At age 38, doctor and Harvard Medical School associate professor Julie K. Silver got the news no one wants to hear: “You have cancer.”
Since Silver’s diagnosis more than a decade ago, she’s made it her life’s mission to help others realize that the body has an amazing capacity to heal itself from chronic illness and disease, especially if you treat yourself right. She’s written many books and developed clinical programs for hospitals around the country.
“Serious illness and injury can force people to accept a ‘new normal,’” Silver wrote in AARP. “But many people experience more pain, fatigue, and disability than they have to. In short, they accept a ‘new normal’ too soon. If you’ve been ill or injured or you are living with a chronic medical condition, aim for maximum healing—and don’t stop until you achieve it.”
In 2017, there were an estimated 1.7 million new cancer diagnoses and 600,920 cancer-related deaths in the U.S. Cancer is the second leading cause of death (one in every four deaths), exceeded only by heart disease.
About seven in 10 deaths are caused by chronic conditions that are largely preventable. While the prevention of illness is a large part of healthcare, healing should include an integrative approach that includes conventional medicine, healthy lifestyle changes and alternative treatments. It’s hard to eat well when you don’t feel good. Some people with a chronic illness or disease may actually be eating enough, but the body is unable to absorb all the nutrients that come from food.
Nutrition
It’s fairly common for many of us to skip breakfast and replace it with cups of coffee. This may seem intuitive, but skipping meals is not good for healing. Every human being needs the appropriate amount of protein, carbs, fruits and vegetables, and calories to function throughout the day. People undergoing cancer treatments are especially susceptible to malnutrition.
Research has shown that many cancers can be delayed or prevented by eating a plant-based diet and getting regular exercise to promote healing and fight infection. One study found that eating a vegan diet helped reduce chances of developing cancer by as much as 15 percent. Also, choosing minimally processed foods that are high in water and fiber can reduce your risk of developing cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, most patients with advanced cancer will have anorexia, which is the most common cause of malnutrition in cancer patients. Even for those who are eating well, there’s a condition called cachexia that can occur because tumors affect eating and digestion, resulting in the inability to store fat and muscle.
Working with a nutritionist who specializes in treating cancer patients should be a major part of your care and team of professionals. The stakes are too high not to do your research. There are people in the alternative healing field that have taken advantage of desperate cancer patients looking for a cure as is the case of a woman who basically bought $2,000 worth of dirt from a charlatan. Finding a reputable healer is of the utmost importance.
Sleep
Like diet, getting the rest we need is vital to health and healing. Naturopathic oncology provider Veronica Stevens said that in her practice 70 percent of cancer patients have some type of sleep problem because of anxiety and depression. In 25 percent of patients, the side effects of medications disrupted sleep, and another 5 percent did not sleep well because of pain.
Melatonin may help reduce the risk of cancer progression and is known to promote sleep. Everyone needs enough of the hormone melatonin, which tells your body when to sleep and when to wake up. For those having trouble sleeping, melatonin and other natural insomnia remedies may work well in place of prescription medications.
Also, a 5-HTP supplement may be helpful. 5-HTP is a chemical compound produced in the body from tryptophan and then converted into serotonin and melatonin. For women experiencing hot flashes because of low levels of estrogen, magnesium glycinate may also assist with sleep. Another suggestion is Rescue Remedy, a combination of five flowers that comes in the form of spray or drops. It’s known to be a stress and anxiety reliever.
Reiki
Another natural healing remedy known to relieve stress and promote relaxation is the practice of reiki.
Reiki is a healing technique used by therapists to channel energy by placing their hands lightly on or just above the person to increase the flow of energy and restore physical and emotional well-being. It’s supposed to support the body’s natural healing abilities by unblocking “stuck areas.”
Unlike massage, the treatment does not involve pressure or tissue manipulation. It usually lasts an hour and the reiki practitioner will use their hands in up to 15 different positions over the patient’s body for two to five minutes at a time. Reiki is often combined with crystal healing. One of the more powerful healing crystals is the Padparadscha sapphire that’s said to manifest emotional strength and calm the body.
But even if you don’t believe in this type of healing art, there are hospitals, clinics and hospice programs around the country that offer reiki as a standard part of care.
“Reiki can improve the patient’s emotional health and outlook, which may increase the patient’s ability and willingness to comply with a physician’s instructions and adhere to treatment protocols,” according to the International Association of Reiki Professionals.
Guided imagery, meditation, and spiritual practice are important aspects of healing for many people, in addition to traditional oncology treatment. The body wants to heal and has the innate ability to do so. Non-invasive techniques as well as modern medicine and healthy lifestyles can co-exist to help people on their journey to heal from serious illness.
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