotherapy drug or other cancer treatment will have the greatest effect on the cancer. New anti-cancer drugs are being developed all over the world (US and Australian scientists being in the forefront) and are proving successful in treating many forms of cancer. However, at the present moment, these forms of treatment are ridiculously expensive and only affordable by extremely wealthy people.
In less affluent countries we have limited options, although we have a large range of highly skilled alternative therapists and talented doctors to assist in treatment. Treatment is based largely on past experience, research and success with treating particular types of cancer.
A great amount of secrecy surrounds the diagnosis, treatment and recovery of cancer. Many doctors are afraid to tell patients the entire truth concerning their cancer and treatment, and patients are not well informed enough to ask the right questions concerning their disease. One of the most important tools and aids any person can attain in their fight against cancer is KNOWLEDGE. Knowledge is power and self-empowerment is necessary in fighting and overcoming your disease.
I myself had a very aggressive form of cancer, with very little information available due to its rarity in women. This made me feel helpless and at the mercy of doctors and their treatment prescribed. Before the operation I was given a consent form to sign which would allow the doctors to basically do as they wished while I was under anaesthetic. At twenty-seven and with a desire to have a family, this was a very scary thought. I was signing a form giving the doctors permission to remove my reproductive organs. Fortunately, I have been involved in the medical field for many years as a qualified naturopath and I knew where to access the most useful information. Thank God for the internet and caring practitioners. On my consent form, I only allowed my very skilled doctor to remove the tumour and I instructed him to leave all of my reproductive organs in place. This was mostly acknowledged, hopefully allowing me the opportunity to have children in the future and the doctors the opportunity to use their skills to their full advantage and to realise there are usually surgical alternatives available.
Never sign a consent form until you research the facts concerning your type of cancer or until you ask your doctor the right questions and are happy, confident and satisfied with the treatment being offered. Remember, you are a person and you have rights!
My heart goes out to the many women and also men from previous generations who were at the mercy of barbaric medical doctors. It was common practice many years ago for doctors to immediately give women hysterectomies, even if their other reproductive organs were perfectly okay. Today, these women are suffering the consequences from the ignorance of the ‘old school doctors’ from that generation. Many of today’s doctors tend to be much more open to alternatives and if asked, may provide the patient with alternative treatments currently available.
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