What Holistic Cancer Treatment Entails

* Stress reduction is promoted via support groups, journaling, counseling and more.

* Spiritual support may be obtained via prayer, meditation, or by creating sacred spaces. Many hospitals have chapels, chaplains, prayer groups, and healing gardens. It may be a visit from a therapy dog.

* Massage is used to relieve pain, anxiety, nausea and other physical and emotional symptoms. Massage techniques promote the release of the body’s biochemicals which enhance wellbeing and boost immune function.

* Targeted therapies reduce peripheral damage to the body. They use a variety of substances including vaccines and specialized treatment delivery methods.

* Nutrients support healing, boost immunity and prevent the illness from spreading or recurring. Antioxidant fruits and vegetables, medicinal mushrooms, and healthy fats are just a few of the components of a healthy eating plan for cancer recovery.

* Exercise aids recovery and boosts immune health. It promotes feelings of having some control over the body and builds stamina.

* Part of a holistic plan involves the greater community. The community includes strangers, researchers and educators who expand public knowledge about cancer treatment and prevention. Rumors and fallacies are laid to rest. Patients realize that they are not alone. Events, such as walks to raise money for cancer, promote solidarity in communities while raising funds for research and help for patients unable to afford transportation, medication, or groceries while undergoing treatment.

* Spiritual communities nourish the spirit. Often, members prepare meals for patients and their families or offer help with child care. They provide patients and their loved ones with a sense of connection. Especially when cancer is terminal, family members and patients often feel alone. Spiritual communities help to relieve fears of death and suffering.

* A holistic cancer plan must consider that not everyone with cancer gets well. Often, cancer is looked at as a recurrent long term illness. Caregiver and patient stress may be high. Holistic cancer care provides education about patient choices regarding advanced directives. Advance directives are documents which patients make out in order to inform loved ones of care they want provided or withheld in the event that they are unable to voice their opinion. They may decide whether or not they want a feeding tube, artificial ventilation, or do or do not want to be resuscitated. Physical and emotional support via hospice organizations provides assistance with physical and emotional needs of dying patients.

Holistic cancer treatment is much more than initially meets the eye. It is not just the use of alternative therapies, nor is it limited to care of the individual and his or her family. Holistic cancer treatment involves the whole of society.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in Oct 2013 by Patricia Bratianu RN PhD RH-AHG. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse for almost forty years in a wide variety of settings. As a Registered Nurse, she realized that conventional healthcare was not meeting the needs of all patients. She became an herbalist and obtained a PhD in Natural Health. Patricia is a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, passing the stringent peer reviewed process to become a Registered Herbalist.

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