Cervical Cancer: A Holistic Approach to Prevention and Management
Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer, once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women, has seen a decline in mortality rates thanks to increased awareness and screening. However, it remains a significant global health issue. In this blog, we discuss how a holistic approach can contribute to preventing and managing cervical cancer.
Understanding Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer arises from abnormal growths in the cells lining the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus leading into the vagina. Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types is known to be the primary cause of cervical cancer.
Risk Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer
Several factors can increase the risk of developing cervical cancer, including:
HPV Infection: The most significant risk factor.
Smoking: A habit that doubles the risk.
Immunosuppression: A weakened immune system may have difficulty fighting off HPV.
Multiple pregnancies: Linked with increased risk.
Long-term use of birth control pills: While offering family planning benefits, they may present risks when used over an extended period.
Recognizing Symptoms and Early Signs
Cervical cancer may not produce symptoms until it's in advanced stages, making it crucial to recognize potential signs early on. Some symptoms include:
Unusual vaginal bleeding, such as after sex or between periods.
Watery, bloody vaginal discharge with a foul odor.
Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse.
Pap smear under microscopy showing inflammatory smear with HPV related changes. Cervical cancer.
Importance of Regular Screenings
Regular screenings, including Pap smears, play a critical role in detecting pre-cancerous conditions and early-stage cervical cancer. Early detection significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and can prevent most cervical cancers.
Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Management
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Vegan Diet and its Benefits
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes - devoid of meat and animal products - can help bolster the immune system. Phytochemicals, found abundantly in a vegan diet, may offer protective effects against cancer.
Sign up on my contact sheet to get my delicious buckwheat and morel mushrooms recipe! Make sure to put “mushroom recipe” in the message box. I ate these mushrooms at least twice a week when I was healing from cancer. I credit a big part of my healing to mushrooms!
Many people choose to go 90 days raw vegan. I agree and realize that now. I, however, didn’t know about the benefits of a raw food diet, so I started with the Budwig Diet. Still, if strictly raw is too hard for you, cooked foods can also be very beneficial.
Exercise and its Impact
Physical activity regulates hormones such as estrogen and insulin, potentially reducing cancer risk. Exercise bolsters the immune system and helps maintain a healthy weight. Exercise will also strengthen and tone your body, reducing your risk of falling or injuring yourself. Plus, it just makes you feel good, due in part to the endorphins it creates!!
My favorite exercise to do when I had cervical cancer was rebounding. Here are some of the benefits:
Improves Lymphatic Drainage and Detoxification
Boosts Immune System
Increases Bone Density
Enhances Physical Strength and Balance
Improves Mental Health and Reduces Stress (and who isn’t stressed about a cancer diagnosis)?
Light Exercise or More Robust (depending on capability)
I started out just doing light bounces while sitting. I gradually (very gradually) worked my way up to actually jumping with weights. I must say, “It was very gradual, and sometimes I would advance in my workout, and sometimes I would go back to a lighter exercise.” The main thing we want to do is to get our lymph flowing to detox our bodies.
There are many other beneficial exercises, too. We want to create movement. Try taking walks with your family or even by yourself. Swimming is easy on your joints. Bicycling can really get your heart pumping, and weights can help you maintain and even build strength.
It is important to find something you enjoy and will be excited to do over and over. I love to garden. I am happy to hear that gardening is a great form of exercise. You can also put on some music and dance your cares away!! Have fun with this!
I use Rebound-Air, but both Rebound-Air and Cellercise are comparable products. I love that they both have the stabilizing bar.
The Rebound Air and the Cellercise, both have the Affirm payment plan, so that might be beneficial to you too.
Supplements for Immune Support
Certain supplements may support cervical health. For example, folate—a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, fruit, and beans—contributes to normal cell function and repair. Vitamin D is also imperative!
High on my list of supplements to take are mushrooms. Especially Turkey Tail, for one of the highest beta-glucan contents you can find!
My favorite mushroom company is below. However, I would stick to their powders, rather than their capsules.
Hot water extracted from 100% turkey tail mushrooms
USDA Certified Organic
Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Vegan
Guaranteed >30% Beta-glucans
No added starch, mycelium, or grain of any kind
Bulk Mushroom Extract Powder, 45 and 100 serving options
Verified for quality at accredited 3rd party labs
Made in an NSF certified facility in the USA
It’s a good, clean source of supplements. You can find everything from fermented vitamins to magnesium, mushrooms, turmeric, etc! This is my all-time favorite place to get my supplements from.
Excellent, excellent, excellent source of Vitamin D. This brought my vitamin D levels from the low 30’s to upper 80’s and 90’s and beyond. As an ex-cancer person, I like to keep mine in the 80’s - 90’s. My Naturopath agrees.
They also have great B-12!
Of course, there are many more supplements out there, but these are my top 3 places to buy from. If you have any questions about the ingredients in your vitamins, feel free to message me. I have sort of made it my life’s mission to find the cleanest supplements available. Always choose organic, and look at the “other ingredients” when deciding on what to choose.
Fasting and its Role in Cancer
Fasting has been a practice embedded in various cultures and medical traditions throughout history, offering numerous potential health benefits that modern science is beginning to understand. Particularly for those facing the challenges of cancer, the cellular processes of autophagy and apoptosis that can be triggered by different fasting methods might represent a beacon of hope. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricacies of fasting and its implications for cell health, especially in the context of cancer treatment.
The concept of fasting — deliberately abstaining from food for a set period — is gaining attention not only as a weight management strategy but also for its deeper health implications. Among these are the processes of autophagy and apoptosis, cellular "clean-up" mechanisms that can be kick-started by fasting regimes. But what exactly does this mean for cancer patients?
Overview of Fasting Types
Several approaches to fasting may lead to different physiological effects:
Intermittent Fasting: Typically involves a daily cycle of fasting and eating, such as the popular 16:8 method where eating is restricted to an 8-hour window.
Prolonged Fasting: This goes beyond a day, usually ranging from 2 days to a week, and can have significant metabolic impacts.
Time-Restricted Eating: Involves the same window of eating each day, which may reinforce circadian rhythms and support metabolism.
Alternate Day Fasting: Allows for normal eating on some days, with complete fasting or severe calorie restriction on others.
The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) Is designed to simulate the benefits of fasting by incorporating a reduced-calorie, low-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet for a period lasting between 4 and 7 days.
Other: Other methods like the 5:2 diet or spontaneous meal skipping also fall within the fasting spectrum.
Understanding Autophagy
Autophagy is a process where cells degrade and recycle their own components, contributing to cellular repair and clearing out damaged or malfunctioning parts. Fasting can initiate autophagy due to the lack of external nutrients, forcing cells to turn inward for energy sources.
During fasting, decreased insulin levels and increased glucagon lead to a decrease in mTOR activity, one of the primary inhibitors of autophagy. This reduction allows autophagic processes to unfold, which is especially promising in the cellular fight against cancer as it promotes the clearing of potentially harmful entities.
Exploring Apoptosis
Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a vital component of tissue homeostasis and the body's intrinsic tumor prevention mechanism. Unlike autophagy, which is more about maintenance and recycling, apoptosis is the body's way of eliminating cells that are not just damaged but fatally flawed or potentially dangerous.
Fasting states can induce stress responses within cells that push damaged cells toward apoptosis, thereby preventing them from proliferating and potentially becoming cancerous. Finding safe and controlled ways to trigger apoptosis in cancer cells could, therefore, be a significant therapeutic avenue.
Potential Benefits for Cancer Patients
The stimulation of autophagy and apoptosis through fasting may hold benefits for cancer patients:
Targeted Action: Enhanced autophagy and apoptosis, specifically in cancer cells, could reduce tumor growth or support other treatments.
Mental Clarity: The mental focus and cognitive sharpness reported by many who practice fasting could support overall well-being.
Overall Health: Beyond targeting cancer cells, fasting can improve various metabolic biomarkers that contribute to holistic health.
Detoxification Techniques for Overall Health
Studies show that the removal of toxins from the body can improve health. Practices like drinking plenty of water, consuming dietary fiber, sweating out toxins through sauna use, and supporting liver function with herbs like milk thistle may improve detoxification.
My favorite detoxing products are Dr. Morse’s! They are fabulous, and you can choose to detox one organ or several. I am planning on a full-body detox this summer. Yay! Scary but exciting!! Dr. Morse also has some hormonal balance supplements!
You can check out all of the wonderful detox products here! Oh!! I almost forgot…I drank his “Heal All Tea” every day while healing! There are other healing teas, but that one specifically is what I drank!
My Cancer Story
On 03/09/2008, I was diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer. I was in disbelief! One day, after an oncologist appointment, my mother mentioned that we needed to figure out who would take the kids if I died. That's when I decided that there was no way I could die! My kids needed me, and I still had so much life left to live. I was determined to live, and I told her that I refused to die! I did have surgery, but when my oncologist suggested chemo/radiation, I was adamant that I would not have that (she said I could die without at least the radiation to my surrounding lymph nodes). More than cancer, I feared being sick from these procedures.
That's when I started googling everything I could on how to cure my cancer. I went down many different rabbit holes and discovered a myriad of health and healing solutions and most importantly health communities. I have been researching and incorporating different healing remedies ever since.
I started with Budwig and went onto Square One and the journey continues. If nothing else these protocols made me feel better. And guess what? I have been cancer-free ever since. I am not claiming these protocols cured me. It could have been the surgery. It could have been my sheer determination. It could have been divine intervention. We will never know. What I do know is that eating healthier and living a healthier lifestyle made me feel so good! Better than ever actually!!
I believe that our bodies were made to heal themselves and if we give them the proper foundation of nutrients and care we will have the ability to transform our health and our lives.
Conclusion
Cervical cancer prevention and management call for a multifaceted approach. Regular screenings are non-negotiable, but complementing them with a holistic lifestyle with a nutrient-rich diet, regular physical activity, and self-care practices yields a comprehensive strategy.
Feel free to message me with thoughts or questions on the contact page or on my Instagram account @acarrotaday2023!
Disclaimer: The contents of this website are based on personal experiences, opinions, and my own research. Information on this website is for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose, replace, treat, or cure any medical or mental health condition. Please see your doctor with any health-related questions. Statements on this website have not been approved or evaluated by the FDA. While using this site, please use your best judgment in conjunction with your Naturopath or other health care provider.
