Breast Cancer Naturopathic Medicine
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Naturopathic Medicine for Breast Cancer
Throughout your breast cancer treatment, you may experience a range of symptoms that impact your quality of life. The Naturopathic Medicine Department at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) will help strengthen your immune system, boost your energy level, and reduce treatment-related side effects so you feel better as you heal.
Naturopathic medicine focuses on the use of non-invasive, non-toxic therapies (e.g., vitamins, minerals, herbal medicines) to strengthen the body’s ability to heal itself. The goal is to use the healing power of nature to maintain and restore health.
As you undergo breast cancer treatments, your breast cancer naturopathic medicine team may recommend the following therapies:
- Nutritional supplements and botanical medicine
- Acupuncture
- Homeopathic medicine
- Hydrotherapy
- Physical medicine
When you arrive at CTCA, you will meet with a naturopathic clinician, who is part of your overall care team. Your naturopathic clinician will provide an assessment and work with you to develop a personalized naturopathic plan that complements your conventional breast cancer treatments.
Throughout your treatment, your naturopathic clinician will collaborate with your oncologists and other care team members to monitor your supplement and vitamin intake to ensure safety from potential drug- herb and drug-nutrient interactions.
Naturopathic Therapies During Breast Cancer Treatment
Breast cancer and its treatments may cause symptoms, such as nausea, weight changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue and pain. Your naturopathic clinician will make naturopathic recommendations to identify and remove these obstacles to your recovery.
For example, in many types of breast cancer, the hormone estrogen causes breast tumors to grow. Your naturopathic clinician may recommend certain naturopathic therapies that decrease the amount of estrogen in the body by increasing the metabolism and clearance of this hormone.
The following are additional ways naturopathic medicine can help combat side effects of breast cancer treatments:
- Some hormone therapies for breast cancer can weaken the bones. Your naturopathic clinician may recommend vitamin D to protect the bones.
- Chemotherapy for breast cancer may cause numbness or tingling in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy). Your naturopathic clinician can offer natural therapies to help treat this condition.
- To help you fight nausea and vomiting, your breast cancer naturopathic medicine team may suggest ginger, peppermint oil, tea, sea bands, acupuncture and homeopathic remedies.
- Some naturopathic remedies, such as green tea and melatonin, may help to decrease the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
- Certain vitamins may help to reduce breast density levels, which, in turn, may help to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Next Topic: Pain Management for Breast Cancer
