By Henry Relfield

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 50 percent of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy. It is believed that radiation is most effective against cells that are actively dividing. If radiation successfully hits dividing cells, those cells will either die or sustain injuries that prevent them from dividing, or from dividing more than one time. Because retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, inhibits the repair of radiation damage in cancer cells, sufficient levels of retinoic acid can enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy. Similarly, flavonoids such as genistein, apigenin, and quercetin may enhance radiation-induced cell death by decreasing the repair of DNA with radiation damage.

Like chemotherapy, radiation also kills healthy cells. But in contrast to chemotherapy, which is typically sent throughout the body, radiation is usually focused on the specific area of the body where the cancer is or was (when using radiation to prevent local recurrence). Side effects of radiation include local effects such as fatigue and loss of appetite. As with chemotherapy, radiation can cause secondary cancers.

Some nutrients, specifically vitamins A, L-glutamine, and honey, have been shown to help offset the side effects of radiation therapy without interfering with the intended effects of radiation. A clinical trial of individuals with glioblastoma demonstrated that melatonin improves survival and quality of life in individuals undergoing radiation therapy. Topically, a cream with the herb Calendula officinalis (marigold) can help soothe the skin side effects of radiation and assist with healing. Vitamin E cream may also help in the same way. The herb astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) has been shown to increase white blood cells and their activity in patients undergoing radiation therapy. Because astragalus enhances white blood cell synthesis, it has recently been used to treat leucopenia (low white blood cell counts) due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Radiation to any area of the body that includes large bones (especially the pelvis and upper leg) will affect the bone marrow's ability to produce white blood cells. Thus, astragalus may help to prevent the immune deficiencies that can occur with radiation therapy.

As always, a healthy diet plays an important role and can help support the body before, during, and after radiation treatment. An interesting study featured in the Journal of Clinical Oncology demonstrated that dietary counseling significantly improved outcomes for colon cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. The researchers concluded that this nutrition intervention not only improved the patients' nutritional status, it also improved their quality of life and lessened morbidity.

By Jackie Roberge

Part 1 of a 4 part series

There are several key elements that need to be in place to maximize the chances of complete and lasting healing from cancer. The first is to have a strong, well-functioning immune system supported by a healthy body. We also need to be emotionally well balanced and have achieved a good level (knowing no one is perfect) of peace, harmony and fulfillment in our lives. This may sound like a tall order but over the next 4 articles I will be talking about how this is possible and, in fact, how a cancer diagnosis can actually help one achieve this result.

As you know, we all develop cancer cells over the course of our lives. The body, using its innate intelligence, is normally able to identify and destroy these cells without our even realizing it. It is part of the normal functioning of our immune system.

When a cancerous tumor is able to grow out of control, there are likely two things happening. First, your immune system has been weakened in some way so it is not able to naturally stop the rapid growth and spread of cancer cells. This can happen for many reasons including; long-term stress, fatigue, injury, infection, dietary deficiencies, electromagnetic radiation, extreme shock, sadness and/or feelings of hopelessness. The second factor at play is likely a toxic internal environment or body terrain. This can be caused by such factors as negative emotions, too much poor quality or processed food or by the presence of toxins. You can think of your body's internal environment as being like a bath that your cells are constantly immersed in. If the bath water turns toxic it creates an environment where cancer cells can thrive. Cancer cells like an anaerobic, acidic environment and they use the inflammation process in order to expand and penetrate neighboring cells*. If the environment is like this for long enough, cancer cells are able to thrive- meaning they rapidly reproduce and expand their territory and may eventually form a tumor.

Here is an outline of 4 key factors that contribute to fueling cancer cell growth as well as examples of the causes or underlying conditions that support the toxic bath water;

1. Low oxygen - cancer cells thrive in an anaerobic environment
a. Poor breathing - often caused by stress, worry or being rushed
b. Breathing polluted air (in cities) or stale air (as in some office buildings)
c. Lack of exercise - exercise helps increase the circulation of oxygen throughout the body and also helps toxins move through and get flushed out of the body
d. Lack of circulation - often caused by tension, tightness, the build up of stress hormones or the presence of scar tissue
e. Chemo and radiation therapy - both can lower the oxygen level of the blood

2. The presence of inflammation - cancer cells use the inflammation process to invade neighboring cells and sustain growth
a. Injuries - can lead to localized inflammation
b. Diet:
- An imbalance in the ratio of Omega 6's (that promote inflammation) and Omega 3's (that help reduce inflammation). Most people in the Western world consume too much Omega 6's (ex. meat, dairy products, vegetable oils).
- Consumption of hydrogenated fats (altered Omega 6 fats that become less digestible and increase inflammation even more than Omega 6's)
- High levels of sugar promote inflammation factors and are like cancer cell fertilizers.
c. Negative emotions such as anger and depression
d. Pollutants such as smoke, pesticides etc.

3. An acidic pH level - cancer cells thrive in a highly acidic environment

Diet
a. Too much processed / junk food
b. High intake of animal proteins
c. Not enough alkaline producing fresh fruits and vegetables
d. On-going stress and negative emotions

4. High levels of blood sugar - cancer cells love sugar and use it to grow!

Diet
a. High intake of processed sugars, especially sugars like high fructose corn syrup (sodas, iced tea, chocolate bars, cookies etc.)
b. Consumption of highly refined carbohydrates (white flour, white pasta)
c. Consumption of foods that are high on the glycemic index (food and drinks that cause a rapid spike in blood insulin levels)

Now let's look for a moment at the incredible intelligence of the body. It coordinates, synchronizes and harmonizes billions of bits of information every second. It manages over 10 trillion cells and does so with precision and speed that is greater than any super computer - that is how powerful it is. So you may be asking; 'why has this mass formed in my body if the body is so powerful and intelligent?'.

If we consider that the bath water is toxic for normal cells, but is ideal for the growth of cancer cells, then we can view the development of a tumor as a warning sign or a cry for help. If seen from this perspective, cancer is not an evil destructive force that enters the body and reeks havoc but rather it is, at least partially, a consequence of a toxic internal environment. The cancer can be seen as a message from your body, and your cells, that it is time to change the bath water.

If the internal environment is not changed, conventional medical treatments, like surgery and chemotherapy will likely not be enough to prevent a re-occurrence. The underlying conditions that may have contributed to the rapid growth of the cancer cells need to be addressed otherwise, the bath water may continue to be an ideal breeding ground for cancer cells.

The good news is that many of the factors that influence the growth of cancer cells are within our control. What I help people do is to identify the aspects of their lives that may be out of balance or the things that may be contributing to the creation of a toxic internal environment. I take a holistic approach, looking at diet, fitness regimen, emotional state and spiritual health in order to create inner harmony that will allow the body's natural resources to take over and change the bath water.

Part 2 of this series of articles will look at how we can make simple changes to starve the cancer cells; Part 3 addresses ways in which the immune system can be stimulated in order to help it function at its optimal level because without a strong and healthy immune system complete and lasting healing is not possible. Finally, in Part 4 I will discuss the emotional aspects which contribute to lasting healing.

The remaining three parts of this four-part article will be published weekly under the following headings:
Part 2: How To Stop Feeding Cancer Cells
Part 3: Fueling the Immune System for a More Rapid Cancer Recovery
Part 4: The Emotional Side of the Cancer Healing Equation

* For a thorough description of how inflammation feeds cancer cells growth please refer to Dr. Servan-Schreiber's book Anti-Cancer, A new way of life.

Jackie offers both individual and group coaching (via teleseminars). To find out more about upcoming Cancer SHIFT Coaching courses please visit: http://www.cancershift.com.

By Alina Kapur

Chemotherapy and radiation are the two types of treatment for cancer. These two methods are very effective in treating cancer and also very helpful for the patients by providing them relief from the pain.

A combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been utilized as a treatment of cancer. This treatment is known as chemo radiotherapy or chemo radiation.

This treatment is used to destroy all the cancerous cells. There are many different types of treatments for cancer. These treatments include radiation, surgery and chemotherapy. The type of treatment selected depends on various factors.

These factors include overall health of the individual and type of cancer. The main difference between chemotherapy and radiation is that chemotherapy can be used for treating any type of cancer whereas radiation cannot be used for treating all kinds of cancer.

Chemotherapy:

Cancer Chemotherapy is a treatment given by administering chemotherapy drugs to the patients. This treatment is given based on the various factors such as size and type of cancer and its location.

There are two methods for administering cancer chemotherapy: by mouth or vein. The side effects of chemotherapy include hair fall, mouth sores, diarrhea vomiting and nausea. These side effects are temporary and would diminish after recovery process. Besides these side effects, there is a disadvantage of using chemotherapy. It causes damage to the healthy cells along with the cancerous cells.

Radiation therapy:

In the radiation therapy, radioactive material is inserted for some specific time in the body which destroys the cancerous cells. This method of inserting is known as implanting. There are certain side effects of radiation therapy. They are difficulty in swallowing, skin irritation, throat pain redness of skin and also cause discomfort and pain during the process of implantation.

Diet for the patients undergoing combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatment:

It is necessary to take nutritious diet to maintain the immune system of the patients undergoing this treatment. It will also help the patients to tolerate the treatment. Select a balanced diet which includes vegetables, fish and poultry in adequate quantities.

You can also opt for low fat dairy products and whole grains in food. Apart from taking right quantity of food, it is necessary to drink plenty of water. You should avoid taking food stuff which contains preservatives especially processed foods.

Therefore, the details mentioned above will inform you about the combination of chemotherapy and radiation used for treating cancer, its side effects and diet to be taken while undergoing this treatment.

By Robyn Hanisch

So, you have been to the doctor and got the dreaded diagnosis - the Big C! The world as you know it just ended and a new chapter has started, but how do you deal with it?

At the doctors office we are only given three choices, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy (chemo). What if that does not suit and you feel deep down that it is not the way for you to go. Some feel comfortable going along with these conventional methods and some need to find something else. All of us are different and what suits one does not necessarily suit another. Most doctors know nothing about natural healing for cancer and have little patience for people who want to do it that way, so basically we are on our own and have to educate ourselves by researching the options available to us. We need to feel comfortable so that we can choose our preferred treatment without threats or criticism.

We'll look at conventional medical treatments first.

The first rule of orthodox medicine is to surgically remove the parts of the body with the most cancer. They do this even if the cancer has spread further and is beyond their ability to remove it all. The body's immune system then goes to work to repair the damage done by the surgery leaving the remaining cancer cells under less attack and free to keep dividing and proliferating.

Radiation therapy is the use of high energy, penetrating radiation, and the purpose of this treatment is to eliminate or shrink localized cancers. This treatment comes with significant side effects, which, depending on the location of the cancer can be diarrhea, incontinence, bone, skin and tissue damage, loss of taste, memory loss, nausea, sleep disruption and visual changes to name a few. Long term side effects include the recurrence of cancer 10-20 years later.

Chemotherapy is an intravenously administered poison that kills all rapidly dividing cells whether they are healthy or cancerous. Worst hit by the chemo is your precious immune system. Either you, or someone you know (or knew), has experienced the side effects of chemotherapy - nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, weakness, fatigue, dizzy spells, loss of appetite, loss of hair and oftentimes a sense of deep depression. In many cases the body cannot recuperate quickly enough to adequately protect from common illnesses. Statistics show that up to 67% of people who die during cancer treatment do so because of infections arising as a direct result of reduction of white blood cells, an integral part of the immune system. The immune system failed because of, and as a result of the aggressive and toxic nature of the drugs. Furthermore, chemotherapy is so toxic that if a person used enough chemotherapy to kill all of their cancer cells, the patient would die long before all of their cancer cells died.

A healthy body will always work to heal itself. It is intricately designed to heal itself and when we co-operate with that healing capacity, we will be amazed at what can happen. This is why alternative therapies work so well as all these therapies provide the body with the ingredients it needs to overcome all disease including stage 1V cancer, by strengthening the immune system.

Alternative healing treatments always involve a 'cancer diet'. This includes all cancer fighting foods and no foods which have no cancer fighting properties. Depending on the cancer protocol chosen by the patient or the patient's therapist each cancer diet can be quite different. What I mean is, that while certain foods can be eaten with a certain protocol, those same foods may be prohibited if eaten with a different protocol. It is imperative that once a certain alternative protocol is chosen that it is strictly adhered to.

There are many, many natural alternative healing treatment protocols available to us. They are gentle, non toxic and without damaging or long term side effects. A fact is that if a natural healing treatment restores the balance if the body, the cancer will be gone and the body is left equipped to fight any disease on its own successfully.

Sure it takes a lot of discipline and effort to embark on an alternative healing protocol but whatever it takes, it seems to me, that no price is too high to pay for health and wellness.

By Anabel BL Fisher

Radiation side effects are often the result of what we call radiation therapy or simply radiotherapy. It is the use of ionizing radiation to treat cancer or control the spread of cancer cells. Combined with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormone therapy, radiotherapy becomes more effective. In some way, most common cancer types can be treated with radiotherapy.

The therapy works by damaging the cancerous cells' DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid caused by photon. Due to cell mechanism of repairing damaged DNA with a single-strand, then double-stranded breaks are being undertaken to cause the death of cells. This technique, long time since, has been proven.

The treatment or therapy is painless and some results to minimal or no radiation side effects. However, this refers to low doses only. Inducing high doses may produce side effects depending on the patient's response. While some are predictable and others are expected negative effects, these are always limited to the patient's body area which is undergoing the treatment.

In the modern times, the main goal is to only experience very little such effects. Some reported bad effects include skin irritation and fatigue. For the skin irritation, it might look like a mild sun burn. On the other hand, the fatigue is usually felt in the middle of the treatment which can last for weeks or until the treatment end.

The above mentioned are just mild. There are acute side effects of radiation which can damage the human body. Severe skin breakdown may happen. Also, ulceration in the mouth and throat maybe felt by the patient and this can affect swallowing and eating.

Infertility is another one. Remember that the ovaries and testicles are parts of the reproductive system that is very sensitive to radiation.

Unlike other therapy treatment that gradually lessens until totally removed and healed after the treatment sessions, radiation therapy has late sub effects. Though limited to the area that has been treated, these effects occur because of the damaged blood vessels and other connective tissues. Loss of hair occur, dryness is felt, heart disease risk, and other cumulative sub effects.

Let us take prostate cancer for instance. New technologies emerge and this means that it can be dealt with more effectively and efficiently than in the previous times. More men are developing the illness and are experiencing the problems. However, with the treatment comes some unwanted effects and it can be daunting to patients who has to undergo the therapy because it brings more problems than expected.

Impotence is one of the most frustrating effects. The sexual drive might still be there but there will be difficulty in erection or the person might not be able to maintain it. Incontinence is another embarrassing bad effect. The extent of damage could vary on the incontinence problems.

Radiation side effects should always be given proper consideration and immediate action before any undertaking is done. It is because we can never bring back all the loss once the therapy has started to damage areas of the body as well as its functions and performance.