One-third of cancer patients take complementary and alternative medicines

A recent study on cancer patients has shown that a stunning one-third of the patients use complementary and alternative medicines like meditation, yoga, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and supplements.

The findings found that herbal supplements were the most common alternative medicine and chiropractic, or osteopathic manipulation, was the second most common alternative.

Referring to the finding that 29 per cent of people who use complementary and alternative medicine did not tell their physicians, a Dr. said, "Younger patients and women are more likely to use complementary and alternative medicines. However, I would have thought more people would tell their doctors,"


Many survey respondents said they did not say anything because their doctors did not ask, or they did not think their doctors needed to know. The Dr. and other cancer specialists agree this is concerning, especially in the case of herbal supplements.

"You don't know what's in them," the Dr. said. "Some of these supplements are kind of a mishmash of different things. Unless we know what's in them, I would recommend patients avoid using them during radiation because there's likely not data on certain supplements, which could interfere with treatment. With radiation specifically, there is concern that very high levels of antioxidants could make radiation less effective."

A lung cancer specialist and a Professor of Internal Medicine and Population and Data Sciences, said, "Physicians need to know if their patients use herbal supplements because they can completely throw off traditional cancer treatments."

"They may interact with the medicines we're giving them, and through that interaction, it could alter the level of the medicine in the patient," he said. "If the levels get too high, then toxicities increase, and if the levels get too low, the efficacy would drop."

A 47-year-old cancer patient, wanted to use supplements during her 2015-2017 cancer treatments, but she ran it by her doctors first.

"I would ask the physician, 'Could I?' and everyone said, 'No, we don't know how that interacts with your conventional medicine,' so I respected that," she said. Only after treatment did she start taking turmeric, omega-3, vitamin D, and vitamin B6.

"I have plenty of friends in this cancer journey who I've met who take supplements. A lady I met recently takes 75 supplements a day. It takes her two hours to package her supplements every week," she said.

She said every person in her cancer support group uses some kind of alternative medicine. In addition to supplements, she practices meditation and yoga with guidance from a smartphone app.

"It's what we can control. We can't control whole cancer," she said. "It helps because it takes your mind off just thinking about it."

She said she knows of some people with cancer who use only alternative medicine - and no traditional medical treatments.

The Dr. said this is a dangerous approach that could be fatal. The most famous case of this was Apple founder Steve Jobs, who reportedly used special diets, acupuncture, and other alternatives after receiving a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. He turned to traditional medicine late in his battle with cancer and died in 2011.

While doctors are highly cautious about the use of herbs and other supplements during treatment, they are much more open to meditation and yoga as practices that can help patients cope with the shock of a cancer diagnosis and the stress of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

"We strongly advise patients to stay active and engage in exercise during treatment. A common side effect of radiation is fatigue. I let the patients know that the patients who feel the most fatigue are the ones who are the most sedentary and that those who are doing exercise are the ones who frequently have the most energy," said the Dr.

A 53 year old lady, said she practised yoga during her treatments for breast cancer. She started the classes with skepticism and quickly became convinced of the benefits.

"I was one who would have laughed at yoga before breast cancer, but now it just helps me so much. It's just so relaxing, I just feel so good after I leave. It's just so peaceful. For your body, I can't think of anything better than that," she said.

She said she had neuropathy or nerve damage from chemotherapy, and yoga almost immediately took the pain away.

"I couldn't get onto my toes. After the second time of going to yoga, I was able to go onto my toes. I wish I would have known about the yoga earlier. It was just such a benefit and helped me so much. I highly recommend it to anyone," she said.

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Alzheimer's-like symptoms reversed in mice thanks to special diet

A diet with compounds found in green tea and carrots reversed Alzheimer's-like symptoms in new experiments, a new study suggests.

Researchers say that mice genetically programmed to develop the disease had memory and visual-spatial skills restored and could find their way out of a maze just as well as healthy mice.

The team of researchers note that it's possible the discoveries made in the rodents may not be able to be replicated in humans. 

However, they add that the findings could lead to plant-based supplements being used in combination with drugs to prevent or slow down dementia symptoms. 

An estimated 5.7 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer's disease in 2019.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that number will rise to around 14 million over the next four decades. 

Sufferers experience a decline in cognitive, behavioral and physical abilities - and there is no cure.

For the study,  the team studied two compounds, the first being EGCG, which is found in high quantities in green tea.

EGCG is an antioxidant that prevents free radicals from forming in the body, thereby protecting against cell and molecule damage.

Previous studies have shown that EGCG protects newly-developed neurons, which helps with cognition and alertness. 

The second compound, ferulic acid (FA), is found in foods such as carrots, oats and tomatoes.  

FA is an antioxidant that is best-known for its benefits when it comes to skin, such as treating sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles.

The team split the mice with Alzheimer's into four groups and added the same number of healthy mice to each group.

They were given one of four diets: both EGCG and FA, just EGCG, just FA, or a placebo.

The mice underwent several neuropsychological tests - which measures areas such as problem solving, memory, and visual-spatial skills - both before and after the diet. 

The researchers noted one test, which is maze in the shape of a Y and tests if the mice can find their way out it.

Following the three months, the mice who were on the combination diet performed just as well as the healthy mice did.

Senior author, a professor of physiology and neuroscience, says it appears that EGCC and FA prevent amyloid beta proteins from entering the brain and smothering neurons, which leads to loss of memory and confusion.

The antioxidants also seemed to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain, risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease. 

'You don't have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market. You can make these dietary changes today,' said the Dr. 'I find that very encouraging.' 

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/                                                                                                                                                         FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           

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Special diet plan for pregnancy

Pregnant women should remember that the food they eat is the main source of nutrition for their baby. Hence, one of the best things that they can do for their baby is to eat a healthy diet during pregnancy, says an expert.

Tamanna Narang, nutritionist at Alternacare, which is a telemedicine platform, suggests what to eat while expecting: 

* Protein: Protein requirement during pregnancy increases to help develop the baby and the placenta. It also helps to fight against nausea and fatigue.

How much is required: Protein requirement depends on the woman's body weight.

Good food sources: Seafood, lean meat, poultry, milk and milk products, eggs, beans, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Helpful tip: As many as 90 per cent of Indian pregnant woman are deficient in protein. Check with a nutritionist about protein intake or deficiency. They can ask a doctor for protein supplements also.

* Iron: Iron can prevent anemia and infections. It can support the baby's growth and brain development.

How much is required: During the entire pregnancy period, an additional 760 mg of iron is needed.

Good sources: Non-vegetarian sources (lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, turkey, well-cooked eggs), vegetarian protein sources (pulses, legumes, nuts, green leafy vegetables, cereals).

Helpful tips: For better absorption of iron, add a Vitamin C-rich fruit with or just after your meal. Avoid tea one hour before and one hour after having an iron-rich meal.

* Calcium: A baby builds his or her bones through the calcium in the mother's blood. The baby's heart, nerves and muscles depend on calcium for growth. If the calcium intake is not enough, even the mother's bone heath is at risk.

How much is required: The recommended intake of calcium during pregnancy is 200 mg/day.

Good sources: Low fat dairy products (skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt), fish with edible bones like sardines, tofu, breakfast cereals, bread, plain almonds, oranges, dried fruits (like apricots), green leafy vegetables.

Helpful tips: Calcium is best obtained through food sources. Yet a calcium supplement can help the mother in meeting nutrition needs during pregnancy. Sufficient Vitamin D intake also helps in calcium absorption.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.

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