Adjunctive Naturopathic
Cancer Care

Naturopathic medicine has a supportive place in cancer treatment, but it cannot and should not be used as a primary treatment.

Your best chance to overcome your fight against cancer is through conventional medical treatments. However, there are benefits to including a naturopathic doctor on your team of healthcare professionals.

As a naturopathic doctor who also holds a medical doctor degree, Dr. Maria has had training from both sides of cancer care. As a result, she is well-versed in medical treatments, and how naturopathic treatments can support them.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, there are a few ways Dr. Maria can help.

Cancer Prevention and Preparation for Treatment

One of the naturopathic principles is based on preventative medicine. Avoiding cancer altogether is the best strategy.

Prevention plays a particular role if you have a genetic predisposition. Naturopathic medicine helps you change your lifestyle according to your specific needs to prevent a whole host of ailments, including cancer.

If you have a recent cancer diagnosis and are scheduled to start treatment, you want to be in the best shape possible. Adequate nutrition and supplementation as well as getting rid of toxins or infections before hand will help you win the battle easier.

Naturopathic Treatments During Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective ways to treat cancer. Cancer cells are considered cancerous because they grow and divide rapidly, and chemotherapy is designed to target those cells.

Based on the type of cancer you have, chemotherapy can either eliminate the cancer cells in your body, control their growth, or ease the symptoms of cancer.

Chemotherapy is hard on your body, however. There are other cells that grow and divide rapidly as well, like your skin, hair, bone marrow, and intestinal cells. Chemotherapy doesn’t discriminate between these and cancer cells, which is why those who experience chemotherapy often have their hair fall out.

The drugs used in chemotherapy are powerful, but they’re also toxic to your body. As a result, you may experience a wide range of side effects, including, but not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Muscle pain
• Stomach pain
• Nerve pain
• Sores in mouth and throat
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Anemia and other blood disorders
• Tingling or burning sensations
• Weakness
• Loss of balance
• Vision problems
• Hearing problems
• Cognitive issues
• Decreased fertility
• Loss of appetite

Using naturopathic methods that won’t conflict with your cancer treatments, Dr. Maria can help you manage these side effects and improve your quality of life. These methods also increase your tolerance to chemotherapy, so you can complete your treatment successfully.

If you’ve just been through chemotherapy, or if you’re getting ready for it, contact the Mindful Healing Clinic.

Naturopathic Support For Cancer Surgery

There are some cases during cancer treatment where your doctor may opt to perform surgery, such as in the case of removing tumorous growths.

While this may be the best treatment for you, surgery is inherently damaging to your body.

Using naturopathic treatments, Dr. Maria can help you build up your body’s nutrient reserves before your surgery. This will help prepare your body for the trauma involved. Once your surgery has been completed, Dr. Maria will help you continue to keep your nutrient levels high, which can increase your recovery rate and reduce the risk of infection.

If you’re preparing for cancer-related surgery, contact the Mindful Healing Clinic.

Naturopathic Support For Radiation Therapy For Cancer

During radiation therapy, your oncology team will bombard your body with radioactive particles to kill cancer cells. This might be done through using a machine to bombard you from outside, or through placing a device in your body withradioactive material.

While advances have been made in radiation treatment to improve its accuracy, it still damages the cells around your cancer.

High doses of radiation are lethal, but even low doses can cause health issues.

If you’re experiencing radiation treatment for your cancer, you may deal with one or more of the following side effects:

• Dry, peeling, itchy, or blistering skin
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Sores in the mouth
• Stiff jaw
• Difficulty swallowing
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding
• Incontinence
• Bladder irritation
• Hair loss
• Tooth decay
• Lymphedema
• Shortness of breath
• Sore breasts
• Stiff muscles and joints
• Radiation pneumonitis
• Radiation fibrosis
• Erectile dysfunction
• Lower sperm count or infertility
• Ceasing menstruation
• Itching, burning, or dryness in vagina

The side effects you’ll face depend heavily on the type of cancer you have, the amount of radiation used, and where.

However, there are naturopathic treatments available that can help reduce the acuteness of these symptoms, reduce the damage done by the radiation treatment, and improve your quality of life.

If you’re getting ready for radiation treatment for your cancer, contact the Mindful Healing Clinic.

Naturopathic Cancer Support During Remission

If you’ve managed to push your cancer into remission, congratulations. After a long battle, it can be a great relief to learn your cancer is in remission.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean life can go back to normal.

Dr. Maria can help you manage your lifestyle and habits from a holistic point of view. The goal is to keep you at an optimal level of health so your cancer is less likely to return. If it does, your body will be better capable of fighting it off.

If you’ve completed a round of cancer treatment and your cancer is in remission, contact the Mindful Healing Clinic.

Contact the Mindful Healing Clinic

Naturopathic support for cancer treatment is becoming more common. In fact, even the Canadian Cancer Society recommends seeking naturopathic support during your battle with cancer.

If you’re dealing with cancer, it’s a good idea to have as many tools as possible on your side. Dr. Maria can provide naturopathic treatments designed to help keep you healthy and strong throughout your cancer treatment. This can help reduce the negative effects of cancer, improve your quality of life, and give you a better chance to beat it.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it can be a frightening experience. Dr. Maria and the Mindful Healing Clinic are here to help. Contact the Mindful Healing Clinic today.