Alternative therapy

There is a plethora of alternative treatments people are trying. MYB takes a look at some of them, but please consult your physician before you embark on any activity or treatment.

>>REIKI: This is based on the belief that when a patient's spirit is healed with energy channelled through a practitioner, it in turn heals the physical body.

>>MUSIC THERAPY: It can play many roles in treating cancer. For example, it helps distract and relax the patient and improve his or her spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.

>>HYPNOSIS: A qualified hypnotist can help put the patient in a deeply relaxed state that can help reduce discomfort and anxiety.

>>MEDITATION AND PRAYER: Meditation is a relaxation technique that allows you to focus your energy. This, say proponents, helps to relax the mind and body. For patients who believe in a higher spiritual power, prayer can provide strength, comfort and inspiration throughout the cancer experience.

>>VISUALISATION: A patient is asked to think of an inner picture that represents the fight against cancer. Some people undergoing chemotherapy use images of rockets blasting away their cancer cells or of knights in armour battling these cells.

>>EXERCISE: Activity can lessen pain and strengthen weak muscles. Advocates say it restores balance and decreases depression and fatigue.

>>TAIJI: This is an ancient Chinese martial art based on Taoism. The exercises and poses are designed to balance flows of energy. The American Cancer Society reports that taiji may be used to relieve the tension, stress, muscle wasting and fatigue associated with cancer.

- National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society

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Cancer-fighting foods

Research activity is buzzing in the area of nutrition. Several studies show that specific nutrients prevent the growth of cancer.

One example is a substance called Indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. It has been found to stop the growth of prostate and breast cancers.

Another is the Coriolus versicolor mushroom. Several studies document the immune boosting effects of this mushroom.

In Japan, this mushroom is currently used as a cancer treatment, in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation for certain cancers. This combination has been found to improve survival rates.

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By Betty L. Khoo-Kingsley

Cost: $21.34 (with GST)

When journalist Khoo-Kingsley moved to Darwin, Australia in the mid-1990s, she met a fellow farmer who claimed to have beaten cancer by eating only organic produce.

Since then, she has devoted herself to promoting a vegetarian, chemical-free diet, not only through farming but also through her writing.

In this book, she interviews some cancer survivors who swear by their herbal diets.