Cancer is a tedious journey that tries to pose obstacles in the trial of our ways to heal everything we know. When facing such a challenging diagnosis, patients try to get help as they always see the world as their playground for recovery. In that quest for cancer treatment, Ayurveda, an Indian traditional medicine system, will be a good choice as a complementary and integrative approach that has been preferred by many patients in the present day.
What actually is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a precise way of classifying and treating diseases and an approach to holistic health. Ayurveda is different from modern medicine, which not only focuses on each symptom but also works on the root cause. Ayurveda finds the reasons for sickness and makes provisions to ensure a proper health balance. Yoga was an ancient practice in India, a part of Ayurveda that entails balancing health among body, mind, and spirit.
Your body is like a complex ecosystem. Ayurveda believes that “if the ecosystem is in harmony, health will grow.” Disease occurs if there is no balance. This holistic approach fundamentally differs from the more targeted approach of conventional medicine.
Can Ayurveda help in cancer treatment?
The answer is subtle. Ayurveda can work hand in hand with conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. Nevertheless, it can be a patient’s heart during complete treatment.
Scientific publications suggested Ayurveda formulations can decrease the side effects of cancer therapy, especially chemotherapy, enhance immune response, and likely modulate the body’s healing processes. For instance, the possibilities of using turmeric and ashwagandha to handle inflammation and strengthen the immune system were found in many studies.
What does modern science say about Ayurvedic approaches?
Scientists all over the world are now more involved in Ayurvedic remedies. Various studies have highlighted the remarkable benefits of Ayurvedic herbs and treatments. Even the most scientific community claims that more than 55% medications are prepared from the plant derived compounds. Some important observations are:
- Curcumin obtained through turmeric has the potential property to inhibit cancer cells’ growth
- Ashwagandha can be an auxiliary tool for improving the quality of life during chemotherapy through Ayurvedic Treatment
- Specific Ayurvedic prescriptions result in immune-modulating effects
- Health-supporting stress reduction techniques are parts of Ayurveda healing
However, these can work along with conventional treatment; they must be filled together. They are exceptionally effective when mixed with traditional medical treatment.
How can Ayurveda support cancer patients during treatment?
Ayurveda offers various means to support cancer patients. This support includes mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being beyond physical treatment.
Diet is crucial for health. The Ayurvedic diet plan results from proper food selection, which supports the body’s health. Ayurveda is an individualistic approach to nutrition, which differs from low-calorie diets. It focuses on people’s unique body types and specific health conditions.
One of the main areas of stress management is the one in which we are of the view. Meditation, Yoga, Pranayama, etc., are ways our patients can cope with stress, increase mental strength, and help them manage their cancer journey.
How is Ayurveda distinguishable from modern medicine cancer treatments?
Conventional medicine aims to destroy cancer cells directly. Ayurveda, on the other hand, has a similar perspective. It strengthens the body’s healing system rather than just fighting the disease.
If you think about it, it’s like gardening. Conventional treatment involves vigorous weed removal. Ayurveda makes the soil richer and ensures the whole garden becomes fit and vulnerable to future problems.
What is the consensus of doctors on integrative cancer care?
Contemporary cancer doctors are increasingly accepting of integrating different methodologies. Many medical doctors mean that assisting a sick person during treatment is not just about drug-related interventions but also about how the patient’s body parts are supported.
Comprehensive care may entail conventional treatment, such as chemotherapy alongside Ayurveda-supportive therapies. It can also mean prescribing certain herbs to lessen side effects, adhering to healthy eating tips, and including relaxation techniques.
What are the aspects that patients must look into before using Ayurvedic techniques?
However, the patients should be wise enough to consider Ayurveda before its adoption. Some essential tips on this are:
- Always contact your primary care oncologist
- Ayurvedic therapies are an integrative complementary approach
- Pick out the best, knowledgeable Ayurvedic doctors
- Be honest about all the treatments you are going through
- Watch your health carefully
- Be prepared to change your way
Are there any scientific studies backing Ayurvedic cancer care?
This line of inquiry is under investigation, yet a verdict has yet to be reached. In addition to the National Institutes of Health and other institutes that are researching such techniques already exist.
Nevertheless, some trials have demonstrated potential gains. For example, research studies quoted in scientific journals suggested some Ayurvedic herbs may help alleviate chemotherapy side effects or even can prevent cancer growth.
What would individualized Ayurvedic care for cancer look like?
Personalization is the core element of Ayurvedic treatment. The primary treatment that has been applied to everyone. Ayurveda, is the only system that looks at all the parts that are specific and unique to each person, like body type, lifestyle, emotional state, and health challenges.
The Ayurvedic method can include extended consultations to assess your physical and mental health, design a diet plan specifically for you, advise specific herbal treatments, and recommend lifestyle changes that help your whole healing journey.
What is the future for integrative cancer care?
The prospect is promising. Medical institutions, laboratories, and hospitals all over the world are making huge strides towards a more holistic and integrated delivery of care. The borders between these treatment types are being blurred, which allows for more and better quality of care.
This is the hopeful message for each cancer patient. They wish the cure would not only eliminate the cancer but also ensure that all three elements—the body, mind, and spirit—are perfectly set to facilitate the healing process.
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Healing
Cancer is the most challenging, but it doesn’t reveal what it will do to us at any moment. Nevertheless, Ayurveda focuses on other ways to cure the illness and make the body and spirit harmonious.
This is different from picking either traditional or modern medicine. In doing so, we respect each patient’s uniqueness and help them along while providing the highest quality of care.
Nevertheless, adopting these methods will enable us to walk along and provide empathetic care during some of the most challenging periods of life.
REFERENCES
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4011424/
- https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2021/Feb/04/how-ayurveda-can-help-in-post-surgery-cancer-care-2259237.html
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10307689/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0975947622001358
- https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/ayurvedic-medicine
- https://cam.cancer.gov/news_and_events/newsletter/2010-fall/feature.htm
- https://namayush.gov.in/sites/all/themes/webcms/images/org_str/CANCER.pdf