Natural Cures for Cancer

The National Cancer Institute reported an estimated 1,437,180 people died from cancer-related deaths in 2008. Though these rates were lower than expected, no known cure for the disease has been found. With traditional treatment models at a standstill, natural cures provide new alternatives to those seeking a more holistic approach to healing and wellness.

Identification

With no known cures for cancer on the horizon, many are exploring alternative treatment options in the place of traditional treatments. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, while offering limited hope to cancer patients, significantly impacts one's quality of life. Natural cures include herbal, nutritional, chiropractic and energy-based approaches, with herbal and nutritional being the most commonly used. In some regards, herbal and nutritional treatments operate from the standpoint that nature's ingredients are best suited to heal the human body. Herbal treatments use the therapeutic properties found in plants, while nutritional treatments focus on the properties found in natural foods.

Features

Cancer can arise from different causes and take root within various parts of the body. What causes it is still unknown; however many factors contribute to its occurrence. For whatever reason, a specific group of cells in the body begin to lose control over their reproductive abilities. Cells start to multiply at unusual rates, causing the lump and tumor formations.
Herbalists view these cellular malfunctions as caused by a weakened immune system. The body is essentially a self-repairing entity that functions just fine until its natural mechanisms become damaged or weakened. A diet lacking in nutrition depletes the body of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to repair itself.

Function

Herbal treatments are derived from plant extracts, not unlike many pharmaceutical medicines in use. The difference between the two lies in what parts of the plant are used to prepare a treatment. While most pharmaceutical medicines extract key ingredients from a plant, herbal treatments rely on the combined mix of a plant's ingredients to provide a natural therapeutic effect. Traditional medicine attempts to treat specific symptoms caused by an illness and so targets them with key ingredients. Herbal approaches view the body as a whole, so the focus is on the cause of an illness, rather than its effects.

Considerations

An article posted in the New York Times in June 2008 reports on the government's need to crack down on marketing advertisements for herbal products that claimed to cure cancer. A total of 25 companies and 125 different products were flagged for participating in fraudulent practices. Consumer warnings were posted by the Food & Drug Administration to alert them of advertisements containing exaggerated claims. As a result, the FDA is reevaluating its safety requirements for herbal products. Stricter laws on herbal product testing and approvals are under consideration as a necessary step for consumer safety.

Types

Natural cures for cancer extend beyond herbal and nutritional treatments. Reiki, massage and physical touch methods are based on restoring the body's natural energy balance. Physical touch methods, like acupuncture, work to redirect energy flow at specific points within the body's system. Both the reiki and massage methods involve the laying on of hands, with reiki being more energy-oriented. Chiropractic treatment approaches focus on the body's musculoskeletal balance as the source of immune system functioning. By restoring a person's musculoskeletal balance, the immune system is better able to combat illnesses within the body.

Resources

• Natural Cancer Cures & Treatment Centers
• Natural Supplements for Cancer Treatment