Metastatic breast cancer is cancer that begins in the breast and spreads to other parts of the body. These places can include the lymph system, lungs, brain, spine and major organs.
Depending on the degree of metastasis, or spreading, you may think or have even been told that there is very little in the way of treatment options available to you. If this has occurred, or if you are just considering different treatment methods, then you may want to look into different types of alternative treatment for metastatic breast cancer.
Naturopathy
Practitioners of naturopathy believe that the human body has an ingrained ability to heal itself. Therefore, naturopathy is designed to help your body use its natural healing ability to the fullest extent possible.
The goal of naturopathy is to use methods that support and enhance the treatment process while striving to be as non-invasive as possible. These methods can include changes in your diet or implementation of a new diet, exercise programs designed specifically for you, and changes in your lifestyle.
Some naturopathic treatments may also include botanical medicines, which are medicines derived or manufactured from plants or plant parts, and vitamin and mineral supplements.
Mind-Body Medicine
Mind-body medicine is also sometimes referred to as holistic medicine. Its purpose is to involve the mind, the body and the spirit in the treatment process.
Mind-body or holistic medicine advocates a team approach to the treatment process. The team includes any conventional doctors or health care professionals who are involved in your treatment, and you. In other words, you are treated as a person, not patient A or the person in the room down the hall with breast cancer.
Many people believe that mind-body or holistic medicine means you cannot receive conventional medicine or treatments, such as chemotherapy or prescription medication. This is not true, as these are often used in conjunction with the holistic approach.
Mind-body or holistic medicine does advocate and encourage your participation in support groups, and in beginning or continuing any religious practices or meditation techniques you may consider important.
In addition, some holistic practitioners may go so far as to look into your personal life, such as how well you are or if you would be able to care for yourself, and family or caregiver support and availability. In this way, they can be assured that stress will not be a negative factor in your treatment protocol.
No Medicine or Treatment
Deciding not to take any type of medicine or participate in any form of treatment is as much an option as anything else. And it is one that some people with metastatic breast cancer choose.
However, only you can and should make that decision. A family member should not make it for you, unless for some reason you are unable to make the decision, and have left specific instructions for him or her to do so.
It should not even be suggested by a health care practitioner until or unless you have brought up the suggestion, or after all other options have at least been attempted.
Nutritional Support
It has not been proven that any specific food or herbal supplement will prevent or cure breast cancer; however, certain foods do help boost the immune system, add antioxidants to the body and help control nausea, flushing and other mild side effects of metastatic cancer treatments.
Certain herbal supplements will negate the effects of chemotherapy or other conventional treatments, so you should alert the health care team of any supplements you might be taking. Also keep them posted on anything you change in your diet or nutrition habits.
Surgery Only
Having surgery to remove the metastatic breast cancer or as much of it as possible from where it has spread, then opting not to undergo further treatment is a decision that some people make. Again, this must be a personal decision made by you, and no one else.
Tags: breast cancer, holistic medicine, health care, treatment process, believe that