Over half of women with breast cancer are looking at integrating a more natural approach to fighting their cancer. Those who do their research find many opinions on the subject but can never really get a definitive opinion on the most beneficial options.
The supplements, herbs and natural therapies that are the most widely used with the biggest benefit in alternative medicine are what we will focus on.
These methods focus on strengthening and supporting the body and not just attacking the cancer. Cancer does not just “suddenly appear” it has causes, so everything from dietary and lifestyle changes to treat cancer can be used to prevent breast cancer. Killing cancer cells does nothing to change the person’s diet and lifestyle that contributed to the cause of the cancer to begin with. So if you adopt a cancer-prevention diet and lifestyle, even after you have the disease, you will not only improve the odds of recovery but will reduce your risk of getting cancer again.
1. What you are eating. 30-50% of all cases of breast cancer could have been prevented by improving diet. Generous portions of dark, green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, berries and legumes will provide you with phytoestrogens, antioxidants that have an ability to protect the body against cancer. Reduce or cut out all processed food, sugar and refined carbohydrates. These can raise insulin and leptin levels, shown in studies to be the last thing you want happening when you are working on resolving a cancer.
New studies have found celery, parsley, thyme and a number of other fruits, vegetables and spices to contain an ingredient called apigenin. When human breast cancer was treated with apigenin, the cancerous growth slowed and tumors shrank as well as the blood vessels feeding the cancer. The highest concentrations are most prevalent in celery and parsley.
2. Exercise, even a vigorous walk two to three hours a week can give you a 31 percent less likelihood of dying from breast cancer as well as driving down insulin levels which will help in the prevention of breast cancer. On the other end of that, many breast cancers are fueled by estrogen, this hormone is produced in fat tissue. Experts suspect the more fat a woman carries the more estrogen she is likely to produce. This in turn can spark breast cancer, so even thin women can benefit from exercise since it can convert any body fat into muscle, reducing their risk for breast cancer.
Exercise keeps your lymph moving, and since the breast is primarily lymphatic tissue good lymphatic drainage is essential to breast health, so regular exercise can contribute to breast health.
3. Make changes to your lifestyle, alleviate your stress as much as possible, stress weakens the immune system and contributes to the development of cancer, as well as numerous other diseases. In the early 1900’s an eclectic medical doctor named Eli Jones, wrote about cancer being primarily a disease of stress. A more recent study in Germany showed that virtually all cancer patients studied experienced a severe emotional trauma shortly before their cancer developed. Even a CDC report states 85 percent of diseases are caused by emotions.
4. Detoxify the body and avoid toxins of all kinds, household chemicals, pesticides, and other chemicals. Pesticides are a major source of zenoestrogens or a “foreign” estrogen. This is important for preventing and recovering from cancer. Another zenoestrogen source is air fresheners, they are putting out chemicals into your home on a regular basis, and you are breathing them in. Eliminate the use of antiperspirants. They work by blocking the pores that release sweat under the arms, and this is one of the body’s routes for detoxification. Most contain aluminum and aluminum has been shown to collect in breast tissue. There has also been a link between parabens, also found in 99% of breast cancer tissue, and breast cancer. Check all your cosmetics.
Toxins are a major reason cancer develops in the first place. Fighting cancer results in an increase of toxins, so a detoxification program to help rid the body of this waste is very important. Start by drinking plenty of water. Beneficial herbs for detoxification are found in a blood purifier formula called Essiac Tea.
5. Vitamin D3. This vitamin increases the self-destruction of mutated cells, and reduces the spread and reproduction of cancer cells. Vitamin D3 also boosts immune system activity and reduces the tendency of abnormal cells to proliferate. Your organs can convert vitamin D in the bloodstream into calcitriol, a hormonal or activated version of the vitamin that your organs use to repair damage, including damage caused by cancer cells. Researchers suggest 1200 IU to 2000 IU a day.
6. Green Tea has a powerful antioxidant that kills human cancer cells in laboratory experiments. In studies done with woman and breast cancer consuming eight cups of green tea a day cut the chances of cancer recurrence. There are caffeine free supplements available if you are not into drinking that much tea.
7. Get proper sleep, get enough sleep as well as sleep during the ideal hours of 10 pm to 6 am. The value of this recommendation is that certain hormonal fluctuations occur throughout the day and night and many that rebuild the body occur at night. Working against your biology by staying awake when you should be sleeping interferes with those beneficial fluctuations.
New information comes out on a daily basis a new study on Black Cohosh published in the International Journal of Cancer states, “studies indicated that the growth inhibitory effect of actein or an extract of black cohosh is associated with activation of specific stress response pathways and apoptosis.” (programmed cell death) The catch-22 is black cohosh has also been found to interfere with drugs and radiation treatment, so always consult with your physician before using black cohosh if you are doing conventional cancer treatments.
The key is to stay cancer free “With Knowledge.”
Herbs Plus
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