The various therapies

Relaxation techniques such as massotherapy, acupuncture, meditation, and even laughter can have extremely positive effects. Such methods can boost your immune system, relieve pain, reduce stress hormones, and lower blood pressure.

The same is true of yoga. Yoga promotes relaxation and improves your quality of sleep during treatment.

Certain complementary therapies are better suited for some situations, for example:

• Men undergoing hormone therapy who want to reduce their risk of cardiac disease, diabetes, and bone loss
• Men undergoing chemotherapy who want to alleviate side effects such as pain or nausea
• Men who need help decreasing side effects of surgery or radiation therapy such as loss of bladder control

Results

Research results

Research has shown that a number of complementary therapies can be used safely alongside conventional cancer treatments.

Their benefits

Some people feel that using a complementary therapy help to give them a sense of control and the feeling of being more involved in their health care. Other people believe that complementary therapies help to improve their quality of life.

Develop your own program

If your cancer treatment centre does not offer complementary therapies, nothing is stopping you from creating your own integrated program by contacting competent professionals in your community.

Body manipulation

There are many different manipulative body methods available. Where they are offered, whether the individuals offering them are qualified, and whether the methods will be of any benefit, is impossible for PROCURE to assess. We encourage you to speak with your doctor first. Find on this page the different approaches

Psychological therapies

This section treats therapies involving primarily mental processes. As with all other therapies, we encourage you to consult your doctor first. Find on this page the different approaches

Alternative therapy

It is important to note the following

Research in alternative therapies have not been shown to be effective and safe in treating cancer. Using alternative therapies while delaying or refusing conventional treatments can have serious health consequences including the growth of cancerous tumours or the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

For the many people who already use alternative medicine, the lack of scientific knowledge behind these therapies may pose a risk or cause adverse reactions because of incorrect dosages, improper product use, or drug interactions between two treatments.

Why you embark…

Alternative medicine is not about medicine or surgery. Many people are turning away from conventional medicine because they fear the operating table or the side effects of drugs. In contrast, alternative medicine is attractive because it is not like conventional treatments that often cause harm to patients. Alternative medical treatments are usually less risky and less likely to cause direct harm.

Alternative therapies are like wishful thinking. Within the ranks of alternative practitioners and their clients, ideas without any scientific basis are like magic tricks. Some people reject conventional medicine simple because it isn’t magic. Sometimes medicine looks like it works miracles, but these miracles are based on science, not faith.

Remember that unlike complementary treatments, alternative treatments are used as a replacement for other prostate cancer treatment options.

Natural therapies

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy involves treatment using scents, in the form of essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs, and trees. These aromas are thought to promote health and well-being. The technique is widely used for a variety of applications, including relieving pain caused by the side effects of chemotherapy.

Herbs and plants

Many classifications of herbs exist according to their different effects: for example, herbs may have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antimicrobial or hypotensive property. They can be adaptogenic herbs (increase resilience and resistance) or tonics (supportive of vital energy). Herbal preparations may be given for ingestion as teas, capsules or tablets, or as extracts or tinctures. Herbal preparations may also be used topically, as when they are made into balms or ointments.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy was developed in the late 18th century by Samuel Hahnemann, a respected doctor in Germany. This therapy is based on the principle that a patient can be cured by an infinitesimal dose of a substance which, in a healthy individual, causes the same effects as the disease to treat: it is the ‘law of similarity’. Homeopathic preparations are based on a mixture of active ingredients that are gradually, but highly diluted. At the end of this dilution cascade, only a few molecules of active ingredient remain in the final preparation. The current homeopathy uses a thousand different remedies. The vast majority of the few clinical tests on the effectiveness of homeopathy are inconclusive. It would seem that the placebo effect plays an important role. The debate remains open, however. Homeopathy, however, has the advantage of providing drugs that do not cause undesirable side effects.

Eating well starts with eating a variety of foods every day in order to get all the essential nutrients to stay healthy. Instead of taking supplements, try meeting your nutritional needs by eating healthy food. This section warns you about the dangers of supplements and gives you all the information you need to make an informed decision.

The role of vitamins

Vitamins are essential nutrients that must be taken every day. The vitamins you get from what you eat and drink must be enough to meet your daily needs. Most people are able to get enough vitamins to meet their needs by following the guidelines outlined in Canada’s Food Guide and eating a variety of healthy foods.

The two most common vitamins

There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble vitamins and lipid-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins:

Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12, vitamin C, biotin, and folate. They are not stored in large amounts in the body, and any extra is lost through your urine.

Lipid-soluble vitamins:

Vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins can be stored in your body. High amounts of fat-soluble vitamins are not recommended, as they can cause health problems.

Vitamin – Function – Food Sources

Which food provides which vitamin? The information on this page  will help you understand why it is important to consume certain common vitamins in sufficient quantities. You will also find the best food sources of these vitamins.

Dietary supplements and cancer

What are they

Examples include preparations made from vitamins, minerals, plants, or antioxidants that are available over the counter without a prescription in pharmacies, large stores, or over the internet. Many people use them to stay healthy and sometimes in the hopes of preventing the development of cancer.

Not without medical supervision

We suggest that you do not take supplements unless you have medical supervision. Your doctor may prescribe supplements for you if he finds a deficiency, usually for vitamin D, or in the event of specific medical indications.

A Dutch survey revealed that 40% of the population used some sort of dietary supplement. However, the World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF) strongly advises against it as their protective effect have not been proven and dietary supplements can have unexpected side effects.

Other study results

Several studies have even shown an increased risk of developing certain cancers after taking high doses of multivitamin supplements and/or antioxidants.

• Studies done on smokers to test the supposed protective effect of betacarotene, a compound our body converts to vitamin A, were stopped prematurely as patients began developing lung cancer after taking high doses of betacarotene supplements (20mg/day).
• Retinol, a compound the body converts from betacarotene, is also suspected to promote the development of cancer when taken in high doses (25,000 IU/day). Large doses of folate (>0.4 mg/day for more than 5 years) can also promote the development of certain cancers like prostate cancer.
• A similar connection was made linking high doses of vitamin E (400 IU/day) with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.

Use caution when taking dietary supplements! Always ask your doctor, pharmacists, or dietician before.

Use caution when taking dietary supplements! Always ask your doctor, pharmacists, or dietician before.

Prioritize healthy foods

No supplement beats a healthy diet. A varied diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods is much better for your health than dietary supplements.

A Swiss study of over 70,000 people over the course of 13 years has shown longer survivability and lower overall mortality when participants ate at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Myth versus Reality

Vitamin E, Selenium, and prostate cancer

Vitamin E and selenium have long been thought to have protective effects when it comes to prostate cancer.

An American research team has shown that selenium and vitamin E supplements, even at a low dosage, increase the risk of developing prostate cancer if taken when there is no proven deficiency.

The SELECT study

An earlier study, called the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), conducted on 35,000 men showed that taking selenium and vitamin E does not protect against prostate cancer.

Further research revealed that not only do dietary supplements not have a protective effect, taking large doses of selenium (200 mcg/day) and vitamin E (400 IU/day) significantly increases the risk of developing a more aggressive advanced prostate cancer.

Surplus calcium and vitamin D deficiencies

There is more and more proof that vitamin D deficiencies play a role in prostate cancer development. Some evidence suggests that there is a link between vitamin D deficiencies and an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Because of Canada’s northern latitude, the sun’s rays are weaker in the fall and winter. We recommend that Quebecer adults consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

Conclusion: Ask your doctor for advice

• Avoid high doses of vitamin or mineral supplements because they can help increase the risk of prostate cancer. Instead of consuming supplements, try to meet your nutrient needs by eating healthy foods.
• Note that it has not been shown that taking supplements containing antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin E or selenium could offer protection against prostate cancer. In fact, vitamin E may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.
• The risks increase if you take vitamin E and selenium when your body does not need it.
• Taking dietary supplements is never harmless. A well-balanced diet is normally enough to meet your body’s needs.
• It is important to talk to your doctor before taking supplements rich in vitamins, trace elements, and minerals.