Holistic Treatments for Testicular Cancer

Cancer affecting the male reproductive system, particularly the sperm and testosterone secreting testes is eminently curable. Unlike many other forms of cancer that ravage the human body, testicular cancer can be eradicated by easily removing its source (the testes) through an inguinal orchiectomy. Surgery usually paves the way for chemo and radiation therapies that effectively eradicate the remnants of cancerous cells.

Unfortunately for the cancer patient, the whole system of surgery, chemotherapy and irradiation with powerful tumor-destroying gamma rays exact a heavy toll on healthy tissues. These dangerous therapies produce a sea of side effects that keep the patient tethered to an unending cycle of drugs and medication for which there is no escape till eventual death.

What Distinguishes Holistic Approach to Disease From Conventional Strategies

Increasingly, cancer patients are finding themselves rooting for holistic treatments and unorthodox cancer-fighting methodologies that promise to alleviate the symptoms without compromising the quality of their life. The word 'holistic' essentially implies that the patient is treated by taking an overall view of their condition – physical, mental and spiritual. This kind of mind-body-soul connection is what makes holistic medicine stand apart from other therapies that focus merely on the symptoms of a disease without addressing its root cause.   

More Patients Are Now Ready to Bridge the Divide Between Conventional and Holistic Remedies

Holistic cures for testicular cancer involve a fairly broad spectrum of therapies many of which are still being clinically evaluated and scientifically analyzed. The undeniable fact is that nearly 40 percent of cancer patients in the US have, at one time or the other, explored, tried and tested complementary therapies and holistic treatments.

The scientific community may have a hot debate about the pros and cons of holistic cures but there are at least three outstanding benefits that are shared by many such therapies.

What Testicular Cancer Patients Gain From Holistic Therapies

I.            Focus Shifts From the Quantity to the Quality of One’s Nutritional Intake

In any holistic therapy, the number one priority is to blacklist the foods that feed tumorous cells and help them grow. We need to comprehensively survey the foods that have become an essential part of our diet over the years and weed out foodstuffs that do more harm than good.

•        Switching From the Four Whites to Healthier Alternatives

Refined flour, white sugar, table salt and white (polished) rice need to be either strictly curtailed or completely eliminated. Their easy access and quick assimilation by the body provides an endless source of energy for cancer cells to multiply and grow. Substituting the infamous four with healthier alternatives is the answer.

Whole wheat flour (unlike refined flour) has added fiber necessary for smoother digestion and retains all beneficial parts of the wheat kernel. Sugar can be substituted with healthier stevia, molasses, honey and coconut palm sugar. Table salt can be substituted with liquid aminos, nutritional yeasts and the granulated version of the sea algae kelp. Seasoning foods with herbs and oriental spices add flavor without encouraging salt cravings. Compared to polished rice which is low in nutritional value and fiber, brown rice has more fiber and helps in controlling blood sugar and cholesterol.

•        Minimizing Meat, Milk and Dairy Products

The next line of defense is to avoid or minimize meat, milk and dairy products that tend to encourage mucus secretions and generate hyperacidity within the digestive tract creating a welcoming environment for cancer and infectious microbes. The same holds true for beverages, especially those that are heavily carbonated like the colas and more addictive ones such as coffee.

•        Promoting Veggies and Fruits That Fight Cancer Aggressively

Sea-sourced vegetables such as kelp and vegetables of the cruciferous type like cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower are known to fight cancer aggressively. Tough skinned and dark tinted fruits like pomegranate, berries, grapes and papaya are rich sources of bioflavonoids which are powerful antioxidants. They also offer a host of nutrients which go a long way in restoring diseased cells back to health and growing new tissues. A moderate diet of beans and legumes ensure that your daily requirement of fiber is fulfilled.

•        Leveraging the Antiseptic, Anti-inflammatory and Anti-cancer Properties of Common Spices

A diet rich in ginger, garlic, turmeric and pepper ensures a steady supply of anti-inflammatory ingredients that are useful in staving off infections and diseases. They also protect the liver from the corrosive action of chemicals used in chemotherapy. Consuming only the organic produce adds multiple tiers to your food security and protects you from contaminants and cancer encouraging allergens.

•        Reducing Your Meat Cravings

If meat is not entirely dispensable, ensure that you confine your intake to free-roaming pasture-fed cattle and poultry grown on organic feed. Fish from wilder waters are more nutritious and less likely to be contaminated with metallic residues.

•        Increasing Your Consumption of Raw Foods

The cancer patient would be well advised to consume a diet that is at least 75 percent raw. This benefits the individual by raising the levels of alkalinity within the gastrointestinal tract. An alkaline environment encourages better utilization of enzymes which help in metabolizing food faster and boosting the assimilation of nutrients.

II.     Encouraging Cell Rejuvenation and Boosting Healing Energies Through Detoxification

A healthy body continues to eliminate metabolic waste products and prevent toxic chemicals from accumulating within the tissues. But the exact opposite happens in a body ravaged by disease. The following techniques are immensely helpful in detoxifying the body.

• The gentle stretching of internal organs through yogic postures (asanas) help in reducing acid accumulation within tissues.
• Sustained exercises and trampoline rebounding help drain lymphatic fluid, flush metabolic waste and boost the production of white blood cells.
• Sessions in the sauna encourage sweat glands to suck out and expel toxins from the circulatory system.
• Vegetables and raw fruit juices alkalize and cleanse body organs more effectively.
• Increased consumption of green tea and herbal teas stimulate the immune system and aid in detoxification.  

 

III.    The Efficacy and Power of Positive Thoughts and the Attitude of Gratitude

It is a proven fact that nothing strengthens the immune system like a good dose of positive thinking and a strong self-belief that one can survive any situation when it comes to cancer therapy. A constructive approach towards therapy and willingness to explore new frontiers in oriental medicine promotes healing and well being.

Possessing an attitude of gratitude also helps shift the focus away from failed expectations and self-pity to more constructive thoughts that enhance one’s self-esteem. Such mentally strengthened and empowered individuals experience lower stress and are much better prepared to face and overcome the challenges posed by grueling cancer treatment regimes.

IV.    The Spiritual Cleansing That Purifies From Within

The baggage of unresolved issues, unforgiving thoughts and the emotionally volatile cocktail of hate, resentment and anger do as much damage as chemotherapy and radiation. Yoga, prayer and meditation cleanses the mind and reaffirms one’s convictions apart from creating more space within the subconscious to boost the body’s capacity for self-healing and rejuvenation.  

These three prominent strategies that underline the holistic approach to healing cancer will realign your thinking, redefine your lifestyle and readjust your attitudes. Once the physical body, mind and the soul are perfectly integrated with fewer imbalances, multiple benefits are reaped on the road to complete recovery from testicular cancer.