Cancer is deadly disease that claims thousands of lives in America each year. While there are a number of known carcinogens, such as cigarette smoke, overexposure to the sun, genetics, and even diet and exercise, cancerous growths can still occur in relatively healthy people.
However, as technological advances have improved treatments for cancer — and other chronic illnesses such as treatments for stroke — the medical community has found more effective and less invasive ways to help patients overcome the disease. Early detection and prevention have also been paramount in the treatment of cancer. More often than not, a cancer diagnosis is no longer a death sentence.
However, some cancer patients and even oncologists who are proponents of alternative and holistic healing practices are using new treatment methods in conjunction with traditional medicine in an effort to find a possible cure. Here are just a few.
Hyperbaric chambers
What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy? Hyperbaric oxygen chambers and pressurized to allow the patient to breath a higher concentration of oxygen than they normally would, typically around 95%. The pressure forces the oxygen into the patient’s body systems, such as cells, tissues, and body fluids, improving the immune system. The immune system is vital in fighting cancer cells. In addition, the pressurized oxygen aids in detoxifying and reducing inflammation, which in turn accelerates the healing process. Alternative treatments for strokes also involve forms of oxygen therapy.
Medicinal marijuana
Medicinal cannabis is often used in conjunction with traditional treatments for cancer such as radiation and chemotherapy in order to offset negative side effects such as nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In addition, medical marijuana can be used for pain management. However, some patients and even medical practitioners are saying that concentrated doses of medicinal cannabis, such as that found in cannabis oil or paste, can be used to slow cancerous growths if not cure the disease entirely. Both are also used as treatments for arthritis with promising results.
East meets West
Traditional Chinese Medicinal (TCM) practices have made their way to the states, with practitioners adopting ancient methods in order to harmonize their body systems. According to TCM, disharmony or imbalance can cause your body’s systems to go haywire, which in turn, reduces the efficacy of your body’s immune system. Therefore, you body is no longer to fight off cancer cells. Practice such as acupuncture, tai chi, and Reiki are thought to help balance the body’s energy.
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