Yoga Teacher Training Forum

Hi Ashmin!

Thank you for this thread. To expand on your idea and to include alternative treatments:

About Holistic Treatments for Cancer

Holistic treatment is said to be a diverse field of alternative therapies or medicinal procedures that treat patient physically, emotionally and spiritually to attain optimum health and wellness. There is variety of holistic treatments or therapies practice nowadays to cure a person as a whole such as ayurveda, homeopathy, acupuncture, yoga, naturopathy, reflexology, chiropractic care and aromatherapy etc.

Along with conventional medicinal approach for curing the deadly disease cancer other holistic methods is incorporated and are used to cope up with symptoms and side effects during treatment. As these systems may not help directly in curing the disease but evidences have proved that integrating alternative approaches will play an effective role in lessened down generally experienced symptoms like vomiting, pain, fatigue, stress, sleeplessness and weakness.

Here are some commonly practiced holistic treatments which showed promising results when tried by cancer patients during their conventional medicinal procedure. It is reported that yoga and other holistic therapies are less invasive with more advantages and cure many lethal diseases.

• Yoga: The ancient practice of yoga is becoming widely popular throughout the world due to its extra ordinary beneficial results related with an individual's wellness as a whole in terms of mind, body and soul. It is also proved from several studies and researches that yoga exercises will be helpful in curing cancer and its side effects or other health problems occurred during surgery, chemotherapy and radiations process. Basically yoga is combination of techniques that include stretches, physical postures, paranayama, relaxation and meditation. Patients suffering from cancer are recommended to attend yoga sessions as an alternative medicinal treatment under the supervision of skilled instructor because it is safe, effectual and healthiest holistic method. Meditation and relaxation techniques are helpful in developing mental calmness and relaxing body muscles. The activities include visualization exercises or chanting of sacred verses to attain mental stillness and relaxation. These methods help cancer survivors to have better sleep, improve mental focus and play vital role in releasing fatigue.
• Ayurveda: Ayurveda is another holistic method of treatment for complete body of a person. This method naturally deals with curing diseases by using herbs and parts of plant along with following simple and healthy food intake. For cancer treatment there are numerous therapeutic procedures present in this system with naturally produced drugs from herb and plants. The Ayurvedic method for curing cancer is safe, natural and budget friendly.
• Acupuncture: A Chinese methodology of treating cancer by inserting needles in patient’s skin at specific points. Different studies have showed evidence that acupuncture is helpful in getting relief from nauseated feeling caused during chemotherapy also for relieving certain types of pain in patients.
• Aromatherapy: This treatment procedure include fragrant oils extracted from herbs or plants, these oils are sometimes inhaled or applied on skin for massage and sometimes added in water for taking bath. The oils can also be heated for spreading scents in air helpful in relieving stress, nausea and pain.
• Taichi: This is a safe form of physical activity that includes gentle movements with deep breathing. It helps patient to relieve stress and improve body balance and mobility.