1 out of every 57 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer at some point in their lives and 50% of them will not survive. Current diagnostic tools do not always catch ovarian cancer at the early stages causing the disease to progress; making survival less likely.
Ovarian cancer is caused by genetics, hormonal factors, poor nutrition, potential environmental toxins, lack of exercise and most likely other yet unknown factors. A Swedish study discovered women who consumed more than two glasses of milk each day, were twice as likely to develop serious epithelial ovarian cancer than those who consumed less than two glasses of milk each day. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that women who ate a lot of processed meats such as salami and hot dogs are also at a higher risk; while women who consumed more fish had a lower risk
Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer
- Pressure or bloating in your abdomen
- Constant and progressive changes in bowel or bladder patterns
- Persistent digestive problems
- Ongoing excessive fatigue
- Abnormal bleeding
- Pain during intercourse
Lowering Your Risks
Relaxation – Resting is essential for a healthy immune system and with all the stress in our lives, this is sometimes hard to achieve. Meditation has been shown to help with lower stress, anxiety, depression, discomfort, and pain.
Exercise – Shown to reduce the risk of ovarian, cervical, uterine and breast cancers. Women who engaged in the lowest level of physical activity had four times higher chance of developing cancer. A busy schedule can be a hindrance to exercise - we can help with Whole Body Vibration!
Consider Your Diet – Some published studies state that flavonoids, which are antioxidant compounds found in plants, fruits, vegetables, and tea, may be protective. Omega-3 oils and adding antioxidant rich olive oil to the diet have also been shown to lower risk. Avoiding the traditional Western Diet is also encouraged to lower the risk.
Treatment Options
Traditional treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Complementary treatment options that have shown promise in treating cancer include:
Homeopathy – According to BMC Cancer, an improvement of the quality of life, as well as a tendency of fatigue symptoms, decreased in patients who sought homeopathic treatment.
Herbs – Such as Echinacea, Kava, Gingko, Ginseng, and St. John’s Wart have been found to be helpful with ovarian cancer as well as managing symptoms from traditional treatments. It is very important to discuss the use of herbs with your practitioner as some herbs can interfere with medications.
Supplements – Vitamins C, vitamin E, vitamin A, folic acid, selenium and Coenzyme Q10 have all shown promise in helping with cancers. A recent study found an inverse relationship between selenium and risk of ovarian cancer.
CEASE Therapy – CEASE combines homeopathy with orthomolecular medicine (supplements in a therapeutic dose). CEASE Therapy was traditionally used on children with autism and was found to help children and adults with other chronic issues as well. To view a testimonial on CEASE and its help with ovarian cancer, click here and read Gaby's testimonial.
If you need help navigating the complementary therapies that can help with ovarian cancer, call our office at 310-738-8878 to schedule an appointment.