Whenever a friend or family member has been diagnosed with cancer (which sadly, is something I’ve experienced more than a few times and I have a feeling many of you have dealt with it too), it seems like in addition to extending our love and sympathy and finding out if there is anything we can do to help, we also tend to ask about upcoming chemotherapy and/or radiation appointments.
And in most cases, everyone I know who has battled cancer has responded with things like “I have six rounds of chemo coming up, three weeks apart, and I will probably have radiation too.” It seems like these two types of treatment options are almost a given at this point, and with good reason—they usually work!
But I do admit to wondering sometimes—are there any other options? For example, I’ve had friends who are really into natural remedies and vitamins and things get diagnosed with cancer. Would it ever work to combine traditional cancer therapies with more naturopathic ones?
Before going any further, I think it’s important to talk a bit about what “naturopathic” means. It’s a word that we hear a lot but I know I didn’t really understand it completely until I looked it up and starting researching it. “Naturopathic” is way more than just being a fan of vitamin C and garlic pills. Like the word implies, it involves using the power of nature to keep us healthy and help us get better when we are sick. Prevention and being proactive about our health is a biggie in this type of medicine, which is something I just love. Also, looking at each person as a whole being rather than just their illness is another part of naturopathy. For someone who has cancer, I think this would be incredibly important.
Examples of naturopathic medicine include homeopathy, clinical nutrition, Chinese medicine, natural supplements like vitamins and minerals, and herbal remedies. Naturopathic physicians and/or clinicians are specialists in this type of medicine.
From what I’ve been reading, naturopathic medicine can be a great addition to traditional cancer treatments. As a bonus, it seems like many of the treatments are things that cancer patients can have some control over, when working on conjunction with a naturopathic clinician. For example, you may be able to say something like “I have read a lot about vitamin C and other antioxidants and how they may help combat cancer and I’d like to take them in addition to my chemotherapy.”
Ideally, the place where you are going for your traditional cancer treatments should have at least one person on staff who is knowledgeable about naturopathic medicine and can help you find the treatments that are best for you. I was curious to see if I could find some places that do this, and was happy that a quick Google search came up with some options.
For example, Goshen Center for Cancer Care in Goshen, Indiana has a staff of naturopaths who work in cooperation with the oncologists. Here is a link that talks about their philosophies and treatments:
http://cancer.goshenhealth.org/main.asp?id=888
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) also offer naturopathic medicine, and their website has a pretty large section dedicated to this topic:
www.cancercenter.com/complementary-alternative-medicine/naturopathic-medicine.cfm
Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, which may be connected to CTCA (because their logos are the same), has a staff on naturopathic oncologists that are dedicated to this type of cancer care.
www.seattlecancerwellness.com/naturopathic_oncologists.html
I would hope that anyone who is battling cancer could add naturopathic treatments to his or her schedule, if that is someone he or she would be interested in. But I am wondering if this is always the case. I would love to hear from people who are and have been battling cancer to find out what your experiences have been. Could you add in things like herbal remedies and certain vitamins and minerals, or were those ideas discouraged? Did the naturopathic medicine help you get better faster? I look forward to hearing from you!