Cancer and Chinese Medicine - Part 2
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
Nutrition - The Biggest Weapon Against Cancer
It is always amazing to me that patients receiving conventional treatments for cancer (chemotherapy and radiation) are given little to no information about what to eat. I know because I always ask if there was any nutritional counseling that went with the other therapies and more often than not, the answer is no. This shows an alarming lack of understanding about how important what we eat is to our health, and especially in the case of cancer.
I think that the correlation between what we eat and our overall health is understood by many industries, and certainly by many informed people, but the cancer industry (and I say that because it has turned into an industry), seems to be decades behind. Now, without getting into why that might be (which would be a whole other article), let's just say that there is a tonne of evidence to suggest that our food can both give us cancer and help keep us healthy so that we never get cancer. Food is also a powerful weapon in detoxing the body and healing from a cancer that already exists.
Foods to Avoid
Sugar
In my opinion, the number one thing to know concerning diet and cancer is to stop eating sugar. Completely. It is literally the food that cancer eats. The tests that Western medicine uses to find and diagnose cancer in the body, called PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT (Computed Tomography) scans, actually inject glucose - a type of sugar - and watch the cancer gravitate to it because sugar is what cancer eats. Eliminating sugar from your diet is the most important thing to do if you are either struggling with cancer, or having health issues in general. Sugar is a poison to the body, and most people in the developed world eat far too much of it. Now, let me be clear, I am talking about refined sugar which is in a huge amount of our foods, especially processed foods. There are naturally occurring sugars in things like fruits, and although we need some of these, it is a good idea to cut back when you are trying to heal from cancer. Refined foods of all types should be avoided whenever possible, and refined sugar is the worst of all.
Chemicals
We also have seen an unprecedented increase in the number of chemicals used in our foods, many of which are untested on human beings and cause harm to not only us, but pollute the earth we live on, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Our food becomes more and more processed all the time with the addition of these dangerous chemicals, and our bodies are not designed to deal with them. There are also the dizzying amounts of chemicals in other products that we use in our homes, like makeup and personal care products, soaps and detergents, cleaning products, gardening products, etc.. not to mention toxic chemicals that are the byproducts of industries which are released into our soil, water and air.
It is a good idea BEFORE you get sick to have a look at how many of these chemicals you have in your home and are coming into contact with on a daily basis so that you can eliminate any that are not absolutely necessary. I would always recommend eating fresh, local, organic food (more about that below), using completely natural beauty and personal care products free of toxic ingredients, make sure the water you are drinking is as clean as possible and limit any environmental toxins that you can. All these toxins combine to place a huge burden on our immune systems which we need to be at full strength to keep us disease free.
Eat Real Food
Because of the philosophy of living as harmoniously with nature as possible, this obviously bleeds into the foods we consume as well. I believe that many of our current health problems as a society are due to the UN-natural nature of the foods that we eat. Small farms are disappearing and being replaced by large-scale factory farms, our soil is depleted of essential vitamins and nutrients, and men in hazmat suits spray toxic herbicides and fungicides on the foods we are supposed to confidently feed our families. It is becoming increasingly difficult to even understand food labels, and corporations spend billions of dollars to keep what is actually IN our foods off the labels, which is certainly a worrying trend and not designed to make us feel confident about what is being put into our food.
My solution is to keep it simple. Eat as few processed foods as possible (this means anything in a box or can that has been altered from its natural state), eat as many fresh, local and organic foods as possible. Keep your diet mostly plant-based, especially if you have cancer. If possible, grow as much of your food as you can in a backyard or front yard garden. Vertical gardens are awesome for this! If you have limited space or live in an apartment, make friends with a local farmer, or frequent a farmers market. Also, take time to lovingly prepare meals for you and your family. Energetically, this is important too. Be mindful and thankful to the food you are eating for sharing its life force with you. Being grateful is also a powerful tool and beneficial to your health and the way you feel.
Acid & Alkaline Foods
Disease thrives in an acidic environment and cancer is no exception. As a culture, we eat a disproportionate amount of acidic foods (as you will probably see the list below) and precious few alkaline ones. Use the information below as a guide and a good way to begin is to slowly start replacing acidic foods with alkaline ones. It may seem hard at first (because who doesn't love a burger every once in a while?), but you will soon notice how much better you will feel, as that you will no longer have the cravings for the fatty, sugary foods that are so acid forming once they have been out of your system for a while. I promise you will definitely feel a difference!
Acidic Foods
**Note - there are different ways to measure the acidity and alkalinity of foods, but this one - from Energise for Life - makes the distinction of measuring a foods acidity and alkalinity AFTER it has been ingested - therefore, how it is affecting your body. If you would like to have a copy of a good few charts detailing acid and alkaline foods, you can find them here - Energise For Life.
Below is a list of acidic foods. If dealing with cancer, cut out as many of these as possible (I would recommend ALL) and introduce alkaline foods as an alternative. Remember, cancer thrives in an acidic environment.
Acidic Foods
Look yummy? *sigh*, I know. But these foods are highly acidic. Try eating some cucumber instead!
MEAT
- Bacon
- Beef
- Clams
- Corned Beef
- Eggs
- Lamb
- Lobster
- Mussels
- Organ Meats
- Venison
- Fish
- Oyster
- Pork
- Rabbit
- Sausage
- Scallops
- Shellfish
- Shrimp
- Tuna
- Turkey
- Veal
DAIRY & EGGS
- Butter
- Cheese
- Milk
- Whey
- Yogurt
- Nuts & Seeds!
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Chestnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia Nuts
- Oils!
- Cooked Oil
- Solid Oil (Margarine)
- Oil Exposed to Heat,
- Light or Air
- Cottage Cheese
- Ice Cream
- Sour Cream
- Soy Cheese
- Eggs
FRUIT
- Apple
- Apricot
- Currants
- Dates
- Grapes
- Mango
- Peach
- Pear
- Prunes
- Raisins
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Tropical Fruits
- Berries
- Cantaloupe
- Cranberries
- Currants
- Honeydew Melon
- Orange
- Pineapple
- Plum
NUTS & SEEDS
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Chestnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Macadamia Nuts
DRINKS
- Alcohol
- Black Tea
- Coffee
- Carbonated Water
- Pasteurized Juice
- Cocoa
- Energy Drinks
- Sports Drinks
- Colas
- Tap Water
- Milk
- Green Tea
- Decaffeinated Drinks
- Flavoured Water
SWEETENERS
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Carob
- Corn Syrup
- Fructose
- Processed Sugar
- Saccharine
- Sucrose
- Sucralose
- Honey
- Maple Syrup
OILS
- Cooked Oil
- Solid Oil (Margarine)
- Oil Exposed to Heat,
- Light or Air
SAUCES
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Soy Sauce
- Pickles
- Vinegar
- Tabasco
- Tamari
- Wasabi
OTHER
- Mushrooms
- Miso
- White Breads, Pastas,
- Rice & Noodles
- Chocolate
- Chips
- Pizza
- Biscuits
- Cigarettes
- Drugs
- Candy
Alkaline Foods
Some super yummy alkaline foods. They look fresh, cleansing and delicious, don't they? ;)
VEGETABLES
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Chilli
- Capsicum/Pepper
- Courgette/Zucchini
- Dandelion
- Snow Peas
- Green Beans
- String Beans
- Runner Beans
- Spinach
- Kale
- Wakame
- Kelp
- Collards
- Chives
- Endive
- Chard
- Cabbage
- Sweet Potato
- Coriander
- Basil
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Carrot
- Beetroot
- Eggplant/Aubergine
- Garlic
- Onion
- Parsley
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Watercress
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Broad Beans
- New Potato
- Pumpkin
- Radish
FRUIT
- Avocado
- Tomato
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Fresh Coconut
GRAINS & BEANS
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
- Brown Rice
- Chia/Salba
- Kamut
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Spelt
- Nuts & Seeds!
- Almonds
- Coconut
- Flax Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
- Oils!
- Avocado Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Flax Oil
- Udo’s Oil
- Olive Oil
- Lentils
- Lima Beans
- Mung Beans
- Navy Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Red Beans
- Soy Beans
- White Beans
GRASSES
- Wheatgrass
- Barley Grass
- Kamut Grass
- Dog Grass
- Shave Grass
- Oat Grass
NUTS & SEEDS
- Almonds
- Coconut
- Flax Seeds
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
OILS
- Avocado Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Flax Oil
- Udo’s Oil
- Olive Oil
BREADS
- Sprouted Bread
- Sprouted Wraps
- Gluten/Yeast Free
- Breads & Wraps
SPROUTS
- Soy Sprouts
- Alfalfa Sprouts
- Amaranth Sprouts
- Broccoli Sprouts
- Fenugreek Sprouts
- Kamut Sprouts
- Mung Bean Sprouts
- Qionoa Sprouts
- Radish Sprouts
- Spelt Sprouts
This comprehensive list of acid and alkaline foods came from a great chart I found from energiseforlife.com There is an 8 page PDF that you may download with more information which can be found here - Acid & Alkaline Food Information.
Water
Water is also something that I don't think people think about enough in terms of health. I think there is a misconception that if we are drinking bottled water and not water out of the tap that we are somehow safe from many pollutants that may be in our waterways and make their way into water processing plants. Unfortunately, this has been shown not to be true, and many bottled waters' are just as unhealthy as drinking straight out of the tap. If you must drink tap water, find out from your local city or town, what they are adding to it. Is there flouride in it? What levels of certain contaminants are acceptable as far as they are concerned? Do some research. If you have a water filtration system, again, do your research and get one that filters out as many undesirable chemicals as possible. Water is incredibly important for our health and it is worth the effort to be drinking the healthiest and cleanest water possible. The good news is, that there are many good water filtration systems out there that will allow you to enjoy clean, healthy water which is essential for a strong, healthy body.
Emotions
Expressing emotions freely is just as important to our health as a strong, flexible body.
I really feel that the emotions do not get enough attention or recognition for the role they play in our health. This is another area that seems often entirely left out of the diagnostic as well as the healing process in Western medicine. In Chinese medicine, the emotions are just as important as what is physically happening in our bodies. The two are inseparable and when someone is going through the intake process with a doctor of Chinese medicine, there are a lot of questions inquiring about a person's emotional life. You may be wondering how much of a role the emotions can play in a disease as devastating as cancer. My answer is - a HUGE one.
In my experience with my own cancer patients, the emotions are often where it starts. Complex and serious diseases often begin with extremely stressful, difficult, and emotionally devastating events that the body is simply not able to cope with. Preceding almost every case of serious disease I have treated, there was either one or a series of extremely stressful/emotional or difficult events that the patient had to contend with. I have made this observation over and over again. The body can handle a lot, but it has its limits, and the way we live along with the pressures and stresses we are under often are too much for our bodies and psyches to bear which can result in disease and illness.
In terms of how this relates to the emotions I want to be clear, it is not HAVING emotions that can make us sick, in Chinese medicine, it is how we deal with our emotions that is the key. In modern culture, at least in North America, we are not taught what I like to call "emotional intelligence". We spend decades in school learning how to live in this world, but I find that so many of the most important things that we need to be healthy and happy in our lives are missing. How to express our emotions in a healthy way is one of them. This expression is important not only to our health but to our happiness and well-being as well. So often our emotions can come out in hurtful or destructive ways to ourselves or the people around us, or worse, they are held in where they fester and eventually turn into disease. So, find healthy ways to express the emotions you are having. Write, talk to a friend, acknowledge them, process them in a healthy way and let them go. They are taking up precious space, that, once they are dealt with and let go, can be replaced with lovely things like love and light, happiness and feelings of joy and gratitude.
Managing Stress
Stress is something we hear about a lot and I believe is also a huge factor is our health and well-being. Stress is something I ask every single patient about both in our initial consultation, and at almost every visit. I give it a one to ten scale and ask patients to rate where their stress is in relation to that scale. Most people are at the top end, and many have become resigned to living there. Stress is difficult to avoid, but what we do have control over is how we deal with it. Managing the stress we are feeling is the key, not eliminating it altogether. I am not even sure if that is possible considering the world we live in. I have seen patients doing everything right - eating the right foods, exercising, sleeping enough, really taking care of themselves and still they get sick. Those cases very often lead back to stress. You can't work hard to eat well and live a healthy lifestyle but be in an unhealthy relationship that is driving you crazy or going to a job that you hate every day and still expect to be the picture of health. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work like that. In Chinese medicine, as in life, it is all about balance.
One of my keys to managing stress is meditating. Now the thought of meditating can be intimidating for some people and I understand that. This doesn't mean having to give up all your worldly possessions, shaving your head and going to live in a cave in the Himalayas. That is totally cool if that is how you want to do it, but what I am talking about for the rest of us is just taking some time for yourself every day to sit quietly and try to empty your thoughts. In our hectic, modern lives, we hardly ever get a chance to do this. Stop. Listen. Relax. Breathe deeply. Meditating is like a gift you give yourself. It benefits your brain, your nervous system, your heart and your psyche. Think of it as preventative medicine. I think we all need to start thinking about medicine and health differently and Chinese medicine can teach us how to do it. Do small things every day. Tend your garden (the body and spirit), and disease will never develop. Disease cannot thrive in a healthy garden.
If you would like to read about a bit of a hardcore immersion into meditation (and the amazing benefits that it yielded) you can read about my two intense Vipassana meditation retreat experiences. They are not quite the shaving your head and disappearing into the Himalayas, but they were definitely the most intense meditation experiences I have ever had. They were also the most edifying and positively life-changing experiences of my life.
Steamed Eggplant - Cancer Fighting Recipe
By VIcky Chan of NourishU
Cancer
Cancer is a sickness that is highly preventable but only treatable at the early stage. When the damages are too widespread, there is no medicine in the world that can cure cancer. Surgical removal of malignant parts from the body is just like cutting off the tips of the iceberg. If the underlying condition remains unchanged, cancer will just find other weaker areas to pop up. The only possibility to eradicate cancer is to completely change the underlying condition to one that is so hostile that cancer cells can no longer exist.
Oxygen Deficiency
Oxygen deficiency is one known cause of cancer. When the human body is supplied with abundant amounts of oxygen, all cancer cells, viruses, harmful bacteria, toxins, pathogens and disease microorganisms are killed because they cannot survive in a high-oxygen environment. People who do not exercise are more likely to have oxygen deficiency. Extensive research done in the last decade have proven that our diet have a profound effect on whether we will have cancer or not. A high sugar and highly acidic diet from meat are known to breed cancer. A melancholy mind provokes an increase of stress hormone - cortisol, which has been directly associated with the worsening of cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is also found to breed cancer. A large-scale controlled study have found that vitamin D can cut overall cancer risk by as much as 60 percent
Prevention
Good habits of health such as avoiding smoking and drinking, avoiding fatty or deep fried food, over burnt meats, preserved foods, spicy and highly processed food, and eating smaller meals to avoid over eating are the basic prerequisites for good health. Eating a diet of at least 50% of vegetables, beans and seeds for rich nutrients, minerals, fiber and antioxidants is vital in preventing cancer. A healthy gut with good bacteria can help the immune system to fight and break down carcinogens and turn them into nutrients and harmless molecules.
Acidic Cancer Forming Foods
The acidic cancer forming foods are sugar, milk, meat and caffeine. Chicken in particular should be eliminated from the diet of cancer patients because it benefits cancer growth. For patients receiving chemotherapy and suffering from destructive side effects, eating fresh and rejuvenating plant-based diet is important to clear out toxic materials. Taking one to two glasses of fresh vegetable juice daily is best to get plenty of anti-oxidants. People taking one glass of fresh organic potato juice before meal for up to three months have shown promising result in fighting cancer. Reducing salt in food is necessary to lower the burden on the kidney, heart and liver so that the body has more energy to fight cancer.
Alkaline pH Balance
This helpful image from tes.com
Maintaining the body in alkaline pH balance is needed to prevent and stop cancer growth . Seaweed and kelp are high alkaline foods and should be taken regularly. Eat fresh mushrooms, organic brown rice, egg, fish, tofu, soy beans, yogurt and some lean pork for balanced nutrition to improve immune function and overall health. Don't forget to add plenty of lemon (highly alkaline) to your food to prevent cancer.
Anti-Cancer Conditions
Besides diet and lifestyles, it is important to control stress. Life is a series of choices and being free from stress is one of those choices that is under our control. Exercise can help to relax the body and mind, lower stress and promote good sleep. Sleeping is vital for the body to repair, recover and rejuvenate itself. Getting enough vitamin D from sun exposure is also vital in preventing and fighting cancer. When we take good care of our health, we can promote an internal condition that is not suitable for cancer cells to survive or grow.
TCM Treatments
Chinese medicine can only play the role of complementary treatment for advance cases in lessening the side effects of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, controlling pain and helping to strengthen the immune system. Chinese Medicine finds cancer as coagulation of toxic energy in our body which is causing obstruction to the normal flow of blood and qi, therefore causing tumor growth. There are four vital areas in our body where toxic energy can accumulate: the upper body around the lungs – the upper burner, the middle body around the abdomen – the middle burner, the lower body around the kidney – the lower burner and the back of our body behind the lungs – the outer burner. It is important to keep qi circulating freely in these areas to prevent sickness and cancer. Qi-kung and tai-chi use deep breathing exercise to move energy and blood around the body. Herbs such as dandelion, astragalus and pubescentis are commonly used to promote the circulation of qi.
Food Treatment
In Chinese food treatment, a well-balanced diet to promote the health of the vital organs and the normal production of body fluids are deemed as most important. Any deficiency or abnormality in body fluid level can trigger abnormal cell development and tumor growth. Blood and qi tonic, kidney tonic, antioxidant foods, foods to promote blood circulation, diuretic foods to expel dampness and blood clots are all commonly used to treat cancer.
Steamed Eggplant - Cancer Fighting Recipe
Symptoms
High Blood Pressure / High Cholesterol / Hardened Arteries / Gout Pain / Tumors
Therapeutic Effects
Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, soften arteries, alleviates gout pain, anti-tumor growth.
Ingredients
- Chinese Eggplants – 2
- Minced ginger – 1 spoonful
- Vinegar – 1 spoonful
- Sesame oil – 1 spoonful
- Soy sauce – half spoonful
Directions
1. Rinse and cut eggplant into finger-like pieces and put in cold water with one spoonful of salt to soak for 10 minutes. Remove and drain.
2. Put eggplant on a plate and steam for 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and mix in the above seasoning to serve.
Usage
No restrictions.
pH - What Is It, And Why Does It Matter?
By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP
We've all heard of the pH scale and may even remember it from high school science class, but what does it have to do with our health?
The body is constantly working to maintain a delicate balance between acid and alkaline (or base) - the body's pH. The scale ranges from 0-14. 7 is considered neutral and 0 through 7 is acidic, while 7 through 14 is alkaline. An example of something that is relatively neutral is most water weather it is from the tap, the ocean, springs or bottles. pH stands for "potential hydrogen" and represents the hydrogen ions that are present in when we are speaking about health, the body. But, pH also affects things like the quality of our soil and the water in the oceans.
The pH Scale And Your Health
When it comes to the human body, the pH varies depending on what part of the body you are talking about. For example, the pH in the bowels, stomach, skin and vagina should be slightly more acidic because they need to fight off invaders in the form of bacteria, whereas the pH of saliva is more alkaline. Also, the body is constantly dealing with the naturally occurring byproducts of cell breakdown, respiration and metabolism all of which are acidic and affect the body's overall pH levels.
As a culture, at least in the US and Canada, most people are highly acidic. Disease thrives in an acidic environment. It is host to inflammation and degenerative diseases. The most acidic foods are the ones that are the easiest to find and often the least expensive. But in the long run, they really cost much, much more if you take the long term consequences and the future health care costs into consideration. Below is a list of acidic foods.
Acidic Foods
- Coffee
- Meats, especially red meat
- Soda
- Cheeses
- Processed foods
- Chemicals like aspartame, nutrasweet & sweet 'n' low
- Vinegar
- Black Tea
- Wine
- Pickles
- Fruit juices
- Grains
- Pasta
In contrast, here is a list of some alkaline foods.
Alkaline Foods
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Sprouts
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Green juices
- Green tea
- Figs
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber
- Kale
- Asparagus
- Lemons
- Limes
- Cabbage
To help, below is a chart which shows the entire pH scale and the foods that belong in each category.
The body's pH is extremely important to maintaining health. The way we most often measure pH, is in the blood. The pH of blood should be slightly alkaline at around 7.4. The body is constantly working very hard to maintain this balance, so if we are feeding it all kinds of acidic foods (like the ones that comprise the average American diet), the body is forced to work even harder, taxing the body's resources to achieve that balance. Your incredible body, in fact, if it needs to restore that balance will take alkalizing materials like calcium, magnesium and potassium from other parts of the body like the bones and teeth and even your organs to restore the pH. Amazing, but this can have long term, detrimental effects like osteoporosis, cancer and stroke to name a few.
Here is a list of diseases that can be caused by a highly acidic body.
- migraines
- gout
- allergies
- stroke
- obesity
- osteoporosis
- arthritis (both osteo and rheumatoid)
- asthma
- bronchitis
- arteriosclerosis
- diabetes
- constipation
- gout
- cancer
- acid reflux
- nausea
- kidney stones
Now, this may all sound like very bad news, but it isn't. The good news is that you can, through a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits alkalize your body and prevent disease. It's all up to you!
How To Have A More Alkaline Body
Here are some tips on how you can shift your body's pH balance in a more alkaline direction.
- Eat a diet rich in leafy greens, sprouts, avocado's - plant based, fresh foods
- Drink fresh, green juices daily
- Drink lemon water every morning (this is very alkalizing)
- Exercise daily, even if it is just going for a short walk to move your qi around
- Manage your stress
- Stay away from chemicals in your food, beauty and cleaning products
- Keep environmental toxins to a minimum
- Get enough sleep
If you want to test your pH you can buy litmus paper strips (for about $10) that you pee on, usually first thing in the morning (or the second pee of the day is usually better and will be a little more balanced). This will allow you to see where you are on the pH scale. You can track your progress with changes to your diet and the other things on the list and see if you are moving in a more alkaline direction. Even doing one or a few of the things on the list will have an impact on your overall health, and probably make you feel a whole lot better too.
The important thing to remember is that if you are flooding your body with unhealthy foods, you are forcing your body to work even harder to maintain the pH balance and health in general. If this is ongoing it can lead to problems down the road. So, being kind and giving it fresh, natural foods and doing things like exercising, sleeping enough and managing stress are huge when it comes to keeping your body healthy and happy for many years to come.
pH - What Is It And Why Does It Matter? : Chinese Medicine Living
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