Exploring the holistic options to support recovery from cancer and cancer treatment; stress management, immunity, living with dignity and the release of trapped emotions.
The diagnosis of cancer is devastating. Even when the prognosis includes a strong probability of a full recovery, the treatment options almost always involve surgical removal, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy unfortunately also includes the increased risk of cancer again later in life.
People frequently ask for natural alternatives to cancer treatment. Ironically, most modern chemotherapy drugs are based on extracts from plants and micro-organisms. Being “natural” means little in this situation. Even more ironically, it is the advent of modern biotechnology that has allowed treatments to include safer, less toxic treatment based on monoclonal antibodies.
So how exactly do holistic options stack up against the “natural” forms of chemotherapy and other cancer treatment option? Firstly, they do not stack up or stack against. They are not a substitute. They are complementary.
Modern cancer treatments are usually very predictable and well-researched. The main factors affecting the response is the type of cancer, and how far it has progressed. Cancer patients will be informed of probabilities of responses. And it is making most of these shades of probabilities that holistic options can be of great benefit.
Cancer development is associated with prolonged stress around life important events. Long-term survival rate after a cancer diagnosis is influenced by factors such as the overall state of health, and the psycho-social health of the individual and more specifically the level of physical activity, stress management, body mass index and sleep quality.
Holistic treatment options include optimising immune function, increasing the vulnerability of the tumour towards chemotherapy and radiotherapy, whilst increasing the resilience of the body to these treatments. Treatment options are selected carefully so not risk supporting the growth of the cancer.
Stress management is very important. Light exercise, and relaxation techniques are helpful. In the clinic, techniques such as kinesiology and remedies such as herbs, flower essences and homeopathics helps the individual deal with stress and improve emotional wellbeing and sleep quality.
But what happens when standard medical options fail, and the cancer progresses? Is there any hope of benefit from pursuing holistic options? “Hope” unfortunately, is a disempowering word. And that is where everything goes wrong with the “hope” in holistic options.
In hopeless situations, true holistic options are not based on hope – they are based on empowerment. It is about helping the individual come to terms with their cancer diagnosis but also how they got there in the first place. How to face death like any other human being does, and how to enjoy life like any other human being does.
Yes, the mushrooms, immune boosting herbs and nutrients may still help somewhat with prolonging life, but that is not the point. The point is helping the person move on. And when that happens, then on occasion strange things can happen. When a person becomes liberated from the fear of cancer, and from the situation that brought them there, then their body can recover in ways that baffle expectations.
Professor George Vithoulkas is a homeopathic practitioner, based in Greece with about 60 years of experience in treating chronic illness. His success in practice has made him so popular amongst medical professionals in Europe that he now boasts about 20 honorary professorships from medical universities around the world. Professor Vithoulkas is quite clear about the poor prognosis in treating people with metastatic cancer, however he and his associates have published a series of cases where hopeless situations have been turned around with people fully recovering from terminal illness.
This is a recent case which has just been published in the medical literature 'Retroperitoneal Spindle Cell Sarcoma Unresponsive to Conventional'. What is interesting about this case is the discussion of the life circumstances around which the individual developed cancer. Homeopathic remedies were used to release the energetic and emotional blockages, and a very positive response followed. Even if the cancer had not disappeared, the main remedies used in this case (Lachesis and Lycopodium) are remedies that are about being stuck in bitterness, insecurity and jealousy with a twist of blaming others and fuming to exact vengeance (which could not be exacted). The last remedy Rhus toxicodendron is about being stuck in feelings of betrayal. The man was living in a virtual well before his cancer diagnosis. Now he is free of both.
