Nowadays, almost everyone has one of their relative, friend, friend's friend, or an office colleague suffering from Cancer. The way cancer is becoming widespread, looks like the proven limited western scientific treatments are well handicapped to address all kinds of cancers. So, one approach as I wrote earlier is to consider using Traditional Alternative Medicines (alone or with western treatments after doing proper individual research and investigation). If western medicine research do not produce medicines to eradicate cancer, I am sure that in future more people will be seeking Traditional Alternative treatments.
Another option is to have some kind of "cancer prevention" approach to be practiced in our lives... that too as early as possible. Historically, preventive approaches have helped to reduce lung cancer rate. After World War II, cigarette smoking became a lifestyle which increased lung cancer rate. Even though, many researchers established "strong correlation" between smoking and lung cancer, all those research was ignored since a "strong cause" could not be established (scientific methods have value when "cause" is established rather than "correlation"). It took about 70 years to establish that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. (I feel, current generation is ignorant of the benefits of Traditional Alternative medicine like those people who were ignorant of the dangers of cigarette smoking). Eventually, people became aware of dangers of cigarette smoking and lung cancer rate was reduced. In a similar way, reducing the usage of asbestos had reduced the rate of cancers caused by asbestos.
What needs to be done to prevent cancer? By searching in the Internet, one could see so many approaches to prevent certain types of cancer. But, I think that going to the fundamentals and roots of our life (body, mind, intelligence), living closely with "prakruthi" or "nature" may help us, not only for cancer but also for other diseases. The following is written with that mindset.
Materials
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In USA, many buildings have signs to warn people that the building was constructed using materials known to cause cancer. Even though these warnings are to caution someone to enter the building at their own risk, it may not be that serious. It may be just to establish an immunity against potential future lawsuits trying to establish that the building caused cancer in someone. Similarly, I read another warning in a store that "toilet tissue" used to wipe and clean our rear end, could cause cancer.
Many people go to these kind of buildings and many people use toilet tissues and nobody clearly knows how many got cancer from the building or the toilet tissues. It may not be a big deal, but it is sure that dangerous cancer causing materials are used in our everyday life due to ignorance, desire for profits, politics etc.
Nowadays, researches/scientists are focussed to find out "why genetic mutations" are happening to cause cancer. But. the above two cases of "dangerous material usage" shows that the methods of current lifestyle is to stay away from nature. Constructing buildings as per Vastu (at right place with right materials) and using water to clean our rear end rather than toilet tissue could be some of the solutions to try out. Apply these to other things in life too.
Mind
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In the book "Emperor of All Maladies", I could read abundant research on cancer considering the body as its own entity. There was not much reference to research on the effects of "mind" and "intelligence" on the "body". That is where many Traditional Alternative treatments differ from "western treatments". Traditional treatments may also consider many other factors other than the body to diagnose and to do treatment (e.g. mind, thoughts, intelligence etc.).
Most of the time for the same disease, western treatments will give the same medicine to different patients, while Traditional Alternative treatments may give different medicine to different patients. One of the reason for this is the difference in how western approach and Traditional Alternative approach view the body, diagnose/treat diseases - e.g. cholestrol/sugar/creatinine measure in western medicine compared to Vata/Pitha/Kapha balance in Ayurveda. For example, Ayurveda considers the body as the balance of Vata/Pitha/Kapha and diseases arise when their balance is disturbed. But, in Ayurveda if the disease is caused by more "vata" factor, medicine to reduce "vata" factor is given. This "vata" reducing medicine may not be effective at all to a patient whose same disease could be caused by more "pitha" factor. That patient needs to consume medicine to reduce "pitha" factor.
Western medicines have done research and come to the conclusions that "stress" (or mind) could cause stomach issues and (may be) a few other diseases. But, that is what most of the ancient philosophical texts and religious texts have said. They might not have told that "stress" or "worried mind" will cause diseases. But, they have told people to keep a balanced mind towards whatever happens in life.. (Bhagavad Gita mainly talks about it). One way to look at this approach is that the balanced mind reduces the chemical imbalance (hormone imbalance) in the body helping to maintain the good healthy condition of the body. One day, it may be discovered that the "Gene mutations that cause cancer" are happening due to the mind and thoughts of an individual.
So, keeping a balanced mind towards every duality in life (good vs. bad, happiness vs. sadness, win vs. loss etc.) is what needs to be practiced which will help to maintain good health.
Chanting Mantras and Prayers
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Multiple people have told me to chant "Om", to take care of my health issues. Similarly, it had been recommended to chant "Gayathri Manthra" and "Vishnu Sahasra Nama". Chanting Gayatri mantra could improve immunity, calm the mind etc. (don't wait for a scientific proof...), Vishnu Sahasra Nama could help to focus more on our tasks. I have personally experimented chanting Suprabhatham for 3 months, and could experience positive things (mainly my mind and thoughts). I feel that there is nothing "religious" about these Sanskrit slokas. The way they are written or the Sanskrit letter/words/slokas are used/placed/formed is to make the tongue move in all sorts of combinations so that it could positively affect the functioning of the whole body - e.g. control breath appropriately to make your lungs/heart/brain/organs work efficiently. In addition, listening to your own chanting also could benefit.
So, it may be a good idea to start learning them and chanting them... (at least, while taking bath).
Fasting
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The modern research has found something spectacular.. that "intermittent fasting could help to fight cancer". I think someone got a Nobel Prize for this.... which many cultures have been doing without knowing its benefits. Hindus practice "ekadashi vritham" at regular 15 day intervals and other cultures/religions also do one or the other kind of fasting.
With so many of us having MRF tyres in our Center of Gravity area (Yes... I meant balloon like tummy), fasting should help to reduce the circumference of that area. May be it will help in our fight against cancer and other diseases.
Yoga
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Yoga comes from the word, "Yogam" which means "union". By being in "yogam", means body, mind, intelligence are yoked together. But, many had made it into a "physical exercise" which will consider only the body. In this limited form itself, yoga should help to attain/maintain good health. Achieving the "yogam" as intended by ancestors to have perfect union of body, mind and intelligence should help us to achieve better health.
So, please try to seek what is really meant by "yogam".
Unconventional Practices
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The moment you hear "cow" or "cow urine", people connect it with BJP or RSS. There are patent(s) on cow urine due to its cancer curing benefits. So, be prepared to investigate and try if needed. Panchagavyam (made from cow urine, cow dung, milk, curd and ghee) is part of many Hindu rituals. Many Hindu rituals and materials used in Hindu rituals are to promote better health through proper conditioning of our body (5 indriyas or sensory organs), mind and intelligence. When I wrote Hindu rituals promote good health... that does not mean from tomorrow every one should start doing Bhagavat Seva or start drinking "cow urine" etc. Have an understanding that many of the things which we do without understanding its meaning are supposed to promote good health.
An observation
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Fundamentally, one of the characteristics of human beings is the "resistance to change". For many, anything that is contradictory to their learning/knowledge is an anomaly or placebo effect. The advances in modern medicine is great... but it is a story of last 100-200 years. But, human beings have thrived in this world during earlier times without modern medicine. So, try to have an open mind...
At the same time, everyone needs to use their own intelligence well or collective intelligence (yours + family + friends + doctors from various medical streams + nurses + other patients etc.) before trying something unconventional. This is important, since I read that one of my friend's uncle drank some animal urine to cure Asthma and his condition worsened. If collective intelligence is used, chances of such dangers are less.
In other cases, I have seen multiple cases of well educated folks and Western Medicine doctors not seeking Traditional Alternative treatments when they reach a dead end using western medicine. Too much knowledge... but only one kind of "too much knowledge" blinds them... refusing to seek other forms of treatments that could have benefitted them.
So, have an open mind to listen to what others say...
Conclusion
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Now many of you may already be ready to start telling the negatives of everything that I have written. I know (most of it) what you are going to write. Use your own logic and intelligence to decide. But, there is nothing that we have to lose by practicing at least some of these. With the amount of carcinogens and toxins around us in various forms (food, air, materials), the potential for helplessness in future is very high. But, following good lifestyle and following some of our ancestor's practices, may become life saving practices for some of us.
A few others may be thinking, "Are these going to help?". Even if it helps, will that be significant? Please understand that cancer does not appear immediately one day. Its trigger (the first gene mutation) might have started many years ago. Once it is triggered, our body slowly goes through many small steps (gene mutations) over many years to end up in cancer. Possibly, "the small steps towards cancer" could be tackled by the "not so significant looking practices" written above especially since "trigger to disease time is very long".
PS: Most of the stuff that I wrote is related to Hinduism since I am mostly familiar with it. So, I don't know much about other faith's practices... they also may have similar things. Fasting is the one thing which I know as common among many faiths.
[11202019]
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