Alternative Medicine and Cancer: The Hype and the Truth

While there are many unfounded claims that state they have the newest cure for various forms of cancer, the reality is that none of them have shown reputed scientific studies to support their claims.

There are, however, some herbal combinations that can be combined with traditional medicine that have shown promise. A prime example is bloodroot and skin cancer. The Native Americans along Lake Superior were the first reported ones to use the sap of the herb on skin cancerous growths with documented success. In "Medical botany" they state their have been successful cases using the herb in treating both breast cancer and superficial cancerous growths.

A traditional beverage known to nearly every man is coffee. coffee enemas have been prescribed for cancer in many areas around the world. Though this is not scientifically proven; it is known that caffeine is a stimulate that reacts with the nervous system and may in fact open blood flow while stimulate the immune system in a variety of ways. It is currently being studied at various Universities to determine how and if this claim can be confirmed.

In Germany and Australia there is an extract called V.album which is made from mistletoe that is currently being used to treat certain tumorous cancers with some reported success. Dr. James Duke describes the new research results as a study in which laboratory settings were able to treat cancer cells individually with the same extract of mistletoe. The danger is that if not done properly mistletoe is toxic.

Tropical Periwinkle is one of those gifts from nature. Currently Eli Lilly and Company has been conducting studies with the herb and has produced two drugs known world wide as Velban and Oncovin to treat cancer. The Vinblastine sulfate is known to treat Hodgkin's disease and choriocarcinoma. Vincristine which is the alkaloid found in the herb is also used to treat childhood leukemia and breast cancer. When these two parts are administered together, they have shown a 43 percent beneficial result with patients with malignant lymphoma. Although the benefits are immense, there is a danger of toxicity and your doctor should be involved in treatment with this herb.

While herbs can be additive to curing cancer in some cases, the far more beneficial effects can be obtained in using herbal medicine for the additive benefits. It is thought that nearly one in every three Americans will get some form of cancer. Cancer is not a single entity with a certain cause but rather a complex disease with over 200 different classifications. If you ask any oncologist what are the most important factors in overcoming and preventing cancer, they will tell you diet and nutrition. Simply your lifestyle.

It is a proven fact that most cancers are caused or aggravated by nutritional deficiencies that have accumulated over the years. Therefore, reducing fact intake, eating vegetables and using plant enzyme therapy may be the single most important aspect of preventing cancer. Simply by adding two fruits and three vegetable servings to your diet daily have been shown to have amazing results. Some studies show that eating fruit twice a day can reduce your likelihood of lung cancer alone by nearly 75 percent.

There are known allopathic formulas that have shown positive results in helping systemic cancers of the colon, bowel, stomach organ and lungs, malignant tumors, melanoma, leukemia, and skin cancers. Many have had astounding results using herbal compounds to rebuild the body's natural system after chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Just as each cancer is different, every herbal formula is different and should be customized by a herbalist for the best and safest results.