Natural Cures

Natural Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Suffering from Cancer

By: Marcus Martinez

Did you know that we all have cancerous cells in our body? The only difference between a cancer patient and us is that their cancer cells have grown malignant and part and parcel of that happening is because certain body functions have shut down and our body becomes unable to tackle the cancerous growth. Studies have shown that there are many areas of our lifestyle we can control to help ourselves and help our body to perform its normal functions and prevent cancer from developing.

1. Hydrate. One study has shown that drinking up to eight glasses of water a day can halve the risk of bladder cancer. Another study linked the amount of water women drank to their risk of colon cancer where heavy water drinkers reducing their risk by as much as 45 percent. Add a few fresh lemon slices to your water if water is not your kind of drink.

2. Cover up. When it comes to avoiding skin cancer, the best thing to do is to avoid the sun and cover up yourself whenever you can. Avoid fierce rays between 10 am to 2 pm. Do get some sun in the earlier morning when the rays do not burn and damage your skin and help your body to effectively produce some vitamin D.

3. Detox. Try a gentle 15-day detox program with herbs that cleanse and tone the digestive system. Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol and refined foods. Give you body and your detoxification system a break at least twice a year.

4. Go organic. Foods certified organic are grown without pesticides and added hormones where both of which can cause cellular damage that may cause cancer.

5. More cabbage. Cabbage, along with its cousin, Brussels sprouts, contain a wide range of antioxidants and other natural plant chemicals that offer protection against oxidative changes in the body that can lead to cancer. Cabbage is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing. It is low in calories and tastes wonderful when steamed and served with a dash of oil and a sprinkle of fennel seeds and black pepper. Cabbage also contains important natural ingredients called indoles, which are noted for their anticancer activity especially against breast cancer.

6. More garlic. Garlic and its organic sulphur components are effective inhibitors of the cancer process. Studies show that the benefits of garlic are not limited to a specific carcinogen. Garlic has antioxidant, regulates cell proliferation, boosts immune responses and protects the body from free radicals.

7. More tomatoes. Tomatoes – raw, cooked or in sauces – are rich in lycopenes. These vitamin-like substances are antioxidants that help prevent damage to DNA and may help lower prostate cancer risk. Slightly cooking the tomatoes releases the protective nutrients making them more available to the body.

8. More fiber. The American Cancer Society reports that replacing high fat foods with high fiber foods will decrease the risk of developing cancer. Good high fiber foods include wholegrains, fruits and vegetables.

9. More antioxidants. Population studies have noted a consistent association between diets rich in fruits and vegetables and a lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Evidence is also accumulating that much of the health-promoting potential of these plants foods may come from phytochemicals, which are bioactive compounds not designated as traditional nutrients, such as flavonoids with names like anthocyanins, catechins, quercetin and kaempferol.

10. More folic acid. There is enough evidence backing the role of folic acid in reducing cancer risk to persuade everyone to eat an extra vegetable a day. The word ‘folate’ comes from foliage, the green leafy stuff, that we are always encouraged to eat more of. Folic acid plays an important role in DNA and RNA reproduction and it affects DNA repair and gene expression and it is because cancer is thought to arise from DNA damage, folic acid is credited with having an important house-keeping role in the body. At least 400 mcg of folic acid a day is recommended depending on your lifestyle.

11. More selenium. Studies have shown that low selenium intake level has a higher cancer mortality rate. Good sources of selenium include Brazil nuts, seafood, poultry, meat, grains and brown rice. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that participates in many important body functions including immunity. Intake of 100 mcg per day is recommended.

12. More vitamin C. Increased levels of vitamin C are associated with decreased risk of cancer of the stomach, mouth, throat, colon and lungs. At least 100 mg of vitamin C intake per day is recommended.

13. More vitamin D. Population studies show that exposure to sunlight and dietary vitamin D intakes are associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D plays a critical role in calcium absorption, immune system and may inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells in the body.

14. Moderate your alcohol. Alcohol interferes with absorption and metabolism of folic acid. One study of males concluded that more than two alcoholic drinks a day doubled the risk of colon cancer where in another study of females suggested similar findings where the risk of breast cancer observed similar patterns. At least 650 mcg of folic acid intake daily is recommended to negate the negative effects of alcohol consumption. If you really want to drink alcohol, choose red wine over others. Studies have shown that red wine contains compounds that may prevent carcinogens from inducing chromosome mutations.

15. Drink green tea. Green tea is very high in antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which have marked therapeutic properties. These compounds are not found to the same extent in black tea. This factor is believed to account for low rates of cancer in China and Japan.

16. Meditate. The best protection against caner is the internal state of harmony and balance that promotes ease rather than stress and disease. Just 15 minutes a day will help restore internal peace and will also give you clearer thinking.

17. Quit smoking. And stay away from smoking areas.

Cancer is painful for yourself as well as for your family members and those that care and love you. Recognizing that there is a lot that can be done to prevent cancer is the first step toward prevention. We must take care of ourselves because we need to and we must take care of ourselves for those who love us.

Please visit Naturopedia.com, http://www.naturopedia.com , for more on natural health and healing.

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Alternative Medicine and Cancer: The Hype and the Truth

By: Ashira Goddard

While there are many unfounded claims that state they have the newest cure for various forms of cancer, the reality is that none of them have shown reputed scientific studies to support their claims.

There are, however, some herbal combinations that can be combined with traditional medicine that have shown promise. A prime example is bloodroot and skin cancer. The Native Americans along Lake Superior were the first reported ones to use the sap of the herb on skin cancerous growths with documented success. In “Medical botany” they state their have been successful cases using the herb in treating both breast cancer and superficial cancerous growths.

A traditional beverage known to nearly every man is coffee. coffee enemas have been prescribed for cancer in many areas around the world. Though this is not scientifically proven; it is known that caffeine is a stimulate that reacts with the nervous system and may in fact open blood flow while stimulate the immune system in a variety of ways. It is currently being studied at various Universities to determine how and if this claim can be confirmed.

In Germany and Australia there is an extract called V.album which is made from mistletoe that is currently being used to treat certain tumorous cancers with some reported success. Dr. James Duke describes the new research results as a study in which laboratory settings were able to treat cancer cells individually with the same extract of mistletoe. The danger is that if not done properly mistletoe is toxic.

Tropical Periwinkle is one of those gifts from nature. Currently Eli Lilly and Company has been conducting studies with the herb and has produced two drugs known world wide as Velban and Oncovin to treat cancer. The Vinblastine sulfate is known to treat Hodgkin’s disease and choriocarcinoma. Vincristine which is the alkaloid found in the herb is also used to treat childhood leukemia and breast cancer. When these two parts are administered together, they have shown a 43 percent beneficial result with patients with malignant lymphoma. Although the benefits are immense, there is a danger of toxicity and your doctor should be involved in treatment with this herb.

While herbs can be additive to curing cancer in some cases, the far more beneficial effects can be obtained in using herbal medicine for the additive benefits. It is thought that nearly one in every three Americans will get some form of cancer. Cancer is not a single entity with a certain cause but rather a complex disease with over 200 different classifications. If you ask any oncologist what are the most important factors in overcoming and preventing cancer, they will tell you diet and nutrition. Simply your lifestyle.

It is a proven fact that most cancers are caused or aggravated by nutritional deficiencies that have accumulated over the years. Therefore, reducing fact intake, eating vegetables and using plant enzyme therapy may be the single most important aspect of preventing cancer. Simply by adding two fruits and three vegetable servings to your diet daily have been shown to have amazing results. Some studies show that eating fruit twice a day can reduce your likelihood of lung cancer alone by nearly 75 percent.

There are known allopathic formulas that have shown positive results in helping systemic cancers of the colon, bowel, stomach organ and lungs, malignant tumors, melanoma, leukemia, and skin cancers. Many have had astounding results using herbal compounds to rebuild the body’s natural system after chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Just as each cancer is different, every herbal formula is different and should be customized by a herbalist for the best and safest results.

Ashira is a Novelist and Free Lance Writer. She has written hundreds of articles in numerous venues. Ashira is the author of the series entitled “Happy Bodies” and “The Witches’ Child” trilogy. As well, Ashira is a featured columnist with AskNow.com and 52 Perfect Days. www.ashira.ws

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Cancer Prevention - How to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

By: Ronald Godlewski

Traditional medical treatments for cancer may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Many doctors use a combination of methods in an effort to increase the effectiveness and speed at which they attack the cancer. The treatment or combination of treatments is often dependent on the type, location, and severity of the cancer. While all of these therapies have been used with varying degrees of success - NONE OF THEM address the main problem with cancer - TOO MANY PEOPLE GET CANCER!

What is the ultimate solution to cancer? What should YOU be focused on?

How about not getting sick in the first place!

If given a choice, would you rather take a few simple steps to avoid cancer or do you want to take your chances and fight it once your doctor tells you you’ve got it? Would you rather spend your retirement money on the latest creative treatments and expensive high-tech equipment or spend time with the ones you love doing the things you love the most?

Just how much does our cancer crisis cost you? Consider that every man, woman and child in the U.S. contributes nearly $720 each year - that’s almost $3,000 for a family of four! That number was calculated by taking the total health care cost of cancer and dividing it by the total U.S. population. No tricks. No funny money games. What could your family do with that $3,000 today?

Why spend hard earned money on treatments that often impact our quality of life? Many of the therapies for cancer are so physically debilitating that patients are often not able to return to work or do daily tasks around the house. People with cancer often require family members to help with the basic necessities of life, including getting dressed, taking a bath, and going to the bathroom.

Just as with heart disease, there are VERY SIMPLE lifestyle changes that you can start doing today that can decrease you risk of developing cancer. These same simple changes can also improve your overall quality of life. Ready? Here’s the list:

1. Don’t use any tobacco products. Don’t smoke. Don’t chew. Don’t puff. Smoking is responsible for 90% of all cases of lung cancer. Want to drop your chances of contracting lung cancer to 10%? It’s simple….don’t smoke, chew or puff.

2. Protect yourself from the sun. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer yet it is the MOST PREVENTABLE. Avoiding peak sunlight (between 10am and 4pm), wearing sunscreen, and avoiding tanning beds and sunlamps can virtually eliminate the risk of skin cancer.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. There is a direct relationship between excess body weight and those that die of cancer. The American Cancer Society found that the more overweight you are, the greater your risk of dying from cancer.

4. Keep your immune system working properly. Cancer cells appear in our body every day, but our immune system knows how to recognize an unhealthy cell and eliminate it. Our central nervous system plays a major role in the function of our immune system so anything we can do to strengthen our central nervous system will reduce our risk of cancer. Two key ways to keep our central nervous system operating at peak performance is spinal alignment (yep, go see the chiropractor) and eating nutrient dense foods. Studies have found that this one-two punch increases the amount of antibodies within your system within minutes after a spinal adjustment or consuming a nutrient dense supplement.

5. Exercise on a regular basis. Physical activity is one of the primary methods of maintaining your ideal weight and in keeping your body’s organs, tissue, muscle, ligaments, and bones strong and healthy.

6. Eat nutritionally dense meals and supplement. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing to eat fewer high-fat foods. High fat diets may increase your risk of prostate, colon, rectum and uterus cancer. Supplement with nutrient dense supplements that are made from nutrient dense plants such as aloe vera and sea vegetables.

7. Think healthy. Studies have shown over and over again that reducing stress will reduce the risk of cancer AND heart disease. Take time out of your day, better yet, plan each day to remove stress. Stress weakens cells, weak cells makes the body more susceptible to developing cancer.

That’s it. Seven of the easiest steps you can do today to reduce your risk of cancer. To make them really work for you, learn a bit more about each. There is plenty of information about exercise, nutritional supplements, reducing stress, losing weight, etc. Learn more, do more, and choose to NOT be one of the million plus people diagnosed with cancer each year.

Ronald Godlewski has published several dozen articles on health, wellness and disease prevention. Do you want to learn more about reducing your risk of cancer and receive your FREE quart of a nutrient dense supplement that may help reduce your risk of cancer? Then visit http://www.pillfreesupplements.com Got a question? Call Ron toll free at 1-888-LFI-CUST (1-888-534-2878).

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Alternative Treatment and Herbal Medicines For Breast Cancer

By: Ricky Hussey

Cancer requires scrupulous medical and surgical treatment. Nonetheless, certain alternative therapies may play an adjunctive role in its care.

Herbal Medicine

Herbalists have long recommended tropical periwinkle to treat breast cancer and other malignancies. Indeed, a periwinkle alkaloid is used to make vincristine, a very potent chemotherapy agent. Oncologists stress, however, that this drug should be used only under careful medical supervision rather than to resort to herbal periwinkle extracts, which can be highly toxic.

Meditation, Self Hypnosis And Visualization

Studies indicate that women with advanced breast cancer who participate in group support sessions that include these techniques have significantly longer survival rates than those who do not. Scientists have not yet been able to explain this effect, but some theorize that the methods mobilize the immune system to fight the further spread of cancer.

Nutrition Therapy

Some nutritionists recommend daily supplements of beta carotene (precursor to vitamin A) and vitamins C and E, both to help prevent cancer and to slow its growth. However, studies suggest that foods high in these antioxidants are more effective. Good sources of beta carotene are orange and dark green vegetables and yellow and orange fruits; of vitamin C, many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits and bell peppers; of vitamin E, wheat germ, legumes, seafood, and poultry. Although the role of other dietary components remains controversial, some studies suggest that a low-fat diet may cut the risk of breast cancer and its recurrence. Such a regimen requires limiting the intake of all fats, especially those from animals, as well as animal protein, while increasing foods high in fiber, such as whole grain products and fresh fruits and vegetables. Other nutrition therapists and some naturopaths may recommend extreme macrobiotic and other restricted, low calorie diets for breast cancer patients. Oncologists warn that these diets should be avoided because they do not provide adequate calories, protein, and other nutrients that the body needs for recovery or to prevent the wasting that occurs in advanced cancer. Yog regular practice of yoga, meditation, and other relaxation techniques can help alleviate the stress and anxiety caused by cancer, which in turn may boost immune system function.

Self Treatment

Increasingly, women are expected to playa decision making role in their overall treatment. This demands being well informed and not hesitating to question your doctor and voice your concerns. Under the best of circumstances, a diagnosis of breast cancer is psychologically devastating. Joining a support group such as the American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery program, or simply talking to women who have recovered from breast cancer, can be reassuring. Concerns about physical appearance following a mastectomy are normal. However, women who do not undergo immediate breast reconstruction are usually relieved to find that, with a well fit prosthesis, they can wear most of their clothing without anyone being able to tell they have had this surgery. Initially, use a temporary prosthesis such as cotton fluff inserted into your regular bra, or one that is slightly larger to accommodate bandages. lake this to the hospital with you to avoid the stress of finding something to wear for the trip home. After healing is complete, plan to shop for a permanent prosthesis. Some regular lingerie departments sell breast prostheses, but you may feel more comfortable and find a wider selection at a specialty shop. Make sure that you tryon several different types. Prices vary, but many insurance policies and Medicare cover at least part of the cost. If you cannot find a ready-made prosthesis that looks and feels right, consider investing in a customized one made to match exactly the contour of your other breast.

A prosthesis usually is not necessary after a lumpectomy, but a bra should be worn day and night for several days following surgery to prevent traction of the wound and to help the breast regain its previous shape. Self help measures can help to minimize common complications affecting the arm and hand on the mastectomy side. To minimize swelling, exercise your arm as soon as your surgeon says it is okay. Lift it as high as you comfortably can several times a day to promote the flow of lymph. Also, “walk” your fingers up a wall as high as possible and do isometric, or pumping, exercises for the hand such as squeezing a rubber ball. If arm swelling still occurs, talk to your doctor about wearing an elastic sleeve to reduce swelling and improve lymph flow. If lymph nodes have been removed, the arm and hand on that side are more vulnerable to infection. It is best to avoid anything that constricts or burdens them. Wear loose fitting clothing and switch your watch and purse to the opposite arm. Also have blood drawn or blood pressure measured on the opposite arm. Try to minimize cuts or injuries; for example, use an electric razor if you shave underarm hair; wear protective gloves for gardening and other tasks; and use special care when trimming nails and cuticles. If you do get a cut or burn, wash it immediately with soap and water and apply an antiseptic plus an antibiotic cream. Consult your doctor promptly if an infection develops.

Other Causes of Breast Symptoms

Many women experience swelling and tenderness of the breasts as part of premenstrual syndrome. Benign fibrocystic breast lumps are also exceedingly common. Nursing mothers often develop mastitis, a bacterial breast infection.

Discover where to get free home remedies for health care.

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