Articles

Naturopaths can play a significant role in helping cancer patients.

According to Cancer Centers of America, one of the leading oncology institutions in the USA, 80% of adult patients with cancer are malnourished and 63% of cancer patients take nutritional supplements.[1]

What leads to malnourished state of cancer patients?

• Cancer cells need their nourishment too. Thus, they construct new blood vessels during the process of angiogenesis. It requires “building blocks” that can be received from food nutrients. Cancer cells grow in different tissues and can take nutrients from those tissues for its own use (amino acids, glucose, etc)
•  Often times cancer can be caused by a nutrient deficiency as 95% of cancers do not have an inherited genetic cause. There have been many research articles that show that inadequate levels of vitamins and minerals can lead to DNA damage. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables loads the body with essential vitamins and minerals. Standard American diet uses a number of processed foods which are deprived of minerals and vitamins, phytonutrients, essential amino acids and fatty acids (omega 3s).[2] Thus, a nutrient deficient diet can lead to chronic disease, inflammation and cancer.
• Many medications can cause nutritional deficiencies. A large number of people use synthetic medications for different conditions (hypertension, high cholesterol, etc). These medications can save lives but at the same time they can also “rob” the body of the essential nutrients (minerals, vitamins, precursors to hormones) if used for a long time. For example, statins (Atorvastatin, Simvastatin, Rosuvastatin, etc) can deplete a very important antioxidant in the body – CoQ10. If patients do not get enough CoQ10 from the diet and there is no supplementation of coQ10, eventually those patients may be depleted in this nutrient that takes part in mitochondrial respiration. [3] This is just one example of nutritional deficiency and each medication has its own nutritional depletion on the body.
• Cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, etc) can also cause nutritional deficiencies,[4] thus, these deficiencies need to be addressed through whole foods balanced diet with abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, protein, essential fatty acids, and high quality nutritional supplements.

It is always best to see a qualified practitioner to identify nutritional deficiencies while going through cancer treatments.  

Naturopaths study Nutrition, Botanical Medicine, Pharmacology and many other disciplines to be equipped with necessary knowledge to develop a comprehensive plan for patients to replenish depleted nutrients. Naturopathic doctors also have access to high quality supplements through professional companies. N.D.s can check the interactions that can exist between supplements and medications through naturopathic medical resources.

References: 

[1] http://www.cancercenter.com/ctca-difference/integrative-cancer-treatment/

[2] https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet

[3] Deichmann, Lavie, Andrews. Coenzyme Q10 and Statin-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Ochsner J. 2010 Spring; 10(1): 16–21.

[4] Dreizen, McCredie, Keating, Andersson. Nutritional deficiencies in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Postgrad Med. 1990 Jan;87(1):163-7, 170

Go Green

When we speak of heart, we cannot miss out on the importance and benefits of plant foods. Vegetables are an excellent source of glutamic acid. It is a class of amino acid which helps keeping blood pressure at lower levels; safe levels, so to say. Not to mention, the amount of vitamins and minerals that vegetables provide to the body do the most for health.

Be Active

Without the aid of daily exercise, maintaining a good overall health is just more than a daunting task. Exercises not only improve heart function, but also help in bringing down blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in the body. A mere 30 minutes stroll daily does good for the heart, if not much. It is recommended that sprinting is more beneficial for the heart, than jogging.

Eat high quality oils

Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which not only help in preventing cardiovascular diseases, but also reduce instances of heart attack. According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, a group of patients with cardiovascular disease had 30% less likelihood of heart attack because of omega-3 fatty acids. Best sources include salmon, mackerel and herring. Flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans are also good sources.

Cut the Smoke

If you think you cannot shun the habit of smoking, then you might as well know that you cannot do anything good for your heart. One of the most severe risks of smoking relates to heart diseases in almost every smoker. Quit smoking, and you have done half the job in keeping your heart healthy!

Lose Weight

Being overweight puts extra load on the heart thus, increases the risk of heart conditions. So, consume less sugary foods and more of fiber and complex carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the basic necessities for a healthy heart today.

Add More Fiber

Fiber exists in two major groups; soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble (does not dissolve in water). Although both the types are beneficial to health, it is the former type that does way better to reduce cholesterol levels in the body. Due to its soluble nature, it binds with the cholesterol in the intestines thus, keep it from being absorbed. This keeps the level of LDL and total cholesterol down, while not affecting the HDL cholesterol level in any way. All a healthy person requires is a serving of 5 to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber in a day to avail this benefit of low cholesterol. Foods rich in this fiber include apples, peas, kidney beans, prunes, etc.

Beware of Trans Fats

 To avoid trans fats, eat less of fast foods, bakery products, unhealthy snacks, crackers, and margarines. Go for foods rich in healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Eat Less Salt

Sodium is good for the body, but in petty amounts. High salt intake means high blood pressure, which eventually points out to heart conditions. When sodium starts accumulating in the blood, it attracts water which in turn, increases the blood volume. Now to keep this blood circulating through the blood vessels, the heart has to work harder thus, causing high blood pressure. The recommended amount of sodium in the food per day must be less than 2300 milligrams.

Take the Right Medication

In most cases, heart diseases are also related to the use of drugs. So, it is important that you take medicines as prescribed by the doctors, or get them altered if necessary.

Moderate Alcohol

Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts does not harm the body. In fact, some studies show that moderate consumption provides some benefits for the heart. However, the habit of drinking is analogous to walking on thin ice. It is not difficult for any one to step out of his limit, and become a heavy drinker. So, ensure that either you stick to moderate drinking or you don’t drink at all.

Manage Stress

Stress has also been known to be one of the common culprits of heart problems. Any stressful situation elevates blood pressure and this response takes its toll on the heart. So, keep yourself relaxed by practicing meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques.

Since time immemorial, music as a meaningful vibration has been infused into human culture to express feelings and evoke emotional release.¹ The concept of “sacred sounds” has been used since primeval times by indigenous cultures and ancient civilizations. It was believed to be capable of healing both the body and the soul. Although for a time in modern history, music was relegated to entertainment, and healing to medicine, since World War II the health benefits of music have become more recognized in mainstream medicine. In 1996, the World Health Organization recognized music as a form of healing therapy.

Continue reading at http://ndnr.com/neurology/music-as-medicine-a-case-study-in-autism

Women sacrifice over 600 million hours of work and $2 billion dollars of revenue annually to the pain of menstruation. Dysmenorrhea is a source of significant physical, emotional, and economic hardship for women around the world. A staggering 84-90% of women experience some form of dysmenorrhea in their lifetime, with 25% of those affected rating their pain as severe and life-compromising..

Please continue reading the article at http://ndnr.com/pain-medicine/what-lies-beneath-the-pain-dysmenorrhea-emotional-processing/

The Swiss government has a long and widely-respected history of neutrality, and therefore, reports from this government on controversial subjects need to be taken more seriously than other reports from countries that are more strongly influenced by present economic and political constituencies. When one considers that two of the top five largest drug companies in the world have their headquarters in Switzerland, one might assume that this country would have a heavy interest in and bias toward conventional medicine, but such assumptions would be wrong.

Continue reading on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/homeopathic-medicine-_b_1258607.html