Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in the body. These cells are termed as cancer or malignant or tumor cells. These cells infiltrate the normal body cells and tissues, show uncontrolled division and growth and as a result a mass of cells develop. Cancerous cells then break away from the original mass of cells, travel through the blood and lymph systems and get accumulated in other organs of the body where they again repeat the uncontrolled growth cycle. This process of leaving an area and growing in another area of the body is termed as metastasis.
TYPES OF CANCER
THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF CANCER:
- Bladder cancer
- Lung cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Uterine cancer
- Oral cancer
- Oropharyngeal cancer
CAUSES OF CANCER
While normal cell growth follows an orderly path of growth, division and death, cancerous cells o not face death but continue to grow and divide.
SOME OF THE CAUSES FOR CANCER ARE:
- Damages or mutations in the DNA
- Genetic predisposition
- Excessive exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco, asbestos, arsenic, radiation, ultraviolet radiations and car exhaust fumes
- Cigarette smoking
- Tobacco smoking
- Alcohol use and obesity
- Lack of physical activity
- Exposure to radiation from X-rays, cellular phones and cell phone towers
SYMPTOMS
- Fever
- Tiredness in the body
- Pain in different regions of the body
- Unusual bleeding or discharge
- Coughing
- Indigestion problems
- Unexplained weight loss
- Skin changes
- White patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue
- Sores
- Lump in the breast or other parts of the body
- Recent change in a wart or mole or any new skin change
Ayurveda and Cancer:
Ayurveda describes this disease as different entities. Various chapters in Ayurvedic texts describe similar conditions such as cancer. Proper diet and daily rituals along with a pleasant mind can prevent most of the diseases. In most of the Ayurvedic texts cancer is mainly described in contexts like Arbuda, Grandhi, Apachi etc. Daily rituals like getting up in Brahma Muhoortham (approximately 4.00 am) and performing daily exercises etc is good for maintaining a good health by which healthy cells will be produced in your body.
In Ayurveda we give selected medicines according to the side effects manifested in each patients. We also give medicines like Arushkaram, Aswagandha, Chyavanaprasam etc as immune boosters.The diet also plays a major role. Non spicy, non oilly and vegetarian diet is preferred.
Panchkarma is the process that cleans vata, pitta and kapha of the patient’s body. It involves snehan (massage), swedan (steam bath) and sirodhara (pouring avurvedic medicines on the forehead of patients).
Mostly ayurvedic treatment for breast cancer is given as an additional therapy with conventional treatment, as it reduces the side effects and increases the pace of recovery.
The medicines that effectively reduce side-effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy include Shankh-Vati, Laghu-Sutshekhar-Ras, Vishwa (Zinziber officinale), Ashwagandha, Shatavari and Kamadudha-Ras.Ayurvedic medicines that act on the 'Mansa' dhatus (tissues),'Rasa’, and 'Rakta' are effective for breast cancer treatment. Some of these medicines include Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Indrayav (Holharrhina antidysentrica), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Musta (Cyperus rotundus), (Glycerrhiza glabra), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), and Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba) Nimba (Azadirachta indica), Patha ( Cissampelos pareira), Triphala and Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and Yashtimadhuk. Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), (Glycerrhiza glabra), and Bhringraj (Eclipta alba) are effective for immune dysfunction.