A brochure from Novant Health says this about Integrative Medicine:
"Integrative medicine
is healing-oriented medicine
that considers the whole person
- body, mind and spirit,
along with family, community and environment."
Many physicians are now in agreement that it takes more than one type of care to heal a person. The majority of physicians believe in treating the whole person. They are finding that it leads to more cures, more lives saved, less cost, easier recovery times, and more.
A doctor treats a cancer patient with chemotherapy and/or radiation. Hopefully, the cancer is killed and the patient heals to return to normal life. What actually happens a lot of the times is the medicine to treat the cancer (chemotherapy and radiation) create a whole new set of symptoms and problems.
Chemo can and most of the times does, make the patient sick. They lose their appetite and when they do eat, they may not hold it down very long. Even if they manage to keep food down long enough to digest it, they may not get the nutrients they need from it.
Nausea is also a big side effect of chemotherapy. Chemo can make sleeping restless and yet, the patient is extremely fatigued.
Chemo alone or radiation alone only treats one aspect of the cancer. If you provide additional treatments that are effective, non-invasive, non-toxic, and healthy, the body can heal itself (if not completely, at least improve quality of life.
Here are a few "alternative" treatments that can make the patient happier, healthier, and give the body what it needs to heal itself:
1. A healthy diet. One diet does not fit all. All cancers feed on sugar, so eliminating processed sugar is the first step. Some cancers feed on fat, you need to find out if this is the case and if it is, then eat more vegetables and proteins - go easy on the fats. Some are just the opposite and feed on carbohydrates. In this case eating less vegetables, more proteins , and more healthy fats. If you have doctors advice.
2. Movement: Either as personal exercise or as physical therapy. This could include movement as stretching for 30 minutes, yoga, Tai Chi, walking, or any other low impact movement that gets you moving. It can include a physical therapist and professional trainers or coaches.
You can also do your own exercise program with elipticals, treadmills, weights, cardio dance/Zumba classes, and other activities. Just as long as you move. If you have cancer or an illness the doctor may recommend certain activities for you, you should follow your doctor's advice.
3. Herbs: Ask your doctor before trying any herbal treatments about the interaction with your prescribed medications. For example: if you take blood thinners then you probably want to stay away from turmeric (which can also thin the blood).
Herbs are natural, but they can also be toxic if you combine with other herbs or with medications. Some are harmless and you can take without any interactions. Always check with your doctor first if you are on medications. ALWAYS.
4. Body Work: This includes:
all types of massages,
hot stones,
cupping,
acupuncture and acupressure,
Homeopathic,
Naturopathic,
Ayurvedic,
Chiropractic,
Osteopathic,
Hydrotherapy,
Reflexology,
and other other body therapies found in Chinese and Oriental medicines.
5. Supplements: Dietary supplements such as vitamins, mega vitamins, minerals, etc. Sometimes Again, you should consult your doctor if you are taking medicines and other treatments before adding to your diet. Usually, they are safe, but occasionally certain vitamins and minerals can interact with medicines and herbs.
6. External energies such as:
Electromagnetic therapy,
Reiki (transfer of energy from practitioner to patient through the laying on of hands),
Oigong (Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to Tai Chi, but more intense).
7. Mind: Studies have found that patients with good emotional and mental health heal better. There are therapies aimed at improving these elements. Here are a few:
Meditation
Biofeedback
Hypnosis
8. Senses: Therapies that incorporate the senses include:
Art
Dance
Music
Visualization
Guided Imagery
Aromatherapy
As you can see, there are many alternative medicine choices. The combination is the key to healing and applying with traditional/modern medicines and treatments. As you will see in the following photo, combining traditional/modern medicine with alternative medicine can greatly improve the patients chances for a complete healing.
In the photo below, this patient had rectal cancer.
The photo on the left is after months of radiation without any additional treatments.
The photo on the right is the same patient with rectal cancer after a few months of radiation and a diet change. The diet change alone, gave the body the boost it needed so that the radiation could do it's job. As you can see, it's amazing!
"Integrative medicine
is healing-oriented medicine
that considers the whole person
- body, mind and spirit,
along with family, community and environment."
Many physicians are now in agreement that it takes more than one type of care to heal a person. The majority of physicians believe in treating the whole person. They are finding that it leads to more cures, more lives saved, less cost, easier recovery times, and more.
A doctor treats a cancer patient with chemotherapy and/or radiation. Hopefully, the cancer is killed and the patient heals to return to normal life. What actually happens a lot of the times is the medicine to treat the cancer (chemotherapy and radiation) create a whole new set of symptoms and problems.
Chemo can and most of the times does, make the patient sick. They lose their appetite and when they do eat, they may not hold it down very long. Even if they manage to keep food down long enough to digest it, they may not get the nutrients they need from it.
Nausea is also a big side effect of chemotherapy. Chemo can make sleeping restless and yet, the patient is extremely fatigued.
Chemo alone or radiation alone only treats one aspect of the cancer. If you provide additional treatments that are effective, non-invasive, non-toxic, and healthy, the body can heal itself (if not completely, at least improve quality of life.
Here are a few "alternative" treatments that can make the patient happier, healthier, and give the body what it needs to heal itself:
1. A healthy diet. One diet does not fit all. All cancers feed on sugar, so eliminating processed sugar is the first step. Some cancers feed on fat, you need to find out if this is the case and if it is, then eat more vegetables and proteins - go easy on the fats. Some are just the opposite and feed on carbohydrates. In this case eating less vegetables, more proteins , and more healthy fats. If you have doctors advice.
2. Movement: Either as personal exercise or as physical therapy. This could include movement as stretching for 30 minutes, yoga, Tai Chi, walking, or any other low impact movement that gets you moving. It can include a physical therapist and professional trainers or coaches.
You can also do your own exercise program with elipticals, treadmills, weights, cardio dance/Zumba classes, and other activities. Just as long as you move. If you have cancer or an illness the doctor may recommend certain activities for you, you should follow your doctor's advice.
3. Herbs: Ask your doctor before trying any herbal treatments about the interaction with your prescribed medications. For example: if you take blood thinners then you probably want to stay away from turmeric (which can also thin the blood).
Herbs are natural, but they can also be toxic if you combine with other herbs or with medications. Some are harmless and you can take without any interactions. Always check with your doctor first if you are on medications. ALWAYS.
4. Body Work: This includes:
all types of massages,
hot stones,
cupping,
acupuncture and acupressure,
Homeopathic,
Naturopathic,
Ayurvedic,
Chiropractic,
Osteopathic,
Hydrotherapy,
Reflexology,
and other other body therapies found in Chinese and Oriental medicines.
5. Supplements: Dietary supplements such as vitamins, mega vitamins, minerals, etc. Sometimes Again, you should consult your doctor if you are taking medicines and other treatments before adding to your diet. Usually, they are safe, but occasionally certain vitamins and minerals can interact with medicines and herbs.
6. External energies such as:
Electromagnetic therapy,
Reiki (transfer of energy from practitioner to patient through the laying on of hands),
Oigong (Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to Tai Chi, but more intense).
7. Mind: Studies have found that patients with good emotional and mental health heal better. There are therapies aimed at improving these elements. Here are a few:
Meditation
Biofeedback
Hypnosis
8. Senses: Therapies that incorporate the senses include:
Art
Dance
Music
Visualization
Guided Imagery
Aromatherapy
As you can see, there are many alternative medicine choices. The combination is the key to healing and applying with traditional/modern medicines and treatments. As you will see in the following photo, combining traditional/modern medicine with alternative medicine can greatly improve the patients chances for a complete healing.
In the photo below, this patient had rectal cancer.
The photo on the left is after months of radiation without any additional treatments.
The photo on the right is the same patient with rectal cancer after a few months of radiation and a diet change. The diet change alone, gave the body the boost it needed so that the radiation could do it's job. As you can see, it's amazing!
Sometimes, all it takes is a small tweak that provides our bodies with what it needs to heal itself, the way God made it.
A word of advice (from a novice writer only and with no medical education):
ALWAYS consider every option available to you when you are faced with an illness or disease. If your doctor refuses to consider other options, get a second opinion. NEVER take the first options with out investigating you. other choices.
Always consult your doctor before adding or taking away any treatments or medicines.
ALWAYS!
I hope you found this article helpful. I hope that it makes a difference in your life now or in the future. In future blogs, I will go into a deeper study on some of these alternative therapies and how they help us heal ourselves.
Have you ever used Alternative Medicine (or Complimentary Medicine) in conjunction with traditional/modern medicine? Would you consider alternative medicines in the future? What are your thoughts on Integrative medicine?
XOXO
A word of advice (from a novice writer only and with no medical education):
ALWAYS consider every option available to you when you are faced with an illness or disease. If your doctor refuses to consider other options, get a second opinion. NEVER take the first options with out investigating you. other choices.
Always consult your doctor before adding or taking away any treatments or medicines.
ALWAYS!
I hope you found this article helpful. I hope that it makes a difference in your life now or in the future. In future blogs, I will go into a deeper study on some of these alternative therapies and how they help us heal ourselves.
Have you ever used Alternative Medicine (or Complimentary Medicine) in conjunction with traditional/modern medicine? Would you consider alternative medicines in the future? What are your thoughts on Integrative medicine?
XOXO
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