Healing Cancer Naturally: Guide to Holistic Mind-Body Therapies
- Maria Pickworth
- Mar 31, 2023
- 11 min read
Updated: Apr 1, 2023
Therapies dismissed as alternative or complementary today are centuries-old practices that use the healing power of nature to treat the whole person. When confronted with cancer, overall well-being needs to be supported – not weakened – by strong emotional health and psychological immunity. This is an overview of 14 healing therapies which could help you to replace psychological patterns that hinder the healing process with thoughts and behaviours that contribute to it.
Cancer is multidimensional disease in the sense that it can have physical, emotional, mental and spiritual roots. Patients don’t always know what exactly caused their cancer, but what allows cancer cells to proliferate and what strengthens the body's ability to heal itself is well known.
For example, we know that for the immune system to work, the nervous system needs to switch over from the fight-or-flight mode to the rest-and-repair mode because the body can’t spend energy on defending and healing itself at the same time. This means that while the mind is under the influence of stress, anxiety, depression, negative emotions, psychological traumas, limiting beliefs or feelings associated with the cancer personality, the body is not healing.
However, to reverse a chronic illness, perhaps “incurable” or genetic, despite everything we were told, simply reducing the negative impact of these patterns is not enough. We need to have a generous amount of vital life force circulating throughout our body (physical energy), good coping skills and ability to regulate emotions (emotional energy), a strong will to live (spiritual energy), and firm beliefs which might be in conflict with those of our family, friends, doctors, scientists or anyone else (mental energy).
Complementary and alternative medicines (or CAM, to which I will refer to as “healing therapies” because I find both terms “complementary” and “alternative” derogatory) recognise that overall health depends on the quality of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our being and can help you to balance them if you are struggling, without however doing all the work for you.
Whereas all healing therapies may have something to offer to cancer patients, and despite the undeniable benefits of many effective modalities such as chiropractic or craniosacral therapy, this article focuses on healing therapies which support the immune function by restoring emotional well-being.
What to expect
Healing therapies enhance the mind-body connection, facilitate emotional expression, remove energy blockages, balance and decongest chakras, detoxify the body, improve the flow of lymph, manage pain and improve sleep.
Any natural approach is based on the premise that the body has innate ability to heal itself and is already equipped with all the defences it needs to fight a disease. The role of a healing therapy is merely to boost this self-healing ability by removing physical, energetic, emotional or karmic blockages that stand in the way of engaging those defences.
For a healing therapy to be successful, the patient needs to be fully engaged in the healing process. In this, healing therapies are more demanding of the patient than conventional medicine. If all conventional medicine asks is to hand over responsibility for your health to a medical professional who will order all the necessary procedures and prescribe drugs or surgery, healing therapies require self-reliance, commitment, and independence of thought. This is because they view the patient as a conscious individual responsible for their own health rather than an innocent victim of circumstances (environment, heredity, etc.).
If you are not prepared to take control of your health, explore what makes you better and what makes you worse, say no to as many lifestyle habits as necessary, but prefer to “leave it to the professionals” who you trust to be more knowledgeable about your body and mind than you, then healing therapies might not be for you.
As healing therapies treat the whole person and seek to restore the biological balance (homeostasis) as well as emotional equilibrium, instead of focusing on a localised issue, organ or physiological system in isolation, healing outcomes cannot always be expected to fall within the affected area or specific range of symptoms but might include the unexpected (but nevertheless beneficial) shifts in health and changes in mental outlook.[i]
Some healing sessions may cause a healing crisis, which is a natural eliminative stage of healing. When toxins and waste products which have lain dormant in the body are suddenly released in the bloodstream, this can temporarily worsen the symptoms before they start improving. Having a healing crisis doesn’t necessarily mean that your health problems have been resolved and you don’t need to work on them anymore, but it is part of a cleansing process and a step towards better health.
What not to expect
Consulting an alternative practitioner is part of the explorative and investigative stage of the healing journey where you might learn something new about your body, mind or spirit, about what might have contributed to your illness, or what makes your symptoms better or worse, all of which is invaluable information that you need to know in order to heal. However, it is entirely different from what happens in a medical doctor’s office and therefore it’s important to set expectations on exploring different hypotheses rather than solving everything in one go. For example, a healing session may reveal that you need to work on changing diet, enhancing the immune system, calming the nervous system, or restoring energy balance, whereas you might have had in mind something different when you booked your healing session.
Unlike conventional cures, healing therapies are not a quick fix. They work in a subtle manner while respecting the whole, so it can take weeks or months to see a visible change.
Healing therapies are unlikely to be successful without the active participation of the patient (“just do it to me” attitude wouldn’t fit this subtle approach).
For centuries, practitioners have targeted the root cause of illness using symptoms to orient themselves. Managing symptoms such as unbearable pain or high intracranial pressure is of course very important, but unless the cause is addressed, symptoms will keep coming back. Seeking the root cause means that other issues might need to be addressed first.
Turning to healing therapies with the expectation firmly set on shrinking a tumour or removing it in its entirety is perhaps the best recipe for disappointment. A tumour is the result of several blockages or imbalances which have accumulated in different parts of body and psyche, probably over a considerable period of time. Healing therapies will address the causes of the tumour before they deal with their by-product because they don’t assume that fixing the part will fix the whole: the whole can only be fixed by treating the whole.[ii]
Below is a non-exhaustive list of some healing therapies which can be considered if you want to improve your emotional and mental well-being to help your body to fight a chronic illness like cancer.
Acupuncture
One of the 6 modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine which has been practised for about 3,000 years, acupuncture is based on the concept of meridians or passageways through which energy (qi) flows throughout the body.[iii] Because qi is life force, any disruption in the energy flow caused by blockages in the meridians can create an imbalance and, if not cleared, result in an illness. Acupuncture points where needles are inserted are the locations where the meridians rise close to the surface of the body. The aim is to stimulate the acupuncture points so that qi can flow freely, and healing can occur.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a holistic treatment that uses numerous properties of essential oils - highly concentrated essences extracted from plants, flowers, trees, seeds and grasses. Essential oils can be absorbed by the body either by inhalation or when applied directly to the skin. Plant essences have been used for several thousands of years to treat a wide variety of physical and emotional ailments thanks to their ability to quickly penetrate layers of the skin and reach the bloodstream and the lymphatic system. Absorption can be increased by massage as it stimulates the acupressure points, the blood, and the lymphatic circulation.[iv]
Aromatherapy can be used by cancer patients to help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, treat insomnia, relax the nervous system and improve circulation.
Arts and Creative Therapies
Creative arts include drawing, painting, colouring, sculpting, crafting, dance, music, poetry/writing, photography, graphic design and drama. Engaging in an artistic activity supports emotional health by helping express thoughts more freely, release emotion and tension, gain self-awareness, calm the nervous system, decrease stress, find fresh perspectives, improve concentration, and encourage self-reflection and mindfulness. Art is not only a technique to heal but also an emotion-based coping skill as it offers distraction from a problem you can't control. As the goal is self-expression, artistic talent is not required to practise any of these therapies.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda, which in Sanskrit means “the science of life”, is yoga's sister science and a medical system which has been the traditional healing system of India for more than 5,000 years.[v]
An Ayurvedic assessment determines which of the three doshas (constitution types) you have, what are your toxicity levels, and how your dietary or lifestyle habits might have contributed to any imbalances. “One man's medicine is another man's poison” is especially true when it comes to choosing Ayurvedic treatments, which include diet, herbs, yoga and massage.
For a cancer patient, an Ayurvedic consultation might provide a new perspective on what might have contributed to the illness.
Diet and Nutrition
Anyone with a chronic health problem may want to consult a nutritional therapist. A healthy and well-balanced nutritional intake is crucial for cancer patients and cancer survivors, and a personalised diet advice can save time and achieve desired results quicker and easier. While dieticians and nutritionists have background in anatomy, physiology and biochemistry, they aim for better emotional as well as physical well-being and can help with such issues as depression, stress and fatigue.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
A type of psychotherapy originally designed to treat psychological traumas and phobias, EMDR intends to remove upsetting thoughts and feelings associated with traumatic memories (without removing the recollection of the event) and thus help people cope with a negative life event such as a life-threatening illness. The therapy has been empirically validated and according to some trials is more effective than cognitive behavioural therapy.[vi] Accounts of client experiences of EMDR include having a better sense of control and feeling less hopelessness, key issues associated with the cancer personality[vii] (Read more about this issue in my article “Treat the Cause, not the Symptoms: 4 Emotional Roots of Cancer”).
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
Emotional freedom technique, or tapping, is a hands-on technique to clearing energy blockages resulting from stuck negative emotions, unwanted feelings and limiting beliefs. Like acupuncture, EFT works on energy meridians, but without needles. Tapping on the endpoints of the meridians while focusing on a stressful issue changes the way the brain processes information about that issue[iv] - in this, EFT is similar to EMDR which rewires the brain to remove the negative emotional charge attached to a traumatic event. For cancers rooted in past traumas, fears and emotional shocks, EFT can offer a fast and effective way to eliminate the cause.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a system that has been in existence for about 200 years and works on the principle that “like may cure like”. Just like all the other therapies in this guide, it uses remedies found in nature, such as extracts from plants and minerals, and relies on the body’s own power to cure itself. Because of gentle nature of homeopathic remedies, results can take time. Homeopaths work with the whole person and will pay as much attention to your emotional state as they do to physical complaints as they aim to restore healthy functioning of mind and body. Such an approach, as opposed to conventional methods, is not directed at the cancer per se, but aims to remove the deeper underlying causes of illness while focusing on unique features of each individual patient.[ii]
Out of all healing therapies, homeopathy has been attacked by mainstream medicine the most, and often in regards to cancer treatment. However, as homeopathy doesn’t use the same pathway as conventional medicine, its effectiveness cannot be compared to, validated or dismissed by allopathic medicine using the same means.
Hypnotherapy
If you know how your beliefs affect health outcomes, you might have already looked for techniques to help you use the power of mind to heal your body. However, the beliefs we hold in our subconscious about our health and chances to heal and survive are so deep rooted that they can’t simply be changed at will. Hypnotherapy is a process of entering a state of relaxation and making yourself susceptible to suggestion which bypasses the critical filter of the conscious mind and accesses the subconscious directly.
Research shows that hypnotherapy can be used to successfully treat anxiety and depression, psychological traumas and disorders with a significant psychological component, however the application of hypnosis is not limited to a list of specific conditions and can be used to change any unhelpful beliefs.
Massage Therapy
Massage involves pressing, rubbing and manipulating soft tissues in the body. Regardless of the particular type of massage, its benefits for the mind include lower stress levels, meditative state of mind, reduced anxiety and depression, a better mood, a sense of comfort and connection, and improved sense of well-being.[viii],[ix] Finally, massage is a form of self-care and time spent alone with your thoughts, feelings and needs.
Naturopathy
Naturopathy is the Ayurveda and TCM of the Western world. It encompasses a variety of healing and diagnostic modalities, including herbalism, homeopathy, Bach flower remedies, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, nutrition, aromatherapy, osteopathy, and lifestyle advice. Based on the principle that the body has the power to heal and correct itself, naturopathy can incorporate any of these therapies as it seeks to bolster the body’s natural defence system so it can return to equilibrium (homeostasis) and maintain it.
A naturopath will aim to find the root cause of illness instead of just suppressing the symptoms, and may help to reach such healing outcomes as stress reduction, lifestyle changes, detoxing the body and the choice of food supplements, all of which a cancer patient might seek at some point on their journey.
Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)
Founded in the 1970s, neuro-linguistic programming explores the connection between what’s happening in our mind (neuro), our language patterns (linguistic) and our behaviour (programming).[x] The idea behind NLP is that to achieve a certain goal we can analyse the patterns of thoughts and behaviours of successful individuals, and imitate them. Using NLP techniques, it’s possible to change our thoughts and behaviours and break unwanted habits and limiting beliefs. In the context of healing a chronic illness, how you think about your condition basically determines how you cope with it. NLP can be useful to identify patterns and beliefs which hinder healing and replace them with those that promote it.
Psychotherapy
Talking therapies like psychotherapy provide a safe and confidential space for sharing your thoughts, worries, feelings, fears and concerns. Psychotherapy can help people to deal with a particular emotional issue such as past traumas, bereavement or divorce, relationship difficulties, coping with an illness or coming to terms with it.
According to research, the success of psychotherapeutic treatment largely depends on the quality of the relationship between client and therapist, so you may have to consult several therapists before you find the one who is right for you.
Reiki
Reiki is a form of energy healing originating from Japan which works on the energy body and aims to restore the healthy flow of prana or qi (“ki” in “reiki”). As the therapist channels energy through their hands placed on the client’s body, the client may experience relaxation, a sense of inner peace (“all is well”), pain relief, a release of emotions, as well as an array of sensations and emotions that no therapist can predict. After a few reiki sessions, the body’s energy becomes balanced, chakras are open, energy flows freely, and hopefully the body’s ability to heal itself is restored.
Mainstream research is struggling to find evidence of the effectiveness of reiki using its conventional methods, however not being to explain how something works doesn’t mean that it doesn’t.
All therapies have a hidden, symbolic value and influence on the psyche, besides the direct specific effect they may have on the body.
– “The biochemistry of belief”[xi]
References
[i] Verhoef, M. J., & Mulkins, A. (2012). The healing experience-how can we capture it? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22742673/ [ii] Morrell P. (2018). Homeopathy and Cancer – Some Conceptual Issues. https://www.lidsen.com/journals/icm/icm-03-03-016 [iii] Zhu H. (2014). Acupoints Initiate the Healing Process. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4202904/ [iv] Gillman C. (2016). The healing therapies bible : discover 70 therapies for healing mind body and soul. Godsfield. [v] Mishra, L., Singh, B. B., & Dagenais, S. (2001). Ayurveda: a historical perspective and principles of the traditional healthcare system in India. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11253415/ [vi] Shapiro F. (2014). The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/ [vii] Your Ultimate EMDR Guide (Incl. Techniques & Exercises) https://positivepsychology.com/emdr-therapy/ [viii] Benefits of massage therapy (2022) https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/benefits-of-massage-therapy [ix] Sagar S.M., Dryden T., Wong R.K. (2007) Massage therapy for cancer patients: a reciprocal relationship between body and mind https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1891200/ [x] Ready R. (2015). Neuro-linguistic programming for dummies (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. [xi] Sathyanarayana Rao, T. S., Asha, M. R., Jagannatha Rao, K. S., & Vasudevaraju, P. (2009). The biochemistry of belief. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802367/
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