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.

“Treatments for breast cancer are so draining,” says survivor Sylvia. “I felt wonderful after my pedicure and mini-facial.” According to Nicole Martin, writing for Bella Magazine (June/July 2005), “Facials were once considered luxury only for the wealthy, but now they are considered as important as going to your dentist. They are known to help resolve current problems and prevent future ones.”

A standard facial usually consists of cleansing, exfoliation, steam, massage, and a treatment mask. (While going through cancer treatments, you’ll want to avoid exfoliation and steam.) An esthetician analyzes your skin and bases treatment on your skin type what you need that day. The process not only moisturizes skin, but aids in detoxification, stimulates blood circulation, slows the visible effects of aging, reduces acne, and brightens a dull complexion. And the relaxation benefits are nothing to be sneezed at, especially since we know that stress can contribute to delayed healing and exacerbate side effects.

If you want to schedule a facial while you’re going through treatment, go for it—just take a few precautions to safeguard your fragile skin. Follow these few tips and then sit back and enjoy some time to feel good! (Check out our organic spa directory for a location near you!)

• Find a spa that uses organic products. During cancer treatments, the last thing you need is more exposure to dangerous chemicals. Give the spa a call and ask about the products they use, and specify your desire to have only organic, safe products used on your skin.
• Tell them you have cancer. You may feel shy or self-conscious about it, but letting your esthetician know about your treatment status alerts her to the unique needs of your skin, and will help guide her in her choice of products and treatments, as well as make her aware of the kind of gentle treatment you need. The goal is to help your skin deal with the drugs and stress, so be open to get the best results.
• Avoid harsh treatments. Some facials involve treatments that are harsher on the skin, like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, extractions (for acne), and steams. While going through chemotherapy or radiation, your skin is just too fragile to handle these treatments. Choose instead the hydrating facials for dry and sensitive skin. If you do have acne, see our post on ways to deal with it, but don’t let your esthetician poke and prod your skin.
• Go for the massage. For most people, the massage is the most enjoyable part of the facial experience. You may be amazed at the amount of tension around your face, especially in the jaw area. The benefits are numerous—you may find it not only relieves stress, but opens up your sinuses, relieves headaches, and relaxes your neck and shoulders.
• Look for free benefits. Many spas offer free facials to cancer patients. Check online or call your local spas and ask. You might as well enjoy the benefits as well as the hardships of your condition! (If you live in the Chicago area, be sure to check out Faye’s Light free spa services for cancer patients.)

Did you get one or more facials during cancer treatments? What did you think of the experience?

Photo courtesy ExpertVillage.com via Flickr.com.

Ayurvedic medicine is no magic bullet for curing cancer, but it may help some cancer patients better manage side effects. An ancient system of medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago, ayurveda (meaning science or knowledge of life) is a holistic way of diagnosing illness and bringing the body and mind back into balance to help restore health. Treatments and techniques can include special diets, medications, detoxification, herbal medicines, massage, meditation, Yoga, and breathing and relaxation techniques.

In the United States, ayurvedic medicine is considered complementary and alternative medicine, and is still in its infant stages, as far as research goes. A few small clinical trials have shown some effectiveness, but studies on overall ayurvedic medicine, according to the National Institutes of Health, have had problems with research design, lacked appropriate control groups, or had other issues affecting results. Therefore, more research needs to be done before we can be sure of any positive effects.

However, some studies on particular aspects of ayurveda have shown some promise. Laboratory studies on a traditional ayurvedic herbal formula called “amrit nector” showed that it protected normal cells from chemotherapy injury. (We don’t know yet if this would transfer to the human body.) Studies from India show a recently released ayurvedic medicine reduced side effects of chemotherapy and improved blood-platelet count among patients. Other studies on curcuma longa (curcumin), boswellia serrata, and camellia—three ayurvedic botanicals—also showed some positive results. Curcumin displayed powerful antioxidant activity, and the potential to protect against cancer-causing chemicals like cigarette smoke. Boswellia serrata showed the ability to fend off cancer, and to reduce inflammation, and camellia (found in green tea) helped protect cells from DNA mutation.

Massage, yoga, and meditation—also part of ayurveda—are now accepted therapies in helping cancer patients to relax, reduce stress, and increase circulation. However, other common ayurvedic remedies—such as some herbal and cleansing treatments—have had harmful effects. Using enemas, for instance, or forced vomiting, can do more harm than good, depending on the patient’s condition, and aren’t typically recommended. In addition, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, caution is necessary when purchasing ayurvedic herbs, as many (especially those imported from Southeast Asia) have been found to contain contaminants such as lead and mercury. A 2004 study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that of 70 ayurvedic remedies purchased over-the-counter, 14 contained lead, mercury, and/or arsenic at levels that could be harmful—underlying the importance of finding quality brands.

What to do? Check with your doctor first, then if you’d like to try ayurveda, find a well-trained practitioner who can help guide you to quality supplements and treatments that will best help your condition. For qualified practitioners in your area, go to the National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine (NIAM) and ask them for a list. There are no licenses offered in the U.S. to practice ayurveda, but there are several institutions with educational programs that issue certificates. Many practitioners educated and licensed in India come to practice in the U.S. as well.

Have you tried ayurvedic medicine for help during cancer treatments? What did you think?

Photo courtesy Biji Kurian via Flickr.com.

“In the world we live in,” says massage therapist and Cinco Vidas expert, Jean Lazar, “we’re so full of stress. To feel good has become the exception rather than the norm.”

A sobering observation, but if you take a moment to think about it, you realize it’s true. If you’re going through cancer treatment—or caring for someone who is—you may find “feeling good” to be an even rarer experience. Yet it’s during challenging times that feeling good becomes even more important. According to life coach Carol King, “If you want to change your circumstances, you must change your feelings. If you want to change your feelings, change the stimulus that you subject yourself to.”  In other words, if all you come in contact with day after day are doctors, hospitals, medications, treatments, traffic, news, work, and responsibility, how can you hope to sustain health and happiness in your life?

“Stress is the biggest killer,” says Lazar. “The body has the ability to heal itself, but stress hinders that ability. The body tightens up, traps toxins, and creates painful knots in your muscles. Massage loosens the muscles, releases toxins, and when you drink water, flushes those toxins out. In essence, it gives you back the strength you need to heal.” By increasing circulation, boosting the immune system, easing the breath, reducing pain, and shutting down stress and anxiety, massage strengthens your body’s ability to fight disease. But it’s not just about the end result.

“We’ve been hearing so much about living in the ‘now,’” says Lazar. “To be truly happy, we’re learning to savor the moment, to find joy in the present.” However, when battling cancer, we often resign ourselves to feeling miserable, hoping for some day in the future when the disease will be gone, the tumor healed, and our bodies returned to “normal.” This kind of thinking steals our lives away from us. None of us can predict the future—or change the past—but we can find happiness today. Lazar, with over 10 years experience, has seen massage create that kind of happiness time and time again.

“I worked with a man in his 60s who had been exposed to Agent Orange in the Vietnam war,” she says. “It caused cancer, and damaged the nerve endings in his feet. He could barely walk, and described the sensation as walking on needles and pointed rocks. I spent an hour with him, giving him a foot and leg massage. The next week when I arrived at his home, he was ecstatic. He told me he had gone from walking on needles to ‘walking on cotton,’ and the feeling had lasted for two days.” She could tell by the smile on his face that the ability to walk without pain had encouraged him, and changed his outlook on the future—certainly worth the investment in an hour of massage!

If you’re looking for a good therapist in your area, Lazar recommends finding those who are licensed and nationally certified by the American Massage Therapy Association at www.amtamassage.org. (Click on “find a massage therapist.”) “Ask them if they’re afraid of cancer. If they hum and haw and stumble around, say ‘thank you very much’ and hang up. It’s a great way to cut to the chase and find out if this person has the knowledge and experience you need.”

Check also, to be sure the therapist uses natural, toxin-free creams and oils. “Medications and cancer treatments are so hard on the skin. Massage with a good lubricant just brings it back to life. My clients are always amazed.”

If you haven’t tried massage, consider it, or anything else that will help you and your body to feel good. As author Michael Miles writes, “Feeling good is so important—in a sense, it’s the whole point of being alive. So don’t waste time on negativity. Take control!”

Have you experienced the benefits of massage? Please share your experiences.

Note: To learn more about Jean Lazar and her book, Their Last Painting, go to www.jeanlazar.com.

Photo courtesy of wolfeandrew61 via Flickr.com

Even better, studies have shown they help us cope with the side effects of cancer, while facilitating a deep restorative state where healing occurs.

“Physical contact has very dramatic effects upon psychological health,” says Dr. James Lynch, professor at Baltimore’s University of Maryland School of Medicine. “It lowers blood pressure. It relaxes you.”

Ferrel-Torry & Glick examined the effects of therapeutic massage with cancer pain. They found it reduced pain perception by an average of 60%, decreased anxiety by 24%, and enhanced relaxation by 58%.(1)  A University of Minnesota study looked at the benefits of massage therapy in breast cancer patients and found that those who received 45-minute massage sessions once a week for a month took eight fewer doses of medication than those who didn’t receive the sessions.

Vicky Weis, founder of Faye’s Light, a non-profit organization providing free spa services for cancer fighters and caregivers, understands firsthand. “There are so many benefits of touch—it can help relieve pain, get circulation going, and relax pinched muscles. After a few spa treatments you can just see patients open up. Fear and anxiety melt away.”

If you’re considering touch therapy, Weis suggests looking first to the people around you. Those that feel comfortable hugging or holding hands may be more than willing to give you a neck rub or hand massage with some nice-smelling natural lotion. (Be sure to avoid anything with chemicals that can hinder your body’s defenses.) Sharing touch can be healing for you both. “It’s a time to be together, to talk, and to bond,” Weis says. “It’s free, and it benefits both of you.”

If you’re looking for professional spa services complementary to cancer patients, check out Weis’ site to see if she may have a satellite service near you. Other centers that offer at least some complementary services are available in Los Gatos, CA, and Long Branch, NJ, among other locations. According to a recent survey, over 30% of hospitals also offer alternative medicine services for free. If you can’t find one near you, Weis strongly suggests looking for a holistic practitioner—someone experienced in treating cancer patients. “Make some phone calls and ask some questions. Do you use chemicals or synthetics? I have cancer—do you have products that are good for sensitive skin?”

Have you found any holistic spa centers in your area that focus on services for cancer patients? If so, let us know.

Note: If you’d like to make a donation to Faye’s light, please send to 1416 W. 175th St., East Hazel Crest, IL, 60429, or donate online at http://www.fayeslight.org/help.html.

(1) Ferrell-Torry AT, Glick OJ. The use of therapeutic massage as a nursing intervention to modify anxiety and the perception of cancer pain. Cancer Nurs. 1993 Apr;16(2):93-101.

Photo: Courtesy of Taylyns, Flickr.com