There have been many advances in the early detection and treatment of cancer.  While the standard medical care for cancer is effective, the treatments are aggressive and cause numerous unwanted side effects as well as a lowered immune system. Acupuncture has received much attention as an adjunctive therapy in cancer treatments for its use in pain relief, reducing side effects, accelerating recovery and improving quality of life.

Acupuncture provides a total approach to health care for people with cancer. It can be used to address many of the concerns that come up during and after chemotherapy, radiation, biological therapy and surgery.

According to the National Cancer Institute, acupuncture may cause physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. It is proposed that, by these actions, acupuncture affects blood pressure and body temperature, boosts immune system activity, and causes the body’s natural painkillers, such as endorphins, to be released.

Areas that acupuncture has shown the most promise include:

• Nausea and Vomiting
• Dry Mouth, Night Sweats and Hot Flashes
• Stress, Anxiety and Fatigue
• Pain Management
• Increasing White Blood Cell Count

The strongest evidence of the effect of acupuncture has come from clinical trials on the use of acupuncture to relieve nausea and vomiting. Several types of clinical trials using different acupuncture methods showed acupuncture reduced nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, surgery, and morning sickness. It appears to be more effective in preventing vomiting than in reducing nausea.

Other symptoms caused by cancer treatment

Clinical trials are studying the effects of acupuncture on cancer and symptoms caused by cancer treatment, including weight loss, cough, chest pain, fever, anxiety, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth, speech problems, and fluid in the arms or legs. Studies have shown that, for many patients, treatment with acupuncture either relieves symptoms or keeps them from getting worse.

Boosting the Immune System

Human studies on the effect of acupuncture on the immune system of cancer patients showed that it improved immune system response, including increasing the number of white blood cells.

Pain Management

In clinical studies, acupuncture reduced the amount of pain in some cancer patients. In one study, most of the patients treated with acupuncture were able to stop taking drugs for pain relief or to take smaller doses.

Acupuncture is also very useful for support if you are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or hormonal therapy. Because chemotherapy and radiation therapy weaken the body’s immune system, a strict clean needle method must be used when acupuncture treatment is given to cancer patients.

New Lung Cancer Guidelines Include Acupuncture

Acupuncture is now officially recommended for lung cancer patients experiencing fatigue, dyspnea, chemotherapy-Induced neuropathy, pain, nausea and vomiting.

The new edition of these standard guidelines represents the first time complementary and integrative medicine has been addressed in the prevention and treatment of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, causing more fatalities than the next four most common types of cancer combined.

The new guidelines were developed and reviewed by 100 multidisciplinary panel members and have been endorsed by the American Association for Bronchology. American Association for Thoracic Surgery, American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, Oncology Nurses Society, Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the World Association of Bronchology.

This year has been so tough that it even intruded on writing this blog.  As I was assembling my thoughts and getting everything in order, a good friend called to tell me she has breast cancer – one breast for sure and probably both.  She’s on a fast track to surgery, which is good, she has a good prognosis, which is good but she’s still going through a lot.  And, because I care for her, the announcement has meant I am too.  I’m sharing this so you, whomever you are reading this, will know this blog isn’t some intellectual exercise, but is something I’m writing about because it’s affecting my life too.

This year has seen a lot of deaths as well as a lot of serious illnesses.  And grief can begin long before the actually death of a friend or loved one, human or animal.  Grief can also come from the death of someone famous, if the connection is strong enough.

But grief doesn’t only come from a death of a person or companion animal.  The loss of a job can cause a level of grieving similar to the loss of a person.  This year has seen a lot of folks losing jobs, or having family members lose a job.  The problem comes when a person is not aware that a life change like that can cause severe, real, palpable grief.  They wonder if there’s something wrong with them, feel like they’re losers – after all, they only lost a job and here they are feeling this great sadness.  Are they cracking up?  A total waste of a human life?  Totally weak?

The answer, of course, if none of the above.  They’re experiencing a very understandable shock/grief reaction and they need some support.  So if you know someone who has lost their job be kind to them and maybe even suggest they look for some support to help them through this time.

Ironically, other major life changes can cause grief.  Graduations, weddings, births, even a new house or apartment can be a situation where grief arises.  Our self-image is changing dramatically during these events.  Once we graduate we lose our identity as a student.  We come into a wedding as two individuals and leave with new identities, we are now married – a part of a team and the single individual we were no longer exists.  Women’s bodies dramatically change when they become pregnant, and over the course of their pregnancy, they begin to identify themselves with those changes.  Then suddenly, they give birth and they lose that pregnant woman to become a new mother.  And moving into a new house or apartment means that Mr. X of 1234 Green Apple Circle no longer exists and has become, instead, Mr. X of 5678 Calle Grande.  These are wonderful changes, but they can bring up grieving as well as celebration.

In acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine (T.O.M.), the Metal element is strongly affected by grief.  The organ systems associated with Metal are the Lungs and the Large Intestine.  Practitioners will often treat Lung or Large Intestine points to help patients appropriately grieve by breathing in life and releasing the “crap” they’re holding on to.  Acupuncture and T.O.M. can help with grief, both new grief and long-standing deep-rooted grief.

Of course, just like everything else that acupuncture and T.O.M. can treat, various practitioners are more or less trained and able to treat grief, so if you or someone you love decides to try acupuncture and T.O.M. treatments, talk to a variety of practitioners before making your final decision.

As we move along the year, from the Autumn/Metal season to the Winter/Water season, grief can become solidified.  The basic nature of Winter is cold, hardening things and keeping things unchanged – frozen even.  By using appropriate warming techniques, herbal formulae and needle techniques; acupuncturists can help their patients avoid freezing into a pattern of long-term grief.

It’s not easy to talk about loss or the fear of loss but it is vitally important to reach out to someone.  If acupuncture and T.O.M. aren’t your thing, there are plenty of highly trained psychologists and psychiatrists who can help.  If you are of a more spiritual bent, there are clergy members of all faiths and denominations trained to help.  There are even special grief counselors.

So if you or someone you love is facing the terminal illness or death of a loved one, please remember there are a variety of avenues available to help you and that, unlike some of life’s experiences, it really IS best to share this experience with someone who has the knowledge, tools and compassion to help you through.

In Loving Memory –
J’hana
Michael
Robbie
Miriam
Baby Caleb

 From time to time I’ll be compiling lists of foods for various health concerns and posting them.  I hope you find them interesting but do remember that you should never radically alter your diet without first discussing your current health with your MD or acupuncturist, or both!

The Anti-Flu Diet

Looking for ways to reduce your chance of getting flu this season?  A study, published by The American Physiological Society found that mice were significantly less likely to contract flu when given quercetin, a powerful antioxidant found in a variety of fruits and vegetables.  According to the study’s authors, the research also indicated that high consumption of quercetin resulted in catching fewer colds.

So, what are the best quercetin rich foods that you can load up on? Quercetin is found in red onions, grapes, blueberries, tea, broccoli and red wine. Red onions are one of the best quercetin rich foods as they have approximately four times the quercetin of most other produce. Eat them raw or cooked.

Foods for Fertility

Black Beans:  According to Oriental medicine, the energy of the Kidney system is important for reproduction and fertility enhancement often starts with the Kidneys. A good example of a food that nourishes the Kidneys and promotes fertility is black beans.

From an Eastern perspective, black beans are warming in nature.  They are thought to tonify the Kidney Qi and nourish Yin and Blood. From a Western perspective, black beans are an excellent source of protein, folate, iron and fiber and are rich in antioxidants. Research published in the November 2003 issue of Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry indicates that black beans are as rich in antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins as grapes and cranberries, fruits long considered antioxidant superstars.

When researchers analyzed different types of beans, they found that, the darker the bean’s seed coat, the higher its level of antioxidant activity. Gram for gram, black beans were found to have the most antioxidant activity, followed in descending order by red, brown, yellow, and white beans.

Overall, the level of antioxidants found in black beans in this study is approximately 10 times that found in an equivalent amount of oranges, and comparable to that found in an equivalent amount of grapes or cranberries.

Foods for Seasonal Allergies

Ginger: Ginger is a natural antihistamine and decongestant. It may provide some relief from IUergy symptoms by dilating constricted bronchial tubes.

Apples: Some foods, including apples, contain the f1avanoid, quercetin that can cross-react with tree pollen. Quercetin can reduce allergic reactions by having an antihistamine effect. It also decreases inflammation. Quercetin occurs naturally in certain foods, such as apples (with the skin on), berries, red grapes, red onions, capers, and black tea.

Carrots: Carotenoids are a family of plant pigments that include beta carotene. A lack of carotenoids in the diet is thought to promote inflammation in your airways. Good Sources of carotenoids include apricots, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, kale, butternut squash, and collard greens.

Omega·3: Omega-3 essential fatty acids can counter the formation of chemicals that cause inflammation of the air passages. Good natural sources include flaxseed oil and salmon.

Yogurt: Food sensitivities seem to be connected with seasonal allergies. In a study conducted at the University of California, patients who were fed 18 to 24 ounces of yogurt a day experienced a decline in their environmental allergic symptoms by 90 percent.

Fiber: A healthy and active colon can decrease food sensitivity, which, in turn, can lighten the burden on your immune system and may reduce the impact of seasonal allergies. For maximum colon health, increase the fiber in your diet.

Cancer Fighting Veggies

Widely considered to be one of the healthier food choices are the cruciferous vegetables. Included in this family of vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and bok choy. Cruciferous vegetables are high in vitamins, fiber, and potent anticancer phytochemicals.

According to the American Institute for Cancer, there is solid evidence that links cruciferous vegetables and protection against cancer.  Studies have shown that this vegetable group has the ability to stop the growth of cancer cells for tumors in the breast, uterine lining, lung, colon, liver and cervix. And studies that track the diets of people over time have found that diets high in cruciferous vegetables are linked to lower rates of prostate cancer.

It is recommended that we eat 3-5 servings of cruciferous vegetables per week. It’s best to eat these veggies raw or only lightly steamed so they retain their cancer fighting phytochemicals.

Cruciferous Vegetables

• Beet greens
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chinese cabbage
• Collard greens
• Daikon
• Horseradish
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Mustard greens
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Swiss chard
• Turnips
• Watercress