Complementary Therapy

I require a very complete set of medical records for my new patients. I review these carefully. If I am unfamiliar with any aspect of their cancer or treatment, I research by reading my oncology text books, reading published studies and consulting with my naturopathic and oncologist colleagues. My first visits with new patients are typically 90 minutes so that I can learn as much as I can about each person as an individual (after all they are people with cancer, not just cancer diagnoses). I then several more hours developing my recommendations, which stem from my experience and additional research. I then provide my consultation note and my recommendations to the patient and to their other healthcare providers. I typically follow-up with patients in accordance with their treatment and disease experience on a repeated basis.

I'm glad you asked this! I am thinking about the same thing..... My daughter started practicing Tai Chi and the movements seem much more gentle and appear to require deliberate concentration. Curious what our experts may say.....

Yes but you must find an instructor who has specific training in dealing with back injuries and pain. This is not part of every certification. The other option is to use meditation in order to induce deep states of relaxation and help to expedite healing of the body. I have several meditations available on my website www.peacefullife.ca.
Jackie

The research measured quality of life indicators and showed that with the 8 week yoga program (1 session per week at the hospital (1.5hrs.) and 3-4 sessions at home with a DVD (20 or 40 minute sessions) the women improved their global quality of life and decreased their depressive symptoms compared to the control group. The results have been presented in a few conferences but are going to be officially published soon so I can add the link when they are.
What I observed as a teacher was that the benefits each woman received were very individual. One woman learned to live more in the present moment. She started out feeling fearful that she would not see her children grow up. When we talked about how fear is created by trying to anticipate the future - which no one can do - she realized that she felt good, her children were healthy and that everyday she would focus on and feel grateful for what she has now - in the moment.
Another woman learned to express her needs. She had spent a lifetime looking after everyone else but forgetting to put attention on her own needs. She had her husband rearrange the furniture so she could do her yoga at home. She told her family she needed the quiet time everyday and she took it. She even started being more aware of the effect of the energy of negative people around her and made changes to reduce it. She was a transformed woman - much more confident and expressive.
Other women enjoyed the physical part and felt stronger and more empowered. Another woman who was very athletic learned about the importance of deep relaxation to release tension and allow the body to heal at a deep level. A lot of women who said they felt too tired to do the home video would just watch it and relax or start gently doing the postures and would find they were more energized afterward.
One woman had lymphedema and wore a elastic sleeve when she started, by the end the swelling was down and she no longer needed the sleeve.
So the benefits were varied and usually quite significant. Overall though I would say the women felt empowered to impact their healing,able to relax more and they felt more hopeful/optimistic.

Great question. Yes, I have a specific guided meditation for uncovering and finding the higher purpose or role that cancer plays in people's lives. Often the ego does not want to hear this kind of information. So during the meditation we tap into the wisdom of the soul in order to explore and find the deeper meaning of the healing journey.

Acupuncture can help relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and may help alleviate many other side effects of cancer treatments. Please view the following links to understand more:
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http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/98469.cfm" target=_blank>http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/98469.cfm
Thanks Ann Begun for sharing the links!

To answer the question as a patient reiki helped my heal. Two weeks after my breast reconstruction I started working with a reiki master. He would do reiki twice a week and he taught me how to do it myself. I did it every day. I believe that it helped my heal faster and also made me feel like I was doing something to help my body heal. I felt so "out of control" and doing reiki gave me a feeling of control. At the hospital that I work at (a major cancer center) some of the surgeons are letting reiki masters come into the operation room to work with their patients. They are seeing the value of reiki and the "calm energy" that it brings to the patients.

The benefits of yoga, or Pilates for that matter, are multiple:

Exercises of this sort--and I class both of these as primarily meditative in nature--has a documented ability to lower anxiety in people.

Exercise also lowers body weight, enhances self-esteem and increases a general sense of well being.

Additionally, a variety of research has proven that anxiety delays physical recovery after surgery or traumatic illness. Why? People who are less anxious sleep better, eat better and are less likely to self-medicate than their peers with higher stress levels.

So it follows that exercise, especially exercise that is more meditative and less aggressive, helps exacerbate recovery.

But beyond that--if that weren't enough--this sort of exercise almost always takes place in groups. And the benefit of getting out and going to a gym, group exercise meeting, medical center, school or church to workout with others is very beneficial in its own rite. Less TV time and more face to face interaction with others makes people less isolated, depressed and yes, anxious.

Please remember--all these benefits aside, a patient should get clearance from their physician before entering into any sort of exercise program. Additionally, the patient should make sure the instructor they are working with is qualified and aware of any physiological restrictions the patient may have.