January 21, 2012

Ayurveda to improve life in Cancer Survivors


Cancer is one of the deadliest disorders with high mortality rates. However the modern day chemo and radio therapies help patients to prolong the life span. But they not only suffer from the disease pain but also the complications of Radio and Chemo therapies make them go through a phase of psychological, emotional and physical distress. Patients even though clinically comes out of Cancer, still suffers from sleep problems, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sudden onset of severe body pains, depression and other anxiety disorders for long time. These complications are common over 80-95% of all Cancer survivors. 


These statistic shows that obviously any Cancer survivor needs a holistic personalized therapy or program which heals them physically, psychologically more important the nutritional and emotional balance is established. But the Modern day medical practice is just treating this like any other common disease. Obviously today even the oncologists and surgeons themselves are suggest using alternative medical system to quickly comes back to Normal life from stressful post treatment trauma. 

What are the primary Benefits?
 a. Combating Side Effects -  Many researchers have documented that using Alternative medical systems like Yoga, Herbal therapies, Ayurveda, nutritional therapies etc during before or radio therapies have shown significant reduction in fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and improvement in building positive mind set. And great reduction in complications after the therapies, especially patients were able to go back to their routine life much quicker than other patients. 

b. Building Psychological strength- Any time when a patient is diagnosed with cancer, the stress and anxiety levels increases which again helps the disease spread faster. Alternative medicine therapies like Abhyanga, Yoga with planned diet improves the life style of patients especially as pre cancer therapies. Some of the Cancer experts suggest Ayurveda medications and therapies as a part of pre therapy procedure to minimize the side effects and increase the positive outcome of the treatment. Small group of Cancer patients in Japan, when subjected to Yoga, Herbal medications with a planned nutritional diet. As a result the patients were less stressed than the other patients and were able to go back to normal life much faster than other patient.

c. Stress and Cortisols – Patient’s stress levels during the treatment plays a major role in outcome of the treatment. If the stress levels goes beyond a limit the body physiologically increases Cortisols and cytokine production which in directly decreases the cancer therapy’s out come. Some of the researches in China say that herbal medicines like Ginseng, Asparagus, Green apple etc when supplemented as food decreases the bad stress and the patients were able to resume the older life much faster than others. 

d. Improving the net out come- Some physicians say that an holistic and integrative approach with Ayurveda and Yoga as pre cancer therapy and post cancer therapy improves the outcome of the cancer therapy with minimized complications and improved life style of the patient. Surprisingly the patients were able to resume the normal life much faster than the other patients.

e. Decreasing Insomnia and Depression- Most of the time in Cancer especially after the cancer therapies the insomnia and depression kills the patient then the cancer itself. Since the Modern medical system is working on the ways to eliminate or minimize the insomnia and depression. One of the Chinese researches says that herbal medicines, Chinese oil external therapies, with planned diet improves the sleep and reduces the incidence of depression. Some of the American cancer institutes have introduced alternative therapies like music therapy, yoga, increased anti oxidant intake, traditional detoxification therapies etc to reduce the negative thoughts about the outcome of the treatment.
 Ayurveda approach to Cancer as Pre or Post Cancer therapies

Generally, Ayurveda approach to Cancer has three phases

1. Detoxification 
2. Cancer treatment
3. Rejuvenation or Prevention of Cancer

a. Detoxification - Often the body is filled with various kinds of toxin including residue of unutilized medicines, Cancer toxins, free radicals, metabolic waste etc.  So it should be purified to get the maximum results of treatment. According to Ayurveda, the purification procedures are important and are termed as Pancha Karma that is emesis, purgation, bloodletting, medicated enema and medicated nasal drops therapies.  Depends upon the nature of the Cancer one of these therapies are selected. 

b. Treatment - Once the body is detoxified, the next stage is the treatment. Where the patient is given herbal medications and diet. This process improves the Actual Cancer therapies work better. Some of researches has shown that these therapies and medicines actually increases the bio availability of the Chemo or radio therapy which in turn helps in getting better results.

c. Rejuvenation - It is always important to make sure that the body is completely free from diseased cells. Here we start the last phase of the treatment that is rejuvenation of the body, since it is important to rejuvenate all the organs in the body to lead a normal healthy life.

Ayurveda therapies, Personalized Yoga & breathing exercise, planned diet etc when supplemented with existing cancer therapies could bring a good outcome which in turn helps the patient to resume his or her life swiftly.

1 comment:

  1. Rasayana or rejuvenation is a traditional Ayurvedic therapy to Purify your body by eliminating wastes acuminated due to your busy lifestyle. it's Restore the body's vitality to its fullest capacity. for more information visit:- Maharishi ayurvedic Hospital

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