Pancreatic Cancer and Natural Medicine
You may have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer or you may have a family member or friend with the condition. It is important to understand treatment options and the disease itself. You might be wondering, what can I do to better my outcome? You may be looking for pancreatic cancer natural treatments.
Pancreatic cancer is not one of the most common forms of cancer, however it can be considered one of the most deadly because it is aggressive, spreads rapidly and thus often not diagnosed until it is in later stages. For this reason, adjunctive treatment at the Cura clinic is aggressive and intensive.
The pancreas is an organ in the upper abdomen located just after the stomach and near the liver. The pancreas is composed of glands that are responsible for a wide variety of tasks.
The gland has two main functions-
1) secrete enzymes into ducts that eventually empty into the duodenum. These enzymes then help in the digestion of food as it moves through the intestines.
2) secrete hormones, including insulin, into the bloodstream. Insulin is carried by the blood throughout the rest of the body to assist in the process of using sugar as an energy source. Insulin also controls the levels of sugar in the blood
The most common type of pancreatic cancer arises from the exocrine glands which are involved with enzyme production. This form of pancreatic cancer is called adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The endocrine glands of the pancreas can give rise to a completely different type of cancer, referred to as pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma or islet cell tumor.
Symptoms of Pancreatic Cancer
Unfortunately there are limited symptoms associated with this condition. Bowel habit changes and alterations in stool consistency could be an loosely associated symptom.
Pancreatitis Treatment
If you have been recently diagnosed with cancer you may be considering complementary medicine, herbs or supplements which may help with treatment. You may also be uncertain why a particular remedy is used and how much you should take. You might receive mixed messages from family, friends or medical professionals and it can be quite overwhelming.
It’s important to get professional advice and be careful with advice you may find on the internet!
Contact the Cura clinic to speak with a naturopath or to make a booking.
The Whipple Procedure
The Whipple procedure, also known as the pancreatoduodenectomy, is the most common procedure for surgically treating pancreatic cancer. This surgical procedure involves removing the malignant part of the pancreas and rerouting the stomach and the bile ducts from the liver to the small intestine. Recovery time for this procedure is several weeks, and there can be multiple complications. Because of the risks often patients elect not to have the surgery. The choice is completely up to the patient.
Contact the Cura clinic to talk with a naturopath or to make a booking
Pancreatic Cancer Natural Treatments Option
The symptoms expressed by an individual in a state of disease are produced by the body in an attempt to heal. The naturopath’s first task is to identify any factors in the patient’s diet, lifestyle or environment that may be contributing to the problem and to assist in removing them. If any therapy is given, it should aid what the body is trying to do to assist the body to balance again into a state of health. The naturopathic approach aims where possible not just to remove the symptoms but also to remove the reason for the symptoms.
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine is the oldest and still the most widely used system of medicine in the world today. It is an effective and natural way in assisting the body’s own healing capacity and promoting optimal health and wellbeing.
Tumeric, for example, is one such herb which has an increasing amount of literature to support the use of the herbal medicine in cancer. Ribraxx (Biobran) also has supportive evidence in multiple cancers, including pancreatic tumors.
Herbal medicine has a long and successful history. It is how people of all cultures and even animals have been treating illness and maintaining health for thousands of years. The Egyptians from 3000BC kept lists of medicinal plants used to treat illness and from here the Greeks, such as Dioscorides and Galen, wrote books detailing the use of herbal medicine in early AD. Read more about herbal medicine for cancer.
Natural Therapy Treatment
The word “naturopathy” is a broad term used to describe a natural medicine physician trained in the areas of western herbal medicine and natural therapies. The practice of naturopathy is also known as alternative medicine, integrative medicine or natural therapies in Australia. Naturopathy includes a multimodality approach, incorporating nutrition (which includes diet and lifestyle modification and vitamin and mineral therapy), herbal medicine, homeopathy and iridology. Iridology is often used as a diagnostic aid to compliment the other tools. Physical therapies may also be employed, including therapeutic massage and remedial massage. A naturopath should be eclectic, using a mixture of these therapies, or specialise in one or more. The key is to tailor the consultation and treatment to the individual patient.
Consultations are available Australia wide in cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane via skype or telephone. Please contact the clinic to speak with a practitioner or to make a booking.