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Naturopathy for Cancer: Holistic Approaches and Benefits
By Raveena M Prakash
Facing a cancer diagnosis can feel intimidating emotionally, physically, and financially. Standard treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy will remain as the backbone of modern cancer care. However, many patients seek a variety of complementary treatment methods to improve the well-being of a patient. That’s when naturopathy comes into play in cancer care!
In this article, we’ll discover more about how naturopathy for cancer works, how these treatment approaches support cancer care, and their benefits in cancer care!
What is Naturopathy?
Naturopathy is a system of herbal medicine that emphasizes the body’s innate ability to heal and offers support via natural, minimally invasive therapies, lifestyle and nutritional changes, stress reduction, and treating the whole person, not the cancer. Naturopathy is not directly used to cure any types of cancer.
When applied in cancer care, these sub-fields are often called naturopathic oncology or integrative oncology, which supports key principles such as physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
How are naturopathic treatment approaches applied in cancer?
Here are some of the key modalities used in the naturopathic cancer support, along with what they aim to do:
Nutritional and dietary therapy
Practice a diet rich in whole foods, vegetables, fruits, and legumes, whole grains along with some inflammatory foods, and recommend to reduce the consumption of processed foods.
In some cases, naturopathic practitioners recommend foods/herbs that support the immune system of the patients, along with improving their gut health and improving the intake of nutrient sufficiency.
Diet modifications can manage treatment related side effects such as nausea, loss of appetite, and GI issues of standard cancer treatments.
Mind, body and lifestyle interventions
Here are some of the benefits of naturopathic approaches helpful for enhancing mind, body and lifestyle interventions, including:
- Stress reduction management: Practising yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, helps to reduce stress in patients.
- Emotional and psychological support: Getting professional help such as counselling, coaching, and mindfulness activities.
Additionally, practising physical movement, sleep hygiene, reducing environmental toxins, and improving the overall lifestyle of the patients.
Herbal supplement supports
Use of these medicinal herbs with a consultation from your oncologist helps to reduce anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant, immune-modulating effects. Some of these nutrient supplements or IV nutrient therapies should always be received from any certified naturopathic centers.
Symptom, side effects and supportive care
These treatment approaches help to reduce the symptoms of standard cancer treatments, example: Nausea, fatigue, sleep issues. These holistic approaches enhance immune resilience, supporting recovery after post treatment in patients, and improving the overall quality of life.
The benefits of Naturopathic support in cancer care
Naturopathic treatment approaches are applied appropriately with standard cancer care, naturopathic support can offer several meaningful health benefits.
An improved quality of life: Some of these naturopathic approaches help to address patients’ fatigue, stress, emotional burden, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal side effects. Naturopathic medical interventions can help patients feel better day to day.
Supporting immune health:These treatments offer nutritional products, and provide lifestyle support, that can help to improve the body's tolerance level.
Personalized cancer care: Some naturopathic practitioners help to design patient-centric treatment plans to manage and cure the side effects of cancer treatments and consider patients' overall health conditions, age, and other issues.
Holistic care: These complementary treatments help to address emotional, mental, spiritual dimensions of illness, not just the tumor.
Prevention and survivorship focus: These approaches offer post-treatment wellness, reduction of recurrence risk in cancer patients, and long-term health habits.
How to integrate naturopathic treatments in cancer care?
Here are some of the tips for patients and caregivers considering the naturopathic support, including:
Always discuss with your oncologist/medical team: Before starting any naturopathic supplements, herbal medicine or lifestyle changes, make sure to consult with your regular healthcare provider and get their advice!
Always consult a qualified naturopathic practitioner: Try to look for more trained and verified practitioners experienced in working with cancer care (naturopathy oncology).
Make a part of your treatment based approach: Standard and naturopathic care should be aligned with your treatment planning. Always talk to your oncologists and be clear with communication.
Additionally,
Prioritise patient’s fundamentals: Practice a good nutritional diet, get enough sleep, and do physical activity and stress management; these often have broad benefits and fewer side effects for the patients.
Monitor, evaluate and adapt: Always review what is working for your particular case, including symptom relief and energy levels. Understand how it is improving emotional health, and always plan accordingly.
Be realistic with treatment goals: Try to focus on improving the quality of life and side effect management rather than expecting a magic cure from naturopathy!
Check evidence (Do not fall into any risky claims): Always ask about the clinical research behind these approaches and avoid any unnecessary therapies that would conflict with your standard treatments and care!
Budget and financial planning: Some naturopathic treatments may not be covered in some of the budgets, so plan accordingly for this!
Consult Today
The cancer treatment journey is complex, including not just medical but also emotional, social, and spiritual aspects. Naturopathy, when used as an integrative treatment approach, can add more value, supporting the whole person and emphasizing your health, which goes beyond your health, empowering the patients as active participants in their recovery and survivorship.
At Oncare, we offer premium-quality cancer treatments, including advanced cancer surgeries at an affordable price range with an experienced cancer specialist consultation.
If you or any loved ones of yours are diagnosed with cancer, then visit Oncare Cancer Center and book an appointment with our experienced cancer specialist consultation.
Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatments today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the benefits of naturopathic support, including:
- Managing treatment side effects
- Improving the quality of life
- Supporting the body
- Providing nutritional support
Here are some of the risks and complications linked with naturopathic approach in cancer care, including:
- Interactions with cancer drugs
- Direct toxicity
- Delaying conventional treatments and its outcomes
- Lack of treatment and medicine regulation
Here’s how you can use naturopathy wisely in cancer care, including:
- Choose a qualified naturopathy professional
- Choose integrative naturopathic approach, not alternative approach
- Consult with your oncologist, get an approval from them
- Always prioritise evidence based treatments
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