COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES

I am undergoing traditional medical treatment for my stage 2 breast cancer. In addition, I’ve added a number of complementary therapies to help boost my immune system and minimize side effects from the chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I’ve found all of these practices to be extremely beneficial and I believe they are a major reason (in addition to diet) why I’m responding so well to chemotherapy with minimal side effects:

  • Acupuncture

  • "Rick Simpson oil" (cannabis suppositories of CBD and THC— I live in California where this “Mr Green” is legal)

  • Chinese herbs (CR Support- prescribed by my acupuncturist)

  • Adaptogens to support the immune system (reishi, ashwaganda, astragalus, cordyceps, ganoderma mushroom, rhodiola, turkey tail mushroom)

  • Ionic Magnesium Citrate at bedtime

  • Collagen powder

  • Intermittent fasting (I’m currently only doing this intermittently)

  • "Mr Green" for appetite and sleep

  • Liver detox between treatments (only with the once in 3 week treatments)

  • Restorative Iyengar yoga sequence specific to breast cancer
    Guided meditations to heal myself

  • Mindful meditations and hypnotherapy to keep anxiety down and positivity up

  • Therapeutic massage (when I can afford it)

  • Surrender to the cancer journey. Much of this is out of your hands and it doesn’t help to stress about it. You’ll find everything flows more easily when you’re not fighting it.

  • At least 8 hours of sleep per night plus plenty of rest. I sleep with a blackout sleep mask, the Mindfold, that I can’t recommend enough. I create a nightly ritual to prepare for bedtime — I turn off computer or TV, and either read a book or do a guided meditation to promote relaxation.

  • I use lavender oil in a diffuser to shift into relaxation or sleep mode.

  • Hot baths with lavender epsom salts, in candle-lit bathroom

  • Exercise - for me, during treatment this means taking walks as I don’t have the energy for anything more active

  • Homeopathics for nausea as needed for chemo treatments (cadmium sulph and nux vomica.) During radiation I will take radium brom before each session.

  • Purr Therapy (from my kitty)

  • Do a detoxifying cleanse twice a year

Some sources: