Holistic medicine may conjure images of yoga pant-clad women drinking herbal tea while sitting in the lotus position. You may not be thinking of a practical approach to treating prostate cancer. However more and more people are turning to holistic medicine as an alternative treatment that goes hand in hand with traditional medicine.
Definition
The idea behind holistic medicine is that the body is a complete system that works together. Since one part of the body affects every part of the body, a malady in one part of the body may be a symptom of an underlying issue in other areas. Therefore, when a holistic practitioner looks to treat a specific ailment, he may look at the patient's lifestyle to restore balance to the whole body and correct the problem.
Care
In healthy patients, the purpose of holistic medicine is preventative care. Since prostate cancer has several genetic markers, making lifestyle changes such as improving your diet, taking vitamins, exercising and smoking cessation may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. When a patient has developed prostate cancer, holistic medicine advocates emphasize that the best treatment is one that combines traditional medicine with holistic approaches for overall well-being.
Complementary Care
Traditional care options for prostate cancer may involve radiation or chemotherapy. As holistic medicine grows in popularity, it is becoming more accepted by the medical community when used in combination with traditional treatments. Patients combining traditional treatment with holistic approaches may see a boost in the effectiveness of these therapies or a shortening of the symptoms. Herbal supplements such as saw palmetto have been shown to ease urinary symptoms including frequent urination and weak urine flow. Other supplements that show promise in this area include pumpkin, rye grass and stinging nettle.
Warning
A number of supplements on the market have made claims that they can cure or prevent cancer. However, these claims have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The Mayo Clinic cautions that patients taking holistic medicine should be wary of unregulated supplements. Some of these supplements have shown to be beneficial in smaller quantities, but the lack of testing and regulation could prove dangerous to some patients. In some cases, these supplements may have other side effects or interact negatively with other drugs that prostate cancer patients may be taking. Some of these supplements include creosote bush, shark cartilage, beef trachea and pomegranate juice.
Health Fraud
Detractors of alternative medicine are often skeptical of holistic medical treatments that have not been evaluated by the FDA. According to Quackwatch, a website that offers a guide to fraudulent supplements and practices, promoters of fraudulent supplements will try to add mystique to their supplements and exaggerate their results by claiming that they work holistically.
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