Can Traditional Chinese Medicine help with curing Cancer? What are herbs anyway? How do I use them effectively? Are they effective if I only try them once?

Well, I’m glad you asked…

Chinese Medicine (as seen in the United States) can legally only help alleviate the symptoms and assist with the side effects of cancer therapy.

It can not cure cancer.

Or at least I am told I can never say that herbs can do anything or cure anything. So I leave that subject alone.  That is ok with me.

But this is what I do know….

Traditional Chinese Medicine, which has existed for thousands of years, has talked about diseases and how they manifest as patterns in the body. You can give it a modern name, cancer, lymphoma, and a symdrome of this or that, but it really is just a group of symptoms that are manifesting that are the bodies cry for help because it’s immune system for some reason is compromised and can’t fight it off.

Herbs are not considered drugs, but nutrient dense foods. When you stop to think about it, if you give the body the right amount of nutrient dense foods to help target various dis-eases in the body, then the immune system thrives and can bring the body back into a state of no longer having those symptoms.

I am asked many times if herbs are safe and/or are they valid.

I love this question.

Anything that you do, without proper education, can potentially be harmful.

Anything that you do in excess, can be also be harmful.

For example, carrots are very good for you. Unfortunately, if you eat too much of them, they make your whole body turn orange (I have had two friends actually have had this happen and it took quite some time for the orange color in their skin to wear off).

More does not always equal better.

Informed populations, educated populations, make better health choices, that benefit them in the long run rather than waiting for disease to manifest and then for a major wake up call that can have major life consequences.

Herbs when administered by a health professional, can be very beneficial to anyone and virtually have no side effects (compared to pharmaceutical drugs).

Herbs, when not administered by a health professional, and purchased because a company spent lots of advertising that told them that this herb is good for everyone, can potentially be harmful.

For example, the herb Ephedra, was advertised a few years ago in the United States as a weight loss herb. No where in Traditional Chinese Medicine was Ephedra ever mentioned to help someone loose weight.

Then what happened was, someone got really excited about loosing weight, took way too much of it, and sadly died. Ephedra is now banned in the United States. Was the company that claimed that Ephedra had weight loss capabilities ever reprimanded? I am not sure about the end logistics but all I know is that this herb, which is a very effective medicinal (when administered properly and for what it is known for), was not advertised correctly. Herbs then earned a bad reputation, and were suddenly seen as dangerous and or ineffective.

Consider this, when you cross a street, do you look both ways, or do you close your eyes and wait for someone to tell you that its safe to do so?

We all want answers that are quick, ready, and available. I understand. I am a modern woman myself too.

This may sound like a lot of information, but it really is a call for people to understand that we mostly fear what we don’t know. Don’t spend all your time wondering what herb is best and or listen to companies that tell you this is “Good for cancer, weight loss, and enhanced sexual performance”. By consulting someone who has a medical background about herbs, you will save a lot of time, money and feel a lot better, quicker. You might even loose weight too!

Can Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine work together in terms of fighting cancer? Yes. Absolutely. I am a huge fan of both bodies of medicine and love as many different perspective as possible to providing the best solution for the person who need care. In the end, it’s not about which medicinal intervention is better, it’s about which method or methods work best for that particular person.

What I am not a fan of is misleading information that does not go questioned because it is simply put on the internet or sitting on a shelf in a grocery store. Your health is golden! Honor your body and sanity, work with someone who can provide you with solutions that are unique and pinpointed towards you, your health, and your vitality. Whether that be cancer, frequent colds, rheumatoid arthritis, and or digestive issues, there are many solutions out there for you that can help your body come back into balance. Herbs can help you. They are your friends. So is western medicine, too. It’s the same to me. Or as they say in Thailand, “same same, just different.” Just know what you are up against. If you can’t figure it out, write to me, and or find someone that can help you get there to a place of understanding about what is best for you.

Emily Farish (L.Ac., Dipl. Oriental Medicine, NCCAOM and NCBTMB certified) is Atmanjai’s Resident Integrative Medical Practitioner. Her passion is healing – Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbal Treatments. Emily can be contacted for consultations at Atmanjai.