TRADITIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE CANCER CURES

The cause and the cure of all disease is born with the body itself. This is what therapist of yore have based their remedies on—long before the advent of conventional medicines we know of today—and undoubtedly, they have worked wonders. Traditional healing techniques, with their origins especially in the East, have created ripples in the Western world of allopathic medicine. These techniques aim at treating the whole body and not just the symptoms, ultimately going to the root of the problem to address the source and symptoms of the disease.

They are referred to as "traditional" therapies, since they may have derived from spiritual traditions or health practices of indigenous groups outside the contemporary recognized medical establishments. These therapies are now being recommended by many in the medical establishment as having potential to improve the efficacy of conventional approaches to cancer cure.

The traditional explanation is that the body contains vital energy or Qi or prana, which should flow smoothly over channels, or meridians or energy centers (chakras) that run throughout the body. When the Qi or pranic energy is stagnant or blocked in the meridians or energy centers from physical, mental, emotional or spiritual causes of disharmony, or when there is an imbalance in the yin (female) and yang (male) forms of energy, then symptoms of ill health or disease are expressed. Acupuncture, moxibustion, herbs and vital energy therapy helps to rebalance, reintegrate and reconnect the yin and yang in order to restore good health.

Ayurveda
Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medical science. It is a natural health care system thought to be the "mother of healing". Unlike modern western medicine, which focuses on treating the symptoms of an illness, Ayurveda concentrates on the source of the disease using natural treatments to eliminate the root cause and promote the patient`s inherent self-healing abilities by improving immunity. The most extreme example of illness caused by lack of purpose is cancer. Ayurveda considers cancer an emotionally caused disease.

According to Vaidya Balendu Prakash (Hony. Physician to the President of India), cancer can easily be defined within the philosophy of Ayurveda. The combination of diet, lifestyle and medicines play an important role in the prevention and treatment of the cancer. There are certain guidelines in ayurveda that are necessary to be followed to keep a person healthy. Either less or excess or untimely diet or lifestyle factors that disturb vata-pitta-kapha (tridosh), that is, the body metabolism, can cause cancer.

Vaidya Balendu Prakash says that the rising incidence of cancer can be attributed to the drastic changes in our lifestyle and dietary habits, especially the use of chemical and synthetic food items, which deprive us from adequate mineral intake. Rasayna Shastra, one of the eight clinical specialties of ayurveda emphasizes on the balance of the seven metals (gold, silver, copper, tin, zinc, iron and lead). These metals help in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. The food items that we consume today are deficient in many minerals. This deficiency causes acidification, which further leads to poor absorption of the metals by our bodies. Moreover, eating disorders, untimely eating, exertion, anxiety, stress, depression and other lifestyle factors contribute towards the formation of acids and toxins in the body, which in turn results in the inflammation of the gastro-intestinal track. The accumulation of toxins and the gradual suppression of the immune system lead to abnormal activities in the different tissues of the body, ultimately leading to cancer.

Ayurveda takes a different approach to achieve good health. It looks at the whole person to eliminate the cause of disease through natural therapies. It can improve health and help prevent serious illness through simple dietary changes, lifestyle changes, and purification techniques that restore balance to your body.

Ayurveda is also compatible with Western medicine. An increasing number of doctors are incorporating ayurveda into their regular practice to provide a synergistic effect.

Diagnosis according to ayurveda is to find out the root cause of a disease. It is not always necessary that the root cause be inside the body. The cause could be some stress causing factors in the surroundings or the family or the work place. To give permanent relief the root cause (physical-pain or psychological-stress /fear) has to be removed. The treatment of a disease according to ayurveda is not just curing a person of his physical symptoms. The person is treated as a whole (the body and the mind).

Different kinds of examinations are made to find out the root cause of a disease. One of them is pulse examination. By checking the pulse, the ayurvedic physician finds out the position of Tridosha i.e. find out the predominant dosha. This is known as the `Naadi Pariksha` (nadi or pulse and pariksha or examination). So once the physician knows which dosha is aggravated or out of balance, the main job is to bring it under balance by using different kinds of therapies. The mental situation, family relations and other outside factors are thoroughly examined.

Treatment is three-way. Through medicines, diet control and Panchakarma. The medicinal treatment mainly comprises of powders, tablets, decoctions, medicated oils etc. prepared from natural herbs, plants and minerals. Because the medicines are from natural sources and not synthetic, they are accepted and assimilated in the body without creating any side effects when they are used properly in the right proportions.

Along with medicine, proper diet and living style is also advised. Ayurveda advocates a diet depending on the constitution of a person and the area of inhabitance.

Panchkarma therapy involving therapeutic cleansing of the body is also used as a treatment in many diseases.

Fundamental principles, health rules, knowledge of individual constitution of our body, use of various herbs, minerals and specially Panchkarma therapy can be very safely used by one and all, all over the world to promote good health, prevent diseases and acquire longevity.