Ayurveda and Cancer
Stand up to Cancer with Ayurveda
When was the last time you took your kids to the park, or enjoyed a family holiday, or spend an entire day with your aged parents? The answer to these questions would be an unequivocal, "Don't really remember." Well, at least for most of us! After all, where's the time? Haven't we been working tirelessly to earn well and live better.
This all-too-familiar scenario is witnessed in most global societies today. Members of a family - be it husband-wife or parent-child - do not have the time to connect with each other. They are so exhausted from the pursuit of the 'good things in life' - a big house, private school for the kids, fancy cars and expensive gadgets - that they are time-starved and worn-out. Life is luxurious, but unsatisfying and simply no fun.
So, why are people in modern times, with all the conveniences of technology to make life easier, realizing that life has lost all joy? This is because consumerism and materialism has seeped into our entire social system. Our unyielding ambition and greed has had many repercussions - damaged relationships and self-esteem, a heightened risk of depression and anxiety, and less time for what truly makes us happy, like family, friendship and engaging work.
Cancer in Body vs. Cancer in Society
The social evils of greed and materialism can be easily compared to Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases in the history of mankind. Just like cancer is considered incurable due to its complexity and its ability to spread rapidly and uncontrollably, these social evils too are slowly taking over our entire existence, damaging our body and soul beyond repair.
The constant pursuit of materialistic ambitions leads to an increase in Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance) and decrease in Sattva (purity). When the mind loses its Sattvic properties, our physical body tends to get imbalanced, leading to several disorders including cancer. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the difference between the good and the bad at all levels - physical, mental, emotional and social.
Cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early and treated completely in its early stages. Even in the late stages, where total cure may not be possible, patients can be treated appropriately so that they have a meaningful life with minimum discomfort. In cancer, correct diagnosis and management are paramount.
What Does Ayurveda Say?
According to modern scientific research, there are certain chemicals that damage the DNA. In the process of cell division the flawed DNA keeps replicating itself, resulting into cancerous growth. It seems the seers of Ayurveda knew this fact thousands of years ago. Only they could not explain this in modern scientific terms because modern science did not exist then. Inventing new chemicals or drugs may actually increase the problem or create new problems on the cancer front. It is therefore necessary to become aware of the root cause of the problem and make appropriate changes in our food, lifestyle and environment.
Ayurveda describes that in cancer, the blood becomes impure due to aggravation of one or more dosha. This impurity of the blood is actually related to the subtle part of blood (rakta dhatu), and is not detected by physical tests. The dosha may get aggravated due to a number of factors including improper food and lifestyle. Smoking, chewing tobacco, breathing chemical fumes, or eating foods and fruits that have been heavily processed with chemicals during cultivation also aggravate dosha in the body. The blood along with the aggravated dosha circulates in the whole body and relocates in a region that has weak immunity. As a result, the normal functioning of blood in that region (organ/system) is disrupted.
One of main functions of blood is transporting prana (life air) to each cell, the smallest functional unit in the body. Prana, according to Ayurveda, is not only oxygen but also contains a subtle force or energy, which empowers the cell to perform its normal functions including its division. Due to localization of improper rakta dhatu, the prana reaching the cells of that particular region also becomes impure. This leads to improper cell division, which is termed as cancer. If this is not detected at an early stage and proper measures are not taken, the impurity spreads to other regions having weak immunity. This is how cancer spreads to other organs of the body.
Ayurvedic Treatment of Cancer
Ayurveda works on these principles to help patients suffering from various types of cancers. Purifying or cleansing the blood and blocked channels with herbal formulas and non-invasive techniques are the main treatments for cancer. A number of patients approach us only after they have tried all kinds of other therapies. Most of them come dejected from modern medicine, and quite often in an aggravated state. In this advanced stage, in addition to the regular cleansing treatment, Ayurvedic rasayana or strengthening and rejuvenating therapy is quite beneficial. Although cancer is a difficult disease, Ayurveda can offer a lot of support and comfort to the patients through its natural treatments.
When was the last time you took your kids to the park, or enjoyed a family holiday, or spend an entire day with your aged parents? The answer to these questions would be an unequivocal, "Don't really remember." Well, at least for most of us! After all, where's the time? Haven't we been working tirelessly to earn well and live better.
This all-too-familiar scenario is witnessed in most global societies today. Members of a family - be it husband-wife or parent-child - do not have the time to connect with each other. They are so exhausted from the pursuit of the 'good things in life' - a big house, private school for the kids, fancy cars and expensive gadgets - that they are time-starved and worn-out. Life is luxurious, but unsatisfying and simply no fun.
So, why are people in modern times, with all the conveniences of technology to make life easier, realizing that life has lost all joy? This is because consumerism and materialism has seeped into our entire social system. Our unyielding ambition and greed has had many repercussions - damaged relationships and self-esteem, a heightened risk of depression and anxiety, and less time for what truly makes us happy, like family, friendship and engaging work.
Cancer in Body vs. Cancer in Society
The social evils of greed and materialism can be easily compared to Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases in the history of mankind. Just like cancer is considered incurable due to its complexity and its ability to spread rapidly and uncontrollably, these social evils too are slowly taking over our entire existence, damaging our body and soul beyond repair.
The constant pursuit of materialistic ambitions leads to an increase in Rajas (passion) and Tamas (ignorance) and decrease in Sattva (purity). When the mind loses its Sattvic properties, our physical body tends to get imbalanced, leading to several disorders including cancer. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the difference between the good and the bad at all levels - physical, mental, emotional and social.
Cancer is potentially curable if diagnosed early and treated completely in its early stages. Even in the late stages, where total cure may not be possible, patients can be treated appropriately so that they have a meaningful life with minimum discomfort. In cancer, correct diagnosis and management are paramount.
What Does Ayurveda Say?
According to modern scientific research, there are certain chemicals that damage the DNA. In the process of cell division the flawed DNA keeps replicating itself, resulting into cancerous growth. It seems the seers of Ayurveda knew this fact thousands of years ago. Only they could not explain this in modern scientific terms because modern science did not exist then. Inventing new chemicals or drugs may actually increase the problem or create new problems on the cancer front. It is therefore necessary to become aware of the root cause of the problem and make appropriate changes in our food, lifestyle and environment.
Ayurveda describes that in cancer, the blood becomes impure due to aggravation of one or more dosha. This impurity of the blood is actually related to the subtle part of blood (rakta dhatu), and is not detected by physical tests. The dosha may get aggravated due to a number of factors including improper food and lifestyle. Smoking, chewing tobacco, breathing chemical fumes, or eating foods and fruits that have been heavily processed with chemicals during cultivation also aggravate dosha in the body. The blood along with the aggravated dosha circulates in the whole body and relocates in a region that has weak immunity. As a result, the normal functioning of blood in that region (organ/system) is disrupted.
One of main functions of blood is transporting prana (life air) to each cell, the smallest functional unit in the body. Prana, according to Ayurveda, is not only oxygen but also contains a subtle force or energy, which empowers the cell to perform its normal functions including its division. Due to localization of improper rakta dhatu, the prana reaching the cells of that particular region also becomes impure. This leads to improper cell division, which is termed as cancer. If this is not detected at an early stage and proper measures are not taken, the impurity spreads to other regions having weak immunity. This is how cancer spreads to other organs of the body.
Ayurvedic Treatment of Cancer
Ayurveda works on these principles to help patients suffering from various types of cancers. Purifying or cleansing the blood and blocked channels with herbal formulas and non-invasive techniques are the main treatments for cancer. A number of patients approach us only after they have tried all kinds of other therapies. Most of them come dejected from modern medicine, and quite often in an aggravated state. In this advanced stage, in addition to the regular cleansing treatment, Ayurvedic rasayana or strengthening and rejuvenating therapy is quite beneficial. Although cancer is a difficult disease, Ayurveda can offer a lot of support and comfort to the patients through its natural treatments.
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