In Chapter 8 of my book, When Cancer Hits, I tell you why it’s important to be proactive during this time to keep yourself feeling as good as possible. Complementary therapies can go a long way toward helping you to ease side effects and maintain your energy and positive mood.

Make An Appointment for You

You may find it difficult to make an appointment for a massage or acupuncture treatment, telling yourself you don’t have time or you don’t really need it. In chapter 8, I explain to you why it’s critical to set aside time at least once a week to focus on something that makes you feel good. A hint: this isn’t about luxury, but about helping your body to recover.

Massage During Cancer Treatments?

You may have been worried about massage during cancer treatments. Maybe you heard that massage encourages the spread of cancer. Well, now we know better. Studies have found that massage can help ease the side effects of treatment—but, it is important to know what kinds of massage are best. Some are too rough for your fragile body. I’ll tell you which types are best, and what kind of therapist you need to look for.

Reflexology, Reiki, and Acupuncture

Do you know that some cancer centers offer these therapies for free to cancer patients? Do you know that each one has shown in studies to help ease the side effects of chemotherapy? Read Chapter 8 to find out more about how these three treatments can help ease muscle pain, soothe anxiety, help you sleep better, reduce headaches, and restore energy. Plus you’ll learn how to spot those practitioners who are knowledgeable about working specifically with those living with cancer.

Yoga, Tai Chi, and Walking

It’s sometimes hard to exercise when you’re going through cancer treatments, yet exercise is extremely important to keep your body strong and able to heal itself. Controlled movements that are gentler on your body can help you achieve your exercise goals while not overtaxing yourself. These three exercises are also great for helping you to calm down and feel good about your body.

Complementary treatments aren’t just “nice to haves.” They’re scientifically proven to help you feel less pain, more energy, and less stress and anxiety—all extremely important in your battle against cancer.

(When Cancer Hits is available now—click here.)

Have you tried some of these complementary treatments? What did you think?

Below is a quick summary of some of our most popular hormones, what they do, and how you can help better balance them out. If you want to read more, check out Brigid Sweeney’s article—listed in the sources below.

Cortisol—the Stress Hormone

Whenever your body perceives danger, whether you’re about to be eaten by a lion or walk into an interview, it releases the stress hormone cortisol. Your heart beats faster, you may feel sweaty palms, and your body harbors energy, ready to spring. Hundreds of years ago this reaction would help us escape danger, after which we would calm down and our body function would return to normal. Today, however, scientists say we’re under stress too often, and filling ourselves too full of cortisol.

To balance it out: Exercise! It reduces cortisol levels in the blood, especially if you do a half hour or so of interval training. Yoga, meditation, baths and deep breathing exercises will also start the relaxation response to help lower cortisol.

Melatonin—the Sleep Hormone

Having trouble sleeping? You may be experiencing an imbalance in your melatonin levels. The body releases it when you’re in the dark. If you’re using the computer before bedtime, however, you’re likely to reduce the production of melatonin and have trouble sleeping. Unfortunately, low melatonin levels have been linked to obesity, diabetes, and cancer.

To balance it out: Banish all light-emitting devices like televisions, phones, and laptops from your bedroom and sleep in the dark. Make sure not to wear restrictive clothing as that can also affect levels of melatonin.

Oxytocin—the Attachment Hormone

This is the hormone released when you feel close to that someone special, which helps heighten trust and lower blood pressure. If you’re fighting with your mate, your levels may be too low.

To balance it out: Reconnect with your loved one. Hug, snuggle, and get close, as oxytocin levels skyrocket after orgasm. Single? You can still get your oxytocin hit from hugging family members and good friends—anyone you care deeply about. Touch therapies like massage  also help increase oxytocin.

Thyroxine (T4) and Trilodothyronine (T3)—the Metabolism Hormones

Feeling overly tired lately? Constantly cold? Your thyroid may not be functioning correctly. It produces these two hormones, which help regulate the body’s metabolism and energy.

To balance it out: Stay away from plastics that contain BPA—it can disrupt thyroid function. If you still feel tired or extra cold, check with your doctor or check out this great website (one of my favorites for health related info) from Marcelle Pick, called “Women to Women.”

Leptin and Ghrelin—the Appetite Hormones

Have you gained weight lately? Most likely you can blame it on an imbalance in these hormones. Ghrelin tells you when your hungry, and leptin tells you when you’re full. Unfortunately, if you’re not getting enough sleep, or if you eat too much sugar, you can throw off levels of these hormones.

To balance it out: Get at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night, and cut back on refined high-sugar foods and sugary drinks.

Serotonin—the Mood Hormone

Feeling depressed lately? A low level of serotonin may be to blame. In addition to helping you to feel good, it also helps control the ability to multitask.

To balance it out: You need carbs to make serotonin, so if you’ve been on a low-carb diet lately, that may be part of the problem. Get more foods like yogurt, bananas, and healthy carbs like whole-grain breads and cereals, fruits, and beans.

Have you experienced an imbalance in your hormone levels? How did you balance it out? Please share your story.

Sources:

Brigid Sweeney, “Hormonal Much?” Women’s Health, http://health.msn.com/womens-health/hormonal-much.

Photo courtesy sean dreilinger via Flickr.com.

You may have people around you encouraging you to “be positive,” or you may believe you have to squelch any negative emotions you may feel in order to put on a brave face.

In Chapter 4 of my book, When Cancer Hits, I tell you why “being positive” by itself could actually harm you on your way to recovery, and give you some real, practical tools you can use to deal with all the emotions cancer and cancer treatment may create.

Guilt Has No Room in Your Survival Plan

Did you find yourself feeling guilty after your diagnosis? Did you think that maybe if you had only eaten a healthier diet, or exercised more often, or reduced more stress, you wouldn’t have ended up with the disease? I help you face the guilt monster, stare it down, and cast it aside.

Faking Your Emotions Never Works

Do you find yourself trying to smile when you least feel like it? Do you feel pressured by family and friends to “be brave,” and “stay positive?” I felt some of these emotions when I went through Hodgkin’s disease at 16 years old, and I can tell you—squashing your emotions is bad for you. Not only do those emotions stay with you, they can actually reduce your body’s ability to fight off the cancer. (Studies have shown that repressing emotions makes you feel more physical pain and can affect your immune system.) I show you how to approach negative emotions in a healthy way, so you can more easily return to real positive emotions.

Tools to Help Accentuate the Positive

Have you ever made plans to make yourself feel good? If you haven’t, now is the time to start. Making plans to spend time with friends, enjoy a funny movie, get a nice massage, listen to your favorite music, and more are all extremely necessary while you’re going through cancer. You’ll be so busy with doctor appointments and medical records and insurance paperwork and the like that you’ll find things like just enjoying yourself can quickly slip out the window—yet they’re so necessary to your healing process! In Chapter 4, I give you all kinds of ideas for activities that help you process difficult emotions and find your way to feeling even just a little bit better.

Don’t be Afraid to Seek Help

Often we feel we have to be the brave soldiers and go through cancer alone. This decision is bad for your health, however, and dangerous to your recovery. You need support, and not just someone to help clean the house and make the meals. You need someone to talk to, someone who understands, and you need activities that really go to the core of what you’re experiencing. I show you how support groups can actually speed your healing; how music, art, and pet therapy can all be valuable tools in your recovery; and how counseling can be a lifesaver.

Learning the tools and skills you need to process and manage difficult emotions will not only help you navigate your cancer experience, but could be useful to you long after the cancer is in remission. I share with you some quotes from other survivors who learned a lot, emotionally, from their experiences, and help encourage you that with patience, you can get through whatever it is with courage and grace.

(When Cancer Hits is available now—click here.)

Have you experienced difficult emotions because of cancer or cancer treatments? Have you tried some of the tips in my book? Let me know what you think!

Estheticians at Tranquility Spa, from left to right: Christy Nop, Edwina Rathbone-Little, Nikki Stefanick and owner Beverly Miller. Lucy Croft is not pictured.

Research has shown that massage, facials, reflexology, and other spa treatments can all help reduce stress, nurture the skin, slow the appearance of aging, and even reduce side effects from cancer therapies and medications.

Because so many people are now turning to spa treatments for health reasons, today’s therapists need to know a lot more than just how to make you feel good. I was fortunate enough to meet one spa owner and esthetician who is taking her responsibilities very seriously. Beverly Miller owns and operates Tranquility Spa & Wellness in St. Charles, Illinois. We attended a training course together on oncology esthetics (given by Morag Currin, pioneer of the Clinical Oncology Esthetics (COE) certification for licensed estheticians), and I was so impressed that she paid for most of her staff to take the course with her. They’re all committed to making a difference in the lives of cancer patients and wanted to gain certification before promoting themselves as a spa that works with fighters and survivors.

“We have five estheticians working at the spa,” Beverly said, “and I wanted all of us to have this knowledge. We’re very involved in a center in Geneva called the Living Well Cancer Resource Center, and we would like to be able to donate our services there.”

Beverly says that her personal experience with cancer made her want to do more: “Over the last several years, I’ve had many of my clients come in and say, ‘I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer,’ or ‘I just found out I have ovarian cancer.’ I’ve seen friends and clients go through chemotherapy and radiation and I’ve seen what it does to their skin. The treatments, medications, and surgeries create unique situations that you have to know how to deal with so you don’t cause any injuries.”

When talking with Beverly about the need for additional education, she pointed out that there have been a lot of changes in the industry that require it. “Back when I started, spa treatments were mainly a ‘fluff and puff’ sort of thing you did to pamper yourself on a special occasion,” she says. “Since then, science has learned a lot more about the skin and body, and we now have more beneficial ingredients in our skin care products like antioxidants and peptides. More likely than not, one of us will detect a suspicious mole or dark spot on the skin before anyone else does, making us the first line of defense against skin cancer. And our spas aren’t just about looking pretty anymore—we’re catering to people’s health and well being with things like acupuncture, reflexology, and yoga classes, in addition to the standard massage and facial treatments. So we have to be a lot more educated to fulfill that role.”

After the course was finished, Beverly said the most important thing she learned was to be extra careful with people who’ve had lymph nodes removed. “It’s very important to know how not to massage, because you could cause lymphedema [long-term swelling],” she said. “I want to create a safe haven for my clients. No matter what they’re going through, I want them to feel comfortable in my spa, and know that they’re putting their bodies in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing.”

When asked what advice she would give people living with cancer when looking for the right esthetician, Beverly said, “Call the spa or wellness center. Check their certifications. They should have their basic training, plus additional training from the International Dermal Institute (for estheticians), or from a course like this one. When you go in, observe how they react. Do they have you fill out an extensive questionnaire? They need to know if your blood count is low, for example, so that they’re extra cautious about risk of infection. Finally, if I were going through cancer, I would call and say, ‘Do your estheticians know how to treat someone going through cancer?’ And I would make sure to tell them everything about my condition.”

Today, armed with her new knowledge, Beverly is excited about expanding her services. “A spa treatment is soothing, relaxing, and truly healing. It can definitely help you deal with the side effects so you feel more confident and refreshed.”

Have you found the perfect esthetician or massage therapist to help you during your treatment? Please share your story.

Morag, founder of Touch for Cancer, is a wealth of knowledge, and I learned so much from her. The main thing I want to tell my readers is this: It’s important to feel good during and after cancer, and I believe that spa treatments—particularly massage—can help reduce side effects and produce pain-killing endorphins. It is equally important, however, to educate yourself, and find an esthetician or massage therapist that knows what he/she is doing. Particularly if you’ve had lymph nodes removed, be very cautious in your selection. A therapist who doesn’t know any better may perform the wrong technique or massage too close and increase your risk of lymphedema, a long-term condition that can create chronic and painful swelling.

“Studies of massage for cancer patients suggest massage can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue and pain,” Morag says. “A physical connection through touch is really important for any person when not feeling well, and with any health challenges as it provides comfort.”

She goes on to warn, however, that regular spa treatments and pressure may trigger lymphedema, or exacerbate an existing case of it. Other things that may put you at risk of injury include a recent surgery, fragile skin (that may tear), pain, neuropathy, wounds, or radiation burns.

The main thing to remember is to be gentle, gentle, gentle, and follow these tips:

1.  Avoid all aggressive therapies during cancer treatments, including deep tissue massage, hot stone therapy, Swedish massage, Shiatsu, sports massage, and anything that feels too rough.

2.  Call before you go to the spa. Ask about licenses and certifications. Check the website. And ask if anyone on staff has experience working with not only cancer patients, but you’re particular condition. Check Morag’s website for a list of certified oncology estheticians in your area.

3.  Observe when you go for your appointment. Does your esthetician ask questions? At the very least, he/she should have you fill out an extensive form detailing your medical treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, lymph node removal, ports, incision locations, white blood cell count, etc. Someone who doesn’t take the time to know this about you isn’t educated—go to someone else.

4.  Ask about the type of products they’re planning to use. Ask to see the bottle and the ingredient list. Allow them to use only safe and nurturing formulas that are fragrance-free and made without sulfates, phthalates, and other potentially harmful ingredients. (Take our ingredients to avoid card with you.)

5.  Stop anything that feels uncomfortable. If anything hurts or feels uncomfortable to you, tell the esthetician to stop. He/she should be more than willing to listen to you and make adjustments. If not, care enough about your health to leave.

Have you found a great esthetician or massage therapist? How did you do it?

Photo courtesy the Total Woman via Flickr.com.

Strictly defined, an antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing what’s called the “oxidation” of other molecules. You can think of them as cell protectors, for that’s what they typically do in the body—protect cells from damage, including damage that can lead to cancer.

Antioxidants come in many different forms. Some of the most well known are the vitamins C, E, and A, all of which are now proven antioxidants. Others, naturally present in foods like fruits and vegetables, come in the form of “phytonutrients”—things like resveratrol, beta-carotene, and lycopene. Still others are present in minerals like selenium, which has antioxidant enzymes.

I have some friends who swore that antioxidants helped them during treatment, yet most doctors want you to stay away from them—in supplement form, at least. That means no vitamins A, C, or E, and no supplemental lycopene, resveratrol, quercetin, etc. Check the ingredient lists on your skin care products as well, as skin can absorb antioxidants, particularly those used in moisturizers.

The fear is that supplemental antioxidants will protect your cancer cells as vigorously as they do your healthy cells, making your treatment less effective. Some studies, for example, have found that cancer cells seem to soak up antioxidants like vitamin C, leading researchers to question whether or not the cancer cells might then use the vitamin to shield themselves against radiation and chemotherapy.¹ Some chemotherapy drugs work in part by creating free radicals that destroy cancer cells, and one study highlighted the concern that antioxidants may interfere with that, since they typically neutralize free radicals.² One animal study found that mice receiving antioxidant-depleted diets experienced reduction in their brain tumors, compared to mice receiving extra vitamins E and A.³ Another found that using antioxidants decreased radiation therapy side effects, but may have decreased the effectiveness of the treatment as well.⁴

Many other studies, however, have found antioxidants to be helpful during treatment. Women in China who took vitamin E and C during the first six months after they were diagnosed with breast cancer, for example, had a reduced risk of death and recurrence of their cancer.⁵ Another recent study found that antioxidant drugs, such as those used to treat malaria and diabetes, could help treat cancer, with researchers suggesting that we reconsider using antioxidants as anti-cancer agents.⁶ There are many more studies like these, showing that antioxidants can help kill tumors and reduce side effects during treatment.

One of the latest scientific reviews of the evidence, however, concludes that antioxidants still have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of treatment, so they discourage people to take them during chemotherapy or radiation.⁷ The whole thing is pretty complex, with things like type of antioxidants used, dosage, and type of treatment all affecting the outcome, so it will probably be awhile before science can give us any definite answers. Meanwhile, the best advice is to eat a healthy diet (which can include antioxidant-rich foods), and if you’re considering taking antioxidant supplements, always check with your doctor beforehand to be sure you won’t be affecting your treatment.

Have you talked to your doctor about antioxidants? Please share your story.

Sources

1. “Cancer Tumors Shown to Consume Large Amounts of Vitamin C. Researchers are Cautious About Cancer Patients Taking Vitamin C Supplements,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1999. http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/1166.cfm.
2. Labriola D, Livingston R. Possible interactions between dietary antioxidants and chemotherapy. Oncology. 1999;13:1003-1012.
3. Williamson D, “Study: Avoiding Vitamins A, E Might Improve Cancer Therapy,” University of North Carolina News Services, December 13, 1999, www.unc.edu/news/newsserv/research/dec99/salganik121399.htm.
4. Bairati I, Meyer F, Gelinas M, et al. A randomized trial of antioxidant vitamins to prevent acute adverse effects of radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients. J Clin Oncol. 2005 Jul 18. [Epub ahead of print]
5. “Vitamin Supplement Use During Breast Cancer Treatment and Survival: A Prospective Cohort Study,” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 20: 262-271 (February 2011).
6. Trimmer, Casey, et al., “Caveolin-1 and Mitochondrial SOD2 (MnSOD) Function as Tumor Suppressors in the Stromal Microenvironment: A New Genetically Tractable Model for Human Cancer Associated Fibroblasts,” Cancer Biology & Therapy, 11 (4): February 15, 2011.
7. Lawenda BD, Kelly KM, Ladas EJ, et al. Should supplemental antioxidants administration be avoided during chemotherapy and radiation therapy? J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008 May 27.

Photo courtesy the Try2Success via Flickr.com.

It’s called the “corcyceps” mushroom. Cordyceps is actually the name of the genus—it includes hundreds of species of mushrooms, including “militaris,” “unilateralis,” and “sinensis (shown here).” So far, it’s “sinensis” that’s getting attention from scientists.

This mushroom was used in ancient Chinese medicine to restore energy, stimulate the immune system, and promote long life. It’s naturally found in the mountains of China, in Japan, and in the eastern U.S., but it’s usually grown in laboratories because it’s tough to find it and collect it from the wild. So strong was its reputation that back in the 1950s, scientists isolated its chemical constituents (which include protein, amino acids, fatty acids, D-mannitol, and others), and determined that it had power as a cancer treatment. Research went so far as to create a drug, but it was found to be ineffective because it broke down too quickly in the body.

Researchers weren’t about to give up, however. In the 1970s, a study showed that cordyceps inhibited the production of DNA and RNA synthesis in cancer cells (Plageman and Erabe, 1971). In the 1980s another study showed antitumor activity on bladder, kidney, colon, and lung cancer (Hubell et al., 1985). There were more in between. Finally, in 2009, scientists at Britain’s University of Nottingham started a new line of research to combine the cordyceps formulation with other drugs to help it last longer in the body.

So far, Nottingham researchers have found that cordycepin (the name of the formulation) inhibits the uncontrolled growth and division of cells and prevents cells from sticking together, blocking growth. With this new knowledge, they can predict what types of cancers may be sensitive to treatment with it, as well as narrow down the list of possible partner drugs.

The good news is this is all really promising. Researchers are serious about finding natural options for the treatment of cancer, and so far mushrooms are one of the top-running candidates. As far as cordyceps, however, we’re still in the infant stages—test tube and animal studies. Science needs time to branch out into significant human trials. What can you do in the meantime?

Proceed with caution. Cordyceps can have hypoglycemic effects, so diabetics need to monitor themselves carefully. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also recommends caution for those with prostate cancer and myelogenous (blood) type cancers. Cordyceps has stimulated the growth of red blood cells and testosterone in animal studies. Always check with your doctor. If you want to take advantage of the nutritional benefits of this fungi, buy from a reputable manufacturer, and try a supplement with standardized extract of cordyceps mushroom.

What do you know about cordyceps mushroom? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Thanh Giang20101 via Flickr.com.

I received a firestorm of comments in response to what is actually one of the older posts on the blog entitled, “Could Resentment be a Risk Factor for Cancer?” You can read the post and the comments, and the conversation didn’t stop there—it continued on our Facebook page as well. Some people were in agreement that repressed emotions can negatively affect our health, but others were incensed that I would even suggest this to be a possibility, especially where cancer is concerned.

Here’s what was interesting to me—in reaction to this one post, I was told I was “doing a disservice to the men and women affected by cancer” with the headline and general message, and told it “wasn’t fair” to say that stress and emotional problems are the “only thing” that causes cancer and other illnesses. Other responders jumped on the “positive thinking” idea, commenting on how expecting cancer patients to be upbeat all the time does more harm than good, and that the pressure many cancer patients feel to “be positive” is very damaging.

Here’s the thing—I don’t mention “thinking positive” once in the post. Not once. Nor did I say that emotional problems are the only thing that causes cancer. Far from it. We all know that any disease is the result of a myriad of factors, from diet to activity level to genetics to environment to viruses to chemical exposure to you name it. I have posted about all of these factors on this blog, with the number of posts about emotional factors making up only a small minority of the total.

I was told I was silly for suggesting that fixing bad moods would keep you cancer free. Never did I mention “moods,” or any fleeting emotions. Never did I say that fixing your emotions would keep you cancer free. I spoke solely about one lasting, particularly difficult emotion—resentment—and what science is saying about its potential link to cancer.

Some comments suggested that looking into the possibility that resentment could have an effect on health—and potentially on cancer—is just another way to “blame the patient.” But I don’t understand why, when talking about emotions, we jump to the conclusion we’re blaming, yet we can talk about diet and activity and everyone accepts it as perfectly fine? Don’t we have equal control over what we eat or how much we move as we do over how we handle emotions? We may not be able to control how we feel, but we do have control over what we do about it—and science is showing that learning how to deal with negative emotions could be just as important as learning to eat less sugar! Think of it this way: We may not be able to control our sugar cravings, but we can and do control whether or not we eat that chocolate cake. Why can’t it be the same when we’re dealing with emotions?

Some people commented that Louise Hay—whom I mention in the post—is “irresponsible” for promoting emotional therapy as a cure for cancer. I happen to admire Ms. Hay because her books have helped me, personally. Of course I wasn’t there during her cancer. Her story is her story, and it’s a very individual one, as all our stories are. Whether you believe she cured her cancer or not really doesn’t matter. The point is that she is a prominent figure who has helped a lot of people with her theories, one of which is that resentment can be damaging to your health. She says it was to hers. And she’s still here, and cancer free.

The bottom line is that this post has nothing to do with positive thinking or bad moods or fleeting emotions causing cancer, or about blaming the patient. It’s all about how resentment—that negative emotion you hold inside you for long periods of time—has been shown in scientific studies to be damaging to your health, particularly to the immune system, in ways that have been linked to cancer. My purpose in publishing it was to help make people aware of this connection. I have done the same with a myriad of other risk factors, including an unhealthy diet, inactivity, exposure to chemicals, and more, and I’m going to continue writing about risk factors, whatever they are.

Just to be clear: could resentment be a risk factor for cancer? Science says it could. Will getting rid of resentment cure cancer? Doubtful. No one thing is a magic bullet. Could getting rid of resentment help you avoid cancer? Who knows? But if it is a potential risk factor, why not do all we can to decrease that risk? Why not, while we’re eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising at least 30 minutes a day, learn how to let go of such a toxic emotion? We’d all do better, feel healthier, and “perhaps” live longer if we forgive more often, and unburden ourselves.

Now, as to the whole “positive thinking” thing, since that’s what so many people commented about. This is a totally different animal, and it’s obviously a hot topic—one that’s on a lot of people’s minds. In the cancer community, “positive thinking” has come to mean “thou shalt think and say only positive things no matter how awful thou feels.” Has there been too much of this mantra in the cancer community? Obviously, yes!

What started out as something that was supposed to help people stay strong and fight the disease has turned into a “demand” that many people just can’t live up to. To tell a dear friend to “think positive” when she has just been diagnosed is absolutely ridiculous, but our current cancer culture has created a “groupthink” that makes people do just that.

My stance on all this positivity? I believe in being positive in my life. I like looking on the bright side of things whenever I can. I think it makes life easier to live. Never would I tell someone who’s emotionally down, however, to “buck up and be positive.” That would only serve to make them feel worse. What I would encourage—and what I think is of utmost importance to our health—is to process those negative emotions. Talk to a friend, journal, listen to music, paint, exercise, talk to a therapist, scream, cry, punch a pillow, or curl up in a ball if that’s what it takes. Make an appointment with yourself if you have to! Feel that pain or that sadness or that despair or whatever it is and take the time to feel it fully. Then, and only then, let it go and move on.

An example: Researchers found that breast cancer patients who coped by expressing their emotions surrounding the cancer had fewer medical appointments, enhanced physical health and vigor, and decreased distress.¹ In a study on women with breast cancer who used online support groups, those who expressed both positive and negative emotions experienced psychological benefits.²

The key thing here is express the emotion in a healthy way (don’t kill the dog, in other words), then let go. Do what it takes to get the emotion “through” you. It’s when we don’t take the time to feel things—when we stuff them down to deal with “later” (as in resentment)—that we can encourage health problems. If nothing else, it encourages stress—and haven’t we all agreed that stress can influence our health?

Where does the “think positive” come in? Once we process our emotions—take the time to feel them and pay attention to them—this frees us up to then summon our positive energy again. We can go out with friends, do something that makes us feel good, and work on generating good feelings. That’s the only kind of “positive thinking” I can endorse. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind we hear about most of the time surrounding cancer.

We are emotional creatures. That’s one of the beautiful things about human beings. We are meant to feel. To tell anyone—especially those experiencing all the traumas of disease—to just ignore all the negative feelings and focus only on the positive, will only make everything worse. What we can do is encourage ourselves and others to pay attention to those feelings, address them, do something about them, and then let them go.

In summary: Science says that there may be a link between resentment and cancer—good to know. I believe we can feel healthier when we learn how to fully feel and process—rather than stuff down—our emotions, whatever they may be. But this is totally different from the “think positive” idea as it relates to the cancer community, and when it comes to that, I agree with most of you—it’s time to accept our feelings, wholeheartedly…and then learn how to better deal with them in ways that benefit our health.

I’m looking forward to blogging more about this issue in the future! In the meantime, please, write in, whatever your thoughts. I don’t care if you agree or don’t. The more we discuss these things, the better chance we all have of not only living healthier lives, but understanding more fully the complex, beautiful creatures we are.

Thanks again for all the input. Light and love to you all!

Britta

Do you have thoughts on how emotions may affect our health? Or on the whole “positive thinking” culture surrounding cancer? Please share!

References

1. Stanton A.L., Danoff-Burg S., Cameron C.L., Bishop M., Collins C.A., Kirk S.B, Sworowski L.A., Twillman R. Emotionally expressive coping predicts psychological and physical adjustment to breast cancer. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000 Oct;68(5):875-82. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11068973?dopt=Abstract.
2. Jeong Yeob Han. Expressing Positive Emotions within Online Support Groups by Women with Breast Cancer. Journal of Health Psychology Vol. 13, No. 8, 1002-1007 (2008) DOI: 10.1177/1359105308097963.

Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

The evidence is overwhelmingly positive for men. What about women? Well, it’s not so clear-cut for us.

The whole idea of married people living longer is not well established in women, with some studies showing marriage has no little to no effect on life expectancy for females. Bad marriages affect both genders, but the health risks are higher for women, with heart disease and stroke at the top of the list of potential problems. Women tend to put on more pounds after marriage (whether or not they have kids), are more likely to get sick as a result of arguing, and suffer more from failed marriages than men. According to one study, husbands create an extra seven hours a week of housework for wives, despite the fact that most women now work a full-time job.

Other studies, however, have found benefits for married women. They experience more financial security. They have a lower risk of cancer, dementia, and pneumonia, as well as a better capability to deal with stress. Most studies confirm, however, that these benefits come from happy marriages. Unhappy ones cause all kinds of physical damage, with marital stress increasing, among other things, the risk of a second heart attack in women.

Enough to leave a girl a little confused, right? Well, here’s the good news. While we may be unsure whether or not that cute guy is good for us, we can be absolutely positive that our girlfriends are. According to Girlfriendology.com, “A friend of mine is currently taking classes at Stanford University, and she wrote me that the head of psychiatry there told the class that ‘one of the best things a man can do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a women, one of the best things she can do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.’”

Science confirms this idea. When women are with their girlfriends, their bodies produce more “feel good” hormones, helping to reduce stress and boost the immune system. Harvard researchers found that older women who had a “confidante” were more likely to enjoy physical vitality. An Australian study found that women with more friends lived 22 percent longer than women with few friends. A University of California study showed that women turn to friends in times of stress, and a Manchester University study showed that more women contacted their friends on a daily basis than men.

Girlfriends play a big role in helping us get through cancer as well. One study found that women with advanced ovarian cancer who had weak social support were more likely to have a protein related to more aggressive types of the cancer. And a 2006 study of 3,000 nurses with breast cancer found that women without close friends were four times as likely to die from the disease as women with 10 or more friends.

“Friends help you face adverse events,” says Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University. “Friends encourage you to take better care of yourself.”

“Being able to connect with women on various emotional levels can assist in lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol,” says Dr. Joan Silk of the University of California. “The more friends a woman has, the less likely she is to develop health problems as she becomes older.”

In today’s busy world, it can be tough to carve out the time to spend with your friends, but now you know–it’s great for your health. Do you need any more excuses to schedule that girl’s night out?

Do you rely on your girlfriends when the chips are down? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy graur codrin via freedigitalphotos.net.

Sometimes this thinking serves me well, like when I realize that I probably contracted a cold because I was pushing myself too hard and didn’t get enough rest. (Note to self: Work rest into your schedule no matter what!) Other times, however, it can be difficult to find meaning in your life’s experiences. Especially if those experiences include cancer.

“Why me?” is a question many of us ask when cancer comes knocking at our doors. I remember thinking that when cancer hit me as a teenage girl. I was healthy, active, and socially involved. Why did I have to go through chemotherapy and operations and hair loss and weight gain and night sweats when most girls my age had concerns no bigger than their hairstyles or makeup choices?

It’s taken me years to find my own meaning in the experience, but I’ve succeeded, and I feel more grounded and on-purpose than ever before. Looking back, I realize that my battle with cancer prepared me to help my father through his cancer journey, which led to my desire to create Cinco Vidas and give back to the entire cancer community. I realize now how my experience with cancer gave me the insight and empathy to communicate with other fighters and survivors, as well as the knowledge that health is a gift, and I must work everyday to protect and nurture it.

Some people don’t need this deeper “meaning” to go with their cancer experience. They realize that cancer can happen to anyone, and when it happens to them, they just figure they were dealt a certain hand and they learn to live with it. If you’re someone like me, however, who looks for the connections and mysteries in life, you may need to spend some time delving into your own psyche.

“How do you make meaning?” asks creativity coach Eric Maisel. “By letting go of wondering what the universe wants of you, by letting go of the fear that nothing matters, and by announcing that you will make life mean exactly what you intend it to mean.”

This is good news. Just when cancer makes you feel that your life is out of control, you can realize that the meaning of the experience is totally up to you. How do you go about finding that meaning? It takes time. For me, it took years. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get started.

David Simon, M.D., co-founder of the Chopra Center, wrote a book called Return to Wholeness, and in it, he suggests that to get started on your quest for meaning, you ask yourself the following questions:

• If I knew that I had only one more year to live, what changes would I make in my life now?
• If I were able to speak directly to my cancer, what positive message would it have for me?
• Imagining that it is five years from now and my illness is behind me, what would I tell someone else in my situation about the meaning of my illness?
• If I were able to speak directly to my God, what would he or she say to me about the meaning of my illness?

Give yourself some quiet time to answer. Journal about it. Talk to a good friend. Maybe the cancer has given you a chance to reevaluate your life in a way you never have before. Maybe this is your chance to make some changes, or to adjust your point of view. Maybe you’re just the person to share your experience in a way that would help others. Maybe the shock of the whole thing will set you on a brand new path to a new future. The possibilities are endless. What matters most is that you find the meaning that suits you.

Maisel tells us to ask, “How do I make myself proud?” The answer to this question, above all, may be the most important one for your future.

Have you found meaning in your cancer experience? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Frenz64 via Flickr.com.

In a nutshell, Kombucha tea is much like any other tea—it has some health benefits, but it’s no cure-all, and if used extensively, it can actually be dangerous.

The tea is made from what many refer to as a mushroom, but which isn’t technically a mushroom—instead, it’s a colony of bacteria and yeast that is said to resemble a pancake. To prepare it, you take a starter sample from an existing culture and grow a new one in a fresh jar. You then add this “mushroom” to sugar and black or green tea and allow it to ferment. When it’s finished, you have a liquid that contains a number of chemical compounds, including B vitamins and several acids like acetic, butyric, glucuronic, lactic, malic, and more.

At this time, there has not been a single human trial reported in a major medical journal that details any health benefits from drinking Kombucha tea. This doesn’t mean there aren’t health benefits—in fact, some old studies (performed between 1940–1960) reported some benefits on intestinal health, wound healing, and cholesterol levels. Even then, however, one Russian researcher warned that the possibility of any anti-cancer action lacked any foundation from a scientific-medical point of view.

The interest in Kombucha as an anti-cancer agent stems mostly from its perceived ability to help detoxify the body. Researchers have hypothesized that one of the acids in the tea may assist the liver in cleaning toxic waste, thereby making it more difficult for cancer cells to take hold. However, this is all speculation at this point as no studies have confirmed or denied such a possibility.

Meanwhile, if you’re considering adding Kombucha to your diet, it pays to employ a few safeguards. Cleanliness is especially important, as during fermentation you run the risk of growing unwanted contaminants that can later make you sick. People with compromised immune systems, especially, need to be overly cautious and ensure all utensils and containers are free of germs and that the proper temperature and pH levels are maintained.

Even if you’re buying the tea from a health food store, again be extra careful if you are fighting an illness. (Check out this post for more information.) Next, realize that there have been some reports of Kombucha causing stomach upset and allergic reactions, most likely because of the bacteria and yeast. Finally, the American Cancer Society reports on a couple cases of severe life-threatening reactions in people consuming a lot of the tea, specifically severe “acidosis”—an abnormal increase in acid levels in bodily fluids. No direct link to Kombucha tea was proven, but the drink is highly acidic and the FDA warned consumers to use caution. Because of this high acidity, the liquid can also leach lead from ceramic containers, so consumers are warned not to use ceramic pots for brewing.

If you or a loved one is facing cancer, determining what to use in the battle for your health is a very personal decision. Just be sure you use your head as well as your heart, do your research, and realize that those peddling Kombucha as the next miracle cure are more interested in your wallet than your health. (The Mayo Clinic recommends that until we have more studies, it’s best to avoid using the drink.) Remember too that over the years, we’ve seen miracle cures come and go. If they really worked, wouldn’t we all be cancer free by now?

What do you think about Kombucha tea? Please share.

Photo courtesy Tarek Maassarani via Flickr.com.

Graviola fruit—sometimes called “soursop”—apparently tastes like a combination of other citrus fruits with the creamy flavor of banana or coconut. Since it’s rather difficult to eat by itself, the pulp is often used to prepare juice, ice cream, sorbets, and candies. Rich in carbohydates, B and C vitamins, calcium, and fiber, it’s believed to have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which help in fighting infections. Other parts of the tree, as well, including the bark, leaves, and roots have been used for centuries by natives as natural remedies for infections, fever, digestive problems, and high blood pressure.

But could this little plant really be more effective than chemotherapy? According to “Graviola.com,” this green wonder is a “miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than chemo,” particularly, one particular chemo drug called Adriamycin. The site goes on to say that components of graviola attack various types of cancer cells including colon, breast, prostate, lung, and pancreatic, and do so without nausea, weight loss and hair loss. Meanwhile, graviola supposedly protects the immune system, boosts energy, and protects healthy cells. Could all this be true?

Researching this plant was a little difficult, as there is already so much hype surrounding it. I think, however, that I managed to narrow it down, and what I found is the same thing I find with so many of these “natural cancer cures.” Yes, there have been a few small laboratory (test-tube) studies that have shown graviola to have anti-cancer properties, but this isn’t all that unusual on its own. Several plants and fruits have shown cancer-fighting properties in the lab. The thing that seems to be creating the buzz around this fruit is that “10,000 times stronger” claim.

Apparently the National Cancer Institute did a study on graviola way back in 1976, but I couldn’t find this study. Word is it was never released to the public. The Health Sciences Institute (HIS), an independent organization in Maryland, says a study in the Journal of Natural Products found that one chemical from the plant killed colon cancer cells. I couldn’t find this particular study, but I did find others published in the same journal, including a 2010 study that showed anti-cancer activity in vitro, and a 2008 study that showed graviola extract is a potent anti-viral, anti-tumor, and anti-microbial product. One 1998 study (in a different journal) even found anti-depressant effects from the plant.

The thing that’s most exciting about graviola is that it can distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells, and selectively slow the growth of only the cancer cells. The other exciting thing is the 10,000 number—this according to a recent study from South Korea. Unlike chemo, graviola had no negative activity on healthy cells, and was even effective against cancer cells that were resistant to chemo drugs.

Still, we’re talking here about a handful of studies, all of them in vitro­—in a test tube. The FDA has so far approved graviola only for use to support immune function. According to canceractive.com, the National Cancer Institute is supporting new research, but in the meantime, I say approach this new “cure” with caution. We have yet to see how it works in clinical trials. We also don’t know what the effects may be of taking graviola for a long time. The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for example, warns that graviola “may cause movement disorders and myeloneuropathy with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease.” Discovery Health warns that if taken for a prolonged period, graviola may deplete the friendly bacteria required for healthy digestion. Health guru Andrew Weil warns that the in vitro tests are “…a long way from clinical trials to determine the safety and efficacy of these compounds in people with cancer.” He goes on to say that there’s “…no way to tell whether commercially available graviola contains any of the compounds studied….” and recommends that people do not take graviola or its extracts as a dietary supplement.

Even if you were to ignore all these concerns, there are other questions: What is the best dosage? How often should you take it and for how long? What about other health risks?

There’s no doubt that early studies on this plant are very exciting. Until we know more, however, please be really careful. If you do decide to try it, buy from a reputable manufacturer, monitor yourself carefully, and use an easily digestible form like a tincture.

Have you had questions about graviola? Have you talked to a healthcare professional or herbalist about it? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy F. Lima via Flickr.com.

This time of year mistletoe gives us an excuse to kiss our sweethearts. But did you know that it also has the potential to provide a lot of health benefits?

I read a story last year about this time that told about a woman who credited mistletoe with helping her to beat cancer—specifically, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “It is not a miracle cure,” she said. “It has limitations and every story will be different but I want people to know about it. I think it can give people hope. I’ve heard it described as easing cancer, which I think is the best way to put it.”

Of course I was skeptical, so I did some research. Turns out there is some real science behind this little plant. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) says it’s been used for centuries to treat conditions such as hypertension, headaches and arthritis, and that in Europe, products made from mistletoe are among the most prescribed therapies for cancer patients.

(It’s usually administered by injection.) Extracts have been shown in animal and laboratory studies to boost the immune system, kill cancer cells, and protect DNA.

What about human trials? We have some evidence here as well. One study found that using mistletoe therapy along with chemotherapy helped patients experience fewer adverse effects, better symptom relief, and improved disease-free survival. Researchers believed the plant worked by stimulating the immune system. Another study, however, found no affect in head and neck cancer patients. Several European clinical trials have found some improvements in survival or quality of life, but researchers warn that many of these studies were small or had weaknesses in their design. Still, the results were compelling enough that in 2002, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), working with the NCI, conducted their own study with mistletoe in cancer patients. The trial is now closed and they are analyzing the data, so hopefully we’ll hear more soon.

What about safety? Many people do experience an injection-site reaction, such as itching or redness. Other side effects can include low-grade fever and flu-like symptoms. In fact, raw, unprocessed mistletoe and its berries are actually poisonous to humans if consumed—they can cause vomiting, seizures, a lowing of the heart rate, and in rare cases, even death. Mistletoe extracts, however, are usually considered safe. Countries that are regularly using them in injections are the best source, such as Germany, where the extract is considered safe when used under medical supervision. Mistletoe extract is also used in countries like Austria and Switzerland.

In the U.S., however, we just don’t have enough studies to know if the plant could cause other harm when used against cancer. The FDA has not yet approved mistletoe as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition. In fact, they don’t even allow injectable mistletoe to be imported, sold, or used except for in clinical research. According to CAM-CANCER however, the brand “Iscador” is approved for distribution by the FDA in accordance with its requirements for homeopathic medicines. (This type of mistletoe was used by Suzanne Somers in her fight against breast cancer back in 2001.)

After reviewing the data, I feel that we still need to approach the use of mistletoe with great caution. As with many new natural or complementary treatments, we really need to know more before we can say for sure that mistletoe may help you beat cancer. The potential is there, however, and I look forward to seeing the results of the latest studies.

What do you think about mistletoe and cancer? Do you know anyone who has tried it?

Photo courtesy ImaBatman via Filckr.com.

I’m not surprised people are asking questions about this, because the whole issue of soy is really confusing right now. To bring you some answers, I’ve consulted with doctors and researched countless studies. Here’s what I’ve gleaned so far.

Soy contains an abundance of “phytoestrogens,” or natural plant compounds that can behave as weak estrogens in both animals and humans. Their role in the plant is to protect it from stress and serve as part of the defense system, so naturally many scientists (and nutritionists) believed that soy could help protect human bodies as well.

Here’s a taste of the confusion. Early studies suggested that soy may help lower LDL cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Later studies, however, have found no such affect on cholesterol. Some studies suggested soy could help you lose weight, but others showed it didn’t help much. Some studies found soy could help control insulin levels, but others disputed those results as well. A few years ago soy was all the rage to help reduce menopausal symptoms, but more recent studies have question whether it does any good. Related studies thought that soy could help reduce the amount of bone loss, but later studies seem to have debunked that theory, too.

When we look at cancer, we find no more clarity. A recent study from October 2010 reported that women past menopause who have had cancer could reduce their risk of recurrence with a higher intake of soy. Researchers warned, however, that the study was small and included only women with breast cancer who were receiving care in China. Other studies seem to confirm this protective effect against not only breast cancer, but colon and prostate cancer. Some animal studies, however, have found that phytoestrogens may negatively affect breast cells, actually increasing the risk of tumors. Lab studies have also shown that various mixtures of phytoestrogens stimulated breast cancer cell growth in humans.

Overall, it looks like what science has found so far is that phytoestrogens like those found in soy can be both preventive and promoting when it comes to cancer, and that it depends on the dose, the timing of the exposure, and the type of phytoestrogen—and, whether or not the cancer is estrogen dependent. Clear as mud, right?

Until science can tell us more, what do we do? We have to consider several things. First of all, our exposure to environmental estrogens has increased a lot over the past 20 years. It’s not like we need to consume more! Second, soy is a good source of fiber, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein—but human studies are showing conflicting results as to the effects of phytoestrogens on human health.

“What I’ve been telling my patients right now,” says Dr. Richard Lee, medical director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center, “is that soy as part of a healthy balanced diet is safe. But I would avoid trying to eat a totally soy-based diet or taking a soy supplement.”

Reviewing all this, here’s my take: If you’re concerned about estrogen-driven breast cancer (which can include breast, ovarian, uterine, cervix, endometrial, and prostate cancer), stay away from soy and other phytoestrogens, particularly in supplements. Enjoying a few soybeans now and then will probably benefit your health, but remember that soy is in a lot of products that we don’t think about, like soy milk, soy sauce, miso, tempeh, and tofu. It’s also often added to foods like breads, cereals, and meats, and used as a meat substitute in vegetarian products (read labels). Particularly if you have breast cancer (or other estrogen-driven cancers) in your family, you may want to limit your exposure to soy until we find out more.

You may want to be cautious, as well, with any personal care products that contain soy. Most contain such small amounts as to be of little concern, but remember that the skin can absorb what’s put on it, especially if we’re talking about lotions and creams and things you don’t rinse off. Soy provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can help fortify skin, but again, my advice would be that if you’re avoiding soy on the whole, stay away from products that list soy in the first 10 ingredients or so.

Finally, if you’re trying to get pregnant or if you are pregnant, you may want to cut back on your soy intake. Studies have found that soy phytoestrogens may reduce the odds of a successful pregnancy. The National Institutes of Health are also currently conducting studies to evaluate the long-term effect of soy infant formula on the development of children.

What do you think about the whole soy confusion? Please share your thoughts.

Photo courtesy Daniel Hurst Photography via Flickr.com.

Here’s what happened: Scientists surveyed over 35,000 postmenopausal women, and found that those who said they regularly used fish oil supplements were one-third less likely than non-users to get the most common form of breast cancer over the next six years. Even with known risk factors like older age and obesity taken into account, the lower risk was still there.

As usual, the scientists urge caution, and stress that the study doesn’t really show cause and effect. In other words, we can’t assume that the fish oil prevented the cancer. “Supplement users may have healthier lifestyles,” said lead author Emily White. “Or they may have other underlying health conditions.” However, the results are interesting enough that Harvard scientists are moving ahead with a clinical trial where participants will take fish oil or a placebo, and see what happens.

Regardless of whether or not fish oil helps reduce risk of cancer, we know for sure that it’s a good source of those “healthy fats” known as omega-3 fatty acids. These are the same healthy fats that have shown to help lower levels of triglycerides in the blood, and even help lower blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week, and suggests those with coronary artery disease talk to their doctor about supplements.

What’s also interesting about this study is that some of the other supplements the researchers tracked, like soy, black cohosh, dong quai, St. John’s wort, grapeseed, garlic, and ginseng had no affect on breast cancer risk. This was actually surprising to the scientists, as they suspected that supplements high in antioxidants would play a bigger role in cancer prevention. Instead, it was fish oil—predominantly an anti-inflammatory—that did the job. Researchers theorize that prolonged inflammation inside the body can increase the risk of cells becoming cancerous—thereby making an anti-inflammatory like fish oil really helpful.

If you want to get your dose of good omega 3s, eat two servings of fish a week, and consider supplements. Just be sure to do your research and buy from a reputable manufacturer, so you’re sure you’re getting the good stuff. You’ve got nothing to lose!

Do you take fish oil supplements? Please share your thoughts.

Photo courtesy DEstranger via Flickr.com.

I have no doubt having a dog is a good thing (especially for my stress!). I’m considering getting one myself, but have never made the leap. Scientific studies have found that pet owners have fewer doctors visits,¹ survive longer following a heart attack,² and experience a higher level of well being in older age.³ Other studies show that pet ownership helps lower blood pressure response to stress, and provide some of the elements of human relationships known to contribute to health.⁴

Lately, researchers have found that dogs can do even more. Today, they are the eyes for those of us who are blind, the ears for those of us who are deaf, and the legs and hands for those of us restricted in movement. The magazine “Healthy Pet” (Summer, 2010) just reported on a German Shepherd who saved his owner’s life by dialing 911!

I’ve always suspected that dogs may help with stress, but what’s even more exciting is that recent studies show they may be able to help us through cancer, or even detect cancer before the doctors do. This is powerful! To most fighters and survivors, it’s no secret how much help dogs are in the recovery stages. They may be one of the few in our support group that will let us just break down and cry in their fur. So important are dogs to cancer recovery that in April of this year (2010), the American Cancer Society held a fund-raiser in Champaign’s Centennial Park to honor the emotional support dogs so often provide cancer patients.

Beyond their staunch loyalty, however, dogs have even more formerly hidden talents. Scientists recently discovered that they can detect epileptic seizures before they occur, which has led to a burgeoning new group of epileptic therapy dogs being trained and used by people with the disorder. And a 2006 study found that in a matter of weeks, ordinary household dogs could be trained to accurately distinguish breath samples of lung and breast cancer patients from those of controls. In other words, the dogs could “sniff out” cancer, at both the early and late stages of the diseases.

Researchers suspect that cancer cells emit different waste products in the body than regular cells, providing this new way of detecting it. The University of Maine is following up with another study to see if dogs can sniff out ovarian cancer as well. “Dogs have shown a high rate of success in distinguishing between normal and abnormal breath samples associated with different types of cancer,” says University of Maine chemistry professor Touradg Solouki, “and what we hope to determine is exactly what it is that the animals can detect….We want to know what’s happening in the body at the molecular level so that we can develop better treatments.”

That dogs can sniff out problems isn’t necessarily brand new. Back in 1989, The Lancet reported on a border collie-Doberman mix who repeatedly sniffed a mole on its owner’s thigh and even once tried to bite it off. Its owner finally had it checked and learned it was a malignant melanoma. Whether or not cancer tests may one day involve more canines and less machines is still to be seen, but imagine if you were going to see your doctor—and his dog! Sounds like a lot nicer appointment, doesn’t it?

Was your dog helpful in your cancer experience? Please share your story.

1. Heady B, Grabka M, Kelley J, Reddy P, Tseng Y. Pet ownership is good for your health and saves public expenditure too: Australian and German longitudinal evidence. Australian Social Monitor. 2002;4:93–99.
2. Friedmann E, Katcher AH, Lynch JJ, Thomas SA. Animal companions and one-year survival of patients after discharge from a coronary-care unit. Public Health Rep. 1980;95:307–312.
3. Hart LA. The role of pets in enhancing human well-being: effects for older people. In: Robinson I, editor. The Waltham Book of Human-Animal Interaction: Benefits and Responsibilities of Pet Ownership. Oxford, Elsevier Science Ltd; 1995. pp. 19–31.
4. Collis GM, McNicholas J. A theoretical basis for health benefits of pet ownership: attachment versus psychological support. In: Wilson C, Turner D, eds. Companion animals and human health. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1998: 105-22.

Photo courtesy Marvin Kuo via Flickr.com.

We’ve seen several studies showing how social interaction helps reduce the risk of cancer. But I read about a more recent study done at Ohio State University that blew my mind.

Scientists injected several mice with malignant cells. Then they kept some of them in those small, standard lab cages, and let the others out in larger spaces with play toys and the freedom to interact with other mice. Now you’d probably guess that the mice in the larger, nicer cages would do better, right? But the surprising thing is how much better they did. Ready for this? After six weeks, the mice in the nicer environments with other mice to “talk” to had tumors that were about 75 percent smaller than the mice in the smaller cages! In addition, all the mice in the smaller cages got cancer—but 17 percent of the mice in the nicer living quarters showed no signs of cancer at all.

Isn’t that amazing? I mean, throw in a few toys, some room to run around in, and friends, and you’ve got healthier mice. In fact, many of the mice that had tumors before being moved to the nicer neighborhood saw those tumors shrink once they settled in. Does this translate to humans? According to the scientists, we have to be cautious and not assume humans would react exactly the same way, but we can take from these results some very interesting findings. First of all, that mind and body are woven even closer together than we think.

“This paper really suggests,” says Matthew During of Ohio State University, “if we look at people more in terms of their perceptions of disease, their social interactions and environment, we could realize a profound influence on cancer.”

Of course the scientists are trying to find some biological connection. They say exercise isn’t it, as regular mice in the lab who exercised more didn’t experience any improvements in their cancer. Instead, researchers think it has more to do with the relationships and the stimulation causing the release of good stress hormones called glucocorticoids. “The goal isn’t to minimize stress,” the researchers said, “but to live a richer life, socially and physically. You want to be challenged.”

The happy mice also had a lower level of a hormone made by fat called leptin—earlier studies have linked leptin to tumor growth—and showed a stronger immune response, as if their living situation somehow boosted their defenses. Scientists hope to be able to use this information to eventually support further research on cancer treatments, with their eye on drug therapies that could mimic the benefits of the enriched environment. In the meantime, what can we take away from this study?

Basically, I see it this way—don’t let your life get dull! If you’re finding all your days looking the same, and you don’t feel challenged anymore, make a change. Get out and meet new people. Take a class, learn a sport or hobby, and get yourself into a new environment. We humans aren’t meant to do the same thing day in and day out. We’re extremely adaptable, and need new experiences to wake us up. Even if you already have cancer, try a new support group or one of the art therapy classes held at your cancer center. Such “positive stress” could be the jump-start your immune system needs.

Have you tried something new lately, and found a benefit in your health? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Flickr.com.

Hypnosis? Help with cancer? Some studies show it’s possible, and more are on the way.

We’re not talking about a cure, of course, but a method to help heal the side effects of treatment. Researchers in the UK, for instance, reported positive results when hypnosis was used for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, particularly on children, and suggested further research in adults.

Another study out of New York assigned over 200 patients a brief hypnosis intervention before they went through breast cancer surgery. Those who went through the hypnosis experienced less pain, nausea, and fatigue after the surgery. Hypnosis even seemed to help them feel less emotional upset. “Overall,” researchers reported, “the present data support the use of hypnosis with breast cancer surgery patients.”

More evidence: a 2001 study found that hypnotic-like methods, involving relaxation, suggestion, and distracting imagery, held the greatest promise of all behavioral interventions for pain management. And an earlier study found that patients who received hypnosis reported less pain and pain-related anxiety than did control patients.

It’s kind of hard to describe what hypnosis is, but most definitions define it as a mental state, set of attitudes, or beliefs induced by hypnosis, a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions. Another way to think about it is that it puts the person into a neutral state of concentration. Typically it follows a set of stages, from lethargy and relaxation to “catalepsy,” where muscles and posture are fixed and rigid. The final stage is known as somnambulism, a sort of “sleepwalking” or trance-like stage where a person is open to suggestion.

Have you ever been driving somewhere, and then you spaced out so much, when you arrived at your destination, you didn’t remember how you got there? That’s kind of like what hypnosis is. Your unconscious mind takes over, while your conscious mind skips out. Hypnosis helps access such a trance state, and then gives the unconscious mind suggestions that can help you feel better in your waking state.

If you’d like to try hypnosis as part of your cancer treatment, first decide if you want to work with a psychiatrist or someone who exclusively performs hypnotism as a healing method. Psychiatrists use hypnosis sometimes to treat people, but certified hypnotists typically have more in-depth training. When you find someone, ask them the following questions:

• Are you a certified hypnotist and by whom? (The National Guild of Hypnotherapists is the oldest and largest non-profit certifying organization.)
• How many hours of training do you have? (Look for over 100.)
• Have you worked with cancer patients? How long? What types of cancer?
• Do you have experience in addressing (your concern)?
• May I call other cancer patients you have worked with?

Finally, ask yourself if you’re comfortable with the person, as that is the most important thing.

Have you tried hypnosis for cancer treatment side effects? Please share your experience with us.

Photo courtesy Regal Hypnosis School, Atlanta GA via Flickr.com.

Michelle Maniaci, energy medicine practitioner, says that deep breathing contributes greatly to healing.

Recently, I took a trip to Canyon Ranch Spa in Miami to relax and recharge, and I met an amazing woman. Her name is Michelle Maniaci, and she’s a licensed physical therapist, energy medicine practitioner, and belly-dance-for-healing instructor. She works at the ranch, helping people to incorporate the amazing healing power of deep breathing into their daily lives. My time at the ranch was relaxing overall, but it was my sessions with Michelle that pulled together my whole experience. She was able to be completely in tune with me, and I fell in love with her nurturing heart. Using a variety of different tools in my sessions, she left me feeling revived, alive, and balanced, so much so that I wish I could have brought her back with me to New York!

Of course, she remained in Miami, but I returned with some new habits that have now become an important part of my life. According to her, thoughts and emotions may increase our stress response and work against our healing if they don’t come from a loving and grateful place.

“The strength of our immune system determines how effective our innate healing mechanisms function,” she says. “ Our diet, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions—even the quality of our relationships, our living environment, posture, breathing pattern, and connection to a higher source—all influence our self-healing abilities.”

Michelle says that emotional healing benefits physical healing of any injury, whether it’s a scrape on your ankle or breast cancer. “I worked with a woman who was going through chemotherapy for a lump that had been discovered in her right breast,” she says. “I was teaching her how to breathe, fully engaging her diaphragm muscle, the primary muscle of inspiration. While she was learning this, she said she felt her cancer was somehow related to her resentment towards her mother. Her ability to expand her rib cage increased while she visualized holding her mother’s hands and telling her she forgave her for not loving her enough in the ways that she had so longed for as a little girl.”

Michelle instructed the woman to trust that her mother was exactly the way she needed to be to help the woman become the person she was as an adult. “With tears in her eyes, she continued to let go of the sadness in her heart and replaced it with love and compassion. Her chest muscles softened more and more after every breath, and by the end of our session, she looked and felt more alive and warm than ever before.”

While I was at the ranch, Michelle encouraged me to take time to breathe fully and completely, which engages the body’s healing powers. It relieves stress, improves circulation, assists proper digestion, helps eliminate toxins, releases anxiety, lowers blood pressure, and helps release feel-good hormones. In addition, it helps me attain a state of unity and wholeness within myself and the universe.

“All we need to do is open ourselves to allow the healing process to occur,” Michelle says, “as it is always happening to us within. Something as basic as just being mindful and fully present in every moment and learning how to fully and freely engage the respiratory diaphragm muscle are two powerful steps in a more healing direction.”

Since my time with Michelle, just from my breathing alone, I’ve noticed shifts in how I feel. I thank Michelle from the bottom of my heart for teaching me to trust myself, my breath, and my journey!

For more information on how to maximize your breathing abilities for healing and processing of emotions, contact Michelle at www.nurturingmoves.com.

Researchers from Tel Aviv University’s Department of Psychology think so. Their recent study showed that psychological stress prior to, during, and after surgery can impair the immune system, raising odds of cancer recurrence.

“The psychological stressors of surgery deal a blow to the immune system,” said lead researcher Professor Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu, “but this is hardly discussed in the medical community. Ours is among the first studies to show that psychological fear may be no less important than real physiological tissue damage in suppressing immune competence.”

Ben-Eliyahu adds that timing is everything after cancer surgery, and that the immune system needs to be functioning at high levels to kill the remaining bits of tumor tissue that are scattered around the body. Stress hormones can get in the way. An earlier study found that by blocking these stress hormones, cancer cells could be reduced and survival rates increased.

This isn’t the only study pointing to this connection. Researchers at London’s ICRF Clinical Oncology Unit and Department of Psychiatry at Guy’s Hospital found that breast cancer was more likely to recur in women who had experienced severe life stresses. A life event was considered severe if it had threatening implications in the long term—like the death of a husband or child, or a divorce. Those women who had experienced such stresses were nine times more likely to have a relapse of the breast cancer. They added that coping behavior and social support could modify the impact of these life stressors, to reduce risk.

A later study in London, however, was unable to repeat these results, and did not show the same connection between stress and recurrence. On the other hand, a more recent study by scientists at Ohio State University showed that breast cancer patients who had gone through psychological intervention had a lower risk of cancer recurrence. The study followed over 200 women for 11 years, and found those who were taught relaxation methods (such as muscular relaxation) had a much lower chance of the cancer coming back than did women who had only psychological assessments.

If you survive cancer, then experience a stressful event in your life, the last thing you want to do is fear a recurrence. Some studies show a connection, but others don’t. So far, we don’t really know how much impact stress can have on the return of cancer cells—so please, don’t add to your stress by stressing about your stress! We do know, however, that emotions like anxiety, anger, and isolation—especially if repressed—can impair the immune system. According to Chinese author Jia Kun, in his book, Prevention and Treatment of Carcinoma in Traditional Chinese Medicine, “Emotional changes such as worry, fear, hesitation, anger, irritation, and nervousness should be prevented. Mental exhaustion is harmful and life should be enriched with entertainment.”

The answer is not to worry if you feel stressed—just encourage relaxation as much as possible. Practicing regular calming techniques can help you cope with the stresses life inevitably throws at you, and keep your cells healthy and cancer free. Join a support group, and try the progressive muscle relaxation therapy used in the aforementioned Ohio Study.

Have you adapted new stress-relieving techniques after surviving cancer? Please share any tips you may have.

Photo courtesy siggito via Flickr.com.