Ayurveda and Cancer

Diet and Nutrition

Ahara

The significance of Ahara, or the right food according to one's dosha constitution, is emphasized by Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, a balanced diet can help the body's natural healing processes and stop toxins from building up. Moreover, Ayurveda suggests dietary modifications according to the individual constitution. Foods that are beneficial to one person's health may cause adverse effects in another.

Sattvic food or Sattvic diet

A diet that combines foods that are light, fresh, clean, and healthful is known as a sattvic diet. Simply said, a Sattvic diet consists of light, healthful, and easily digestible food. A satitvic diet provides all the nutrients and flavors in the right amounts and ratios. It adheres to moderation and stays away from extremes.

A Sattvic diet is essential for yoga practises and a healthy lifestyle. The inherent purifying qualities of sattvic food aid in the body and mind's purification. Foods that are considered sattvic are abundant in prana, or life force, and good energy that energizes the body and mind. For superior moral and intellectual discipline as well as spirituality, a sattvic diet is crucial.

Sattvik food examples:

• Sattvic foods are those that don't stimulate the senses, such as boiling vegetables, salads, fruits, whole wheat flour, less refined rice, millets, lentils, sprouts, soups, coconut, and legumes.

• Alkaline diet: fruit, nuts, roti, coconut water, jiggery, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, and fresh vegetable juice.

Rajasic food and Rajasic diet

Foods that are fiery, spicy, and stimulating are staples of a Rajasic diet. Rajasik diet is low in vital nutrients and mostly focused on flavor and sensory satisfaction rather than health. These foods cause the body and mind to become hyperactive.

Rajasic food makes up a significant portion of our diet in the modern world. Rajasic meals are by their very nature aggressive and stimulating, which has several drawbacks such causing agitation, overeating, restlessness, and stimulation of the body and mind. A diet high in Rajasic elements might exacerbate the body's Pitta and Vata doshas, or body constitutions.

You can eat this kind of cuisine in moderation. Particularly by those who have extremely active lives. Some sort of stimulating diet is necessary to support an active lifestyle.

Types of Rajasic foods

• Rajasic food kinds include foods that stimulate the senses, such as fried, spicy, tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, and foods that produce gasses in the mouth.

• Acidic foods include pickles, energy drinks, fermented foods, preserved food, sauces, fast food, and so forth.

Tamasic food and Tamasic diet

A Tajasic diet consists of foods that are poisonous, heavy, and uninteresting. The majority of Tajasik foods are highly low in nutrition and processed. Any Sattvic food turns Tamasic if it is prepared in a Tamasic manner (overcooked, stale, overindulged, etc.). These foods make you feel heavier, duller, and more lethargic in both the body and the mind.

Because everything in modern life moves so quickly, we are constantly searching for quick meals that don't sacrifice on quality. You now understand the extent to which fake and processed foods have permeated our daily diets. As a result, the majority of people experience constipation and poor digestion. Additionally, tamarisk meals contribute to a rise in ignorance, bewilderment, disorientation, and mental drowsiness.

It is advisable to stay away from tamalesic meals. However, if it must be eaten, it must be done so mindfully to avoid overindulging. When consumed in moderation, certain types of food can even aid in the treatment of certain illnesses.

Types of Tamasic foods:

• Foods that are both stimulating and dull, such as processed, fried, cold, alcohol-infused, made with white flour, overindulging, and non-vegetarian meals, tastily prepared foods.

• Other foods include meats, cakes, chocolates, sausages, ice cream, flavored drinks, box meals, and jam or jelly. 

Dosha-based diet

Vata-pacifying foods

Air and ether are linked to the vata dosha. Movement, nerve impulses, breathing, circulation, digestion, and creativity are all under their control. Vata folks should not go without food for an extended period of time and should consume warm meals frequently. Foods that balance the vata dosha are filling, hydrating, aid in better digestion, and help the body rid itself of impurities. 

Vata-pacifying foods include:

Fruits- 

Bananas, apples, pineapples, figs, melons, kiwis, raisins, soaked prunes, oranges, papayas, peaches, avocadoes, berries, cherries, apricots, plums, and coconuts are examples of ripe fruits that have a sweet taste. In moderation, they can also eat dried fruits. Fruits can be consumed by vata individuals one hour before or after meals, but not in the evening or later.

Vegetables-

Vata-oriented people ought to be cooked rather than uncooked. They are allowed to eat tomatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, garlic, sprouts, asparagus, zucchini, spinach, and fennel.

Grains-

Brown rice, wheat, boiling oats, wheat bread, and rice are all acceptable.

legumes. Except for moong beans, beans should be avoided.

Brown sugar and jaggery are acceptable in moderation. In moderation, they can also eat all peppers and spices. For vata folks, clarified butter, fresh milk, paneer, and tofu are all welcome. Spices like cardamom, cloves, ginger, garlic, and cinnamon can be used.

Pitta-pacifying foods

Pitta is the element of fire and water, which governs hormone function, intelligence, appetite, body temperature, and metabolism. Food that is very spicy, sour, or salty should be avoided by pitta-dom as these flavors can aggravate the pitta. People with Pitta constitutions are noted for having excellent digestion and may consume almost anything without experiencing any problems. Food shouldn't be overly hot; it should be cool or slightly warm. Summertime cuisine should be colder, such as fruit drinks or salads. Pitta types prefer their herbal drinks to have licorice or mint. For those who are pitta, a vegetarian diet is recommended. The meals they advise eating include

Fruits-

Fruits that are sweet, such as avocados, apples, coconuts, melons, oranges, dates, figs, grapes, mangoes, pomegranates, plums, and sweet cherries and berries.

Vegetables- 

Vegetables including lettuce, cauliflower, green beans, peas, potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, and asparagus that can be sweet or bitter.

Grains-

You can eat rice, wheat, barley, and cooked oats.

Legumes-

Except for lentils, all legumes are acceptable for pitta patients.

Pitta-oriented persons are allowed honey and brown sugar. Spices such as cardamom, black pepper, fennel, turmeric, and cilantro are safe. Goat or cow's milk, cheese, unsalted and clarified butter, and tofu or soy milk for vegans are also acceptable foods. 

Kapha-pacifying foods

The components of earth and water come together to produce kapha dosha, which is symbolic of attributes like coldness, solidity, softness, stability, weight, and slowness. In physiology, the dosha is in charge of the body's liquids, tissues, and solidity. Foods that are drying, light, and warm are best for Kapha folks. You can eat them fresh or mildly cooked with salads and fruits. 

Steaming is not the best cooking method for Kapha; baking, broiled, grilling, or sautéing are drying ways that work better. Avoid overindulging in food if you have the kapha dosha. Foods that support healthy digestion for Kapha individuals include:

Fruits-

Berries: pears, raisins, dried figs, apples, cherries, mangoes, plums, and peaches. You should stay away from most other dried fruits.

Vegetables-

Among the bitter and spicy foods are Brussels sprouts, celery, garlic, peas, fennel, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, carrots, and eggplants.

Grains-

Moderate amounts of barley, millet, oats, and corn are available.

legumes. All the other legumes and spices are acceptable to eat, with the exception of white beans and lentils.

Lifestyle modifications

Stress management techniques

Studies conducted in lab settings using human cancer cells and animal models have produced evidence that long-term stress may exacerbate (progress) and spread (metastasize) cancer. According to one research, for instance, mice with human cancers were more likely to experience stress and have their tumors grow and spread when they were confined or kept apart from other mice.

According to research conducted in lab settings, the body releases norepinephrine during the fight-or-flight response, which in turn promotes angiogenesis and metastasis. Additionally, this hormone may stimulate neutrophils, which are immunological cells. Neutrophils have the ability to "awaken" dormant cancer cells and, in certain situations, protect tumors from the body's immune system, which aids in their growth.

The release of glucocorticoids, a class of steroid hormones, is another possible outcome of chronic stress. Glucocorticoids may promote metastasis and treatment resistance in addition to inhibiting apoptosis, a kind of tumor cell death. They might also make it more difficult for the immune system to identify and combat cancer cells.

Mind-Body practices

Mind-body practices are methods that help alter physiological, psychological, or biological processes while also enhancing quality of life. For thousands of years, people have held the concept that our thoughts and emotions can affect our physical and mental well-being. Ayurvedic, Greek, Tibetan, Chinese, and other traditional medical traditions all place a strong emphasis on the mind, emotions, and behavior in relation to health and well-being. 

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies body and mind therapies under one category. Mind therapies comprise practices like yoga, tai chi and qigong, meditation, and relaxation. These are usually movement- or sitting-based methods that can aid with stress management and quality of life enhancement. Other ‘body’ methods like acupuncture, massage therapy, Feldenkrais, Alexander technique, Pilates, and spinal manipulation are included in the NCCAM Mind and Body category.

Notably, studies reveal that mind-body techniques improve QOL, counteract the negative effects of stress, and alter the basic processes that occur in the brain, among other bodily systems. Neurotransmitters (such as glutamate and GABA) and neuromodulators (such as dopamine, serotonin, and adrenaline) are impacted by these activities, and they play a crucial role in regulating the stress response by preserving a balanced level of sympathetic and parasympathetic arousal. Although certain mind-body techniques require greater physical exertion than others, mind-body techniques generally have an outstanding safety record. Based on current research, there is strong evidence that mind-body techniques can be effectively used as supplemental therapy for cancer patients.

Meditation-

Many spiritual systems include meditation as one of its ancient practices. It's been called "a wakeful hypometabolic physiologic state" when the practitioner is deeply at ease but nevertheless engaged and aware. While there are many different ways to meditate, most of them have certain things in common: they involve paying close attention, breathing exercises that are regulated, and control over any thoughts or feelings that arise—regardless of whether the intention is to notice and/or suppress them. 

The most studied type of meditation is called mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and its variations. Other forms of meditation, though, have also been researched as health therapies, specifically for cancer patients. For eight weeks, MBSR is normally taught in two-hour weekly sessions in addition to a full-day retreat. A body-scan, yoga-style exercises, mindful walking meditation, and mindfulness meditation are all part of the program.

For women with breast cancer, MBSR has been employed in some capacity in the larger RCTs on meditation that have been published in recent years. Anxiety and sadness self-reports were significantly lower in MBSR-treated breast cancer patients (Stage I–III) than in standard care, and MBSR was also linked with improved sleep quality. When MBSR was used in place of standard care in British research including 229 breast cancer survivors, the long-term psychological and physical side effects of pharmacological treatments—including endocrine therapy—were lessened. An 8-week MBSR therapy was found to significantly reduce mood disturbance and stress symptoms after a baseline assessment in a recent Canadian single-arm study of 268 cancer patients.

Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qigong

In order to improve health and wellbeing, movement-based mind-body practices (such as Tibetan yoga, Indian-based yoga, and Chinese tai chi/qigong) usually incorporate physical postures or motions, breathing exercises, and meditation. One of the most popular Eastern practices in Western cultures is Indian-based yoga, or "yoga," which is Sanskrit for "to yoke" or "join." It emphasizes the harmonious synchronization of the body, breath, and mind as well as the union of mind and body. Over the past few decades, a rising amount of scientific research has revealed the potential advantages of practicing yoga for healthy and clinical populations. This ancient practice has been practiced for centuries in India to correct health problems.

An 8-session yoga intervention has been shown to improve sleep outcomes in 410 cancer survivors with moderate to severe sleep problems, according to a large, multi-center randomized controlled trial. Participants in yoga reported lower use of sleep medicines and better sleep quality as assessed by actigraphy and self-report compared to a control group receiving standard treatment. In comparison to their counterparts in a psycho-education control group, breast cancer survivors who presented with persistent fatigue responded favorably to yoga, according to a relatively modest experiment investigating treatment-related fatigue. Furthermore, the intervention decreased inflammatory signaling, which may provide insight into underlying causes. Inflammatory signaling is specifically linked to behavioral problems like weariness following breast cancer treatment. Yoga may so affect biological pathways in addition to how well patients perceive their quality of life and symptoms.

While the usefulness of yoga for males has not been well studied, tai chi/qigong has been studied in a variety of cancer groups, including male and non-gender-specific tumors. In a recent study, fatigue was observed by senior prostate cancer survivors who were randomized to either a 12-week stretching or qigong group. Findings showed that men in the stretching group experienced more weariness and distress than those in the qigong group, supporting the idea that movement-based mind-body therapies should go beyond simple physical exercise. 

It is also important to note that a number of researchers who have studied tai chi/qigong programs have included biomarkers of inflammation in addition to objective performance status measurements in order to prove the effectiveness of tai chi/qigong in cancer rehabilitation. For example, a trial measuring functional aerobic capacity and peripheral circulatory status in nasopharyngeal cancer survivors produced positive results. Finally, another study investigated how postsurgical lung cancer patients' immune function recovered after practicing tai chi. According to the results, those in the tai chi group showed less dysregulation of cellular and humoral immunity than those in the control group.

Sleep hygiene

There is evidence that several aspects of sleep, such as length, quality, circadian rhythm, and sleep disorders, can influence the risk of cancer. Nevertheless, research on this subject is not always reliable or definitive, which might be a reflection of challenges in precisely compiling long-term sleep data.

Sleep duration and cancer risk

Conflicting research has frequently been done on the relationship between the amount of sleep and cancer risk. Variations in the outcomes could be related to the methods used to gather sleep data, the kinds of cancer that are taken into consideration, and the way other variables that can affect the risk of cancer are taken into account.

According to a comprehensive study, those who get little sleep are more likely to develop cancer. In particular, short sleep duration has been linked to an increased risk of cancer-causing colon polyps. Some studies have linked shorter sleep duration in older persons to an increased risk of stomach cancer and have discovered possible associations with thyroid, bladder, head, and neck malignancies. However, these investigations are by no means conclusive.

Researchers have also examined the possibility of associations between extended sleep duration—generally understood to be more than nine hours each night—and the risk of cancer. According to one study, older persons who slept for this long had a higher chance of developing colorectal cancer, particularly if they were overweight or snorted a lot. Extended periods of sleep have been linked to a higher risk of breast and primary liver cancer.

Sleep Quality and Cancer Risk

It can be problematic to definitively assess the impact of sleep quality on cancer risk since it is frequently even harder to quantify correctly than the quantity of sleep, particularly over an extended period of time.

In mice, sleep disturbances led to different kinds of inflammation that aided in the development and spread of tumors. Researchers have discovered that persons over 50 years of age who reported having poor or moderate sleep quality had a greater chance of developing cancer.

Similar to sleep duration, more investigation is required. Future studies could clarify the relationship between the risk of acquiring a given form of cancer and particular aspects of sleep quality, such as the frequency or duration of sleep disruptions.

Detoxification and cleansing therapies

Through our diet and environmental contamination of the air, water, and soil, we are continuously exposed to potentially harmful environmental pollutants. As a result, these poisons gradually accumulate in different body tissues, which can have detrimental effects on health. Diseases begin when free radicals, a byproduct of inflammation, cause cells to malfunction and the body's capacity to eliminate toxic waste to be less than the toxic excess. In order to get rid of extra toxins and the health risks they pose, detoxification is essential. Since toxin buildup plays a major role in cellular damage and disease development, toxin removal can both prevent and possibly repair health risks including cancer.

The Ayurvedic concept of Dushi Visha is comparable to the build-up of environmental poisons over time. It is stated that this Dushi Visha interacts with Kapha, producing negative health effects. To eliminate these environmental poisons, the only therapeutic technique is panchakarma therapy, often known as detoxification therapy. Panchakarma therapy helps the body detoxify and return to normal.

There are three primary goals while performing panchakarma.

(i) Curative Panchakarma: curing a deceased person's illness; 

(ii) Preventive Panchakarma: enhancing the health of healthy ones

(iii)Conservative Panchakarma: Rehabilitative care and disease suppression.

There are three steps in the Panchakarma (detoxification) procedure.

• Purvakarma: The necessary preparations that must be carried out prior to detoxifying

• Pradhanakarma: The primary method of cleansing

• Pashchat karma: Rehabilitating the food and way of life following the detoxification procedure.

Purvakarma

The process used to lubricate tissues and channels in the body, both externally and internally, using Sneha Dravyas.

(i) External oleation, or Abhayanga, which involves massaging with medicinal oils. After internal oleation is finished, external oleation is carried out. Use medicinal oil to massage the entire body or a specific section of it.

(ii) Internal oleation, or snehapana, for shaman or purification.

Internal oleation is achieved by ingesting little doses of ghee or medicinal oil. After examining the patient's body composition, the doctor decides on the length of internal oleation as well as the type, quantity, and composition of medicinal oil or ghee. 

Purvakarma-Swedana
Swedana causes sweating while relieving body stiffness, weight, and coldness. Snehana (oleation therapy) comes before Swedana. This causes the waste products that were clogging the body's channels to become unctuous and the channels to lubricate. These waste products are introduced into the Kostha, the primary channels of the body, by Swedana and then eliminated using the principal methods of Panchakarma.

Pradhanakarma- Panchakarma

• Vamana Karma: Therapeutic vomiting or emesis therapy
  Therapeutic vomiting (Vamana) is the Ayurvedic treatment for lung congestion that causes recurrent episodes of bronchitis, colds, coughs, or asthma attacks by clearing the kapha. Emesis is deliberately instigated to facilitate the evacuation of stored poisons and vitiated doshas. Vamana detoxification is recommended for illnesses mostly involving the Kapha dosha. Additionally, therapeutic vomiting is recommended for long-term edema, lymphatic congestion, diabetes, asthma, and colds.

• Virechana Karma: Purgation therapy
  Excess Pitta tends to build in the gall bladder, liver, and small intestine, causing rashes, acne, inflammatory skin conditions, persistent fever episodes, biliary vomiting, nausea, and jaundice. The literature on Ayurveda recommends therapeutic purgation for certain situations. Virechana is the process of purging the vitiated doshas and poisons. To guarantee thorough detoxification, this therapy can be used in conjunction with Vamana as a follow-up or as an individual detoxification session. This detoxification technique aids in the removal of poisons and vitiated doshas from the liver, intestines, and blood.

• Basti Karma: Enema therapy
  Basti karma involves passing therapeutic liquids or oils through the urethra, vagina, or anus to remove bodily poisons and vitiated doshas. The best treatment for Vata issues is basti. Basti karma is typically carried out either solely after virechana or following the first two detoxifying procedures, Vamana and virechana. Toxins and vitiated doshas are released along with the medicinal liquids or oil that is evacuated. Uttara Basti is the practice of administering medicinal liquids and oils through the vagina in women and the urethra in men. Constipation, stomach distension, persistent fever, colds, sexual dysfunction, kidney stones, heart discomfort, backaches, sciatica, and other joint ailments are all relieved by this therapy. 

• Nasya Karma: Errhine therapy
  Nasya is the term for medication administered by the nose. Along with nasal and oral secretions, vitiated doshas and poisons that have accumulated in the head and neck are released by the nose and mouth. Another name for this detoxification technique is Shirovirechana. The inhalation of breath through the nose brings prana, also known as nerve energy and life force, into the body. The brain contains Prana, which keeps up motor and sensory abilities. Moreover, prana regulates cognition, memory, focus, and mental processes. Nasya is recommended for convulsions, nasal congestion, migraine headaches, Prana abnormalities, and certain eye and ear issues.

• Raktamokshaņa Karma: bloodletting therapy
  Nasya is the term for medication administered by the nose. Along with nasal and oral secretions, vitiated doshas and poisons that have accumulated in the head and neck are released by the nose and mouth. Another name for this detoxification technique is Shirovirechana. The inhalation of breath through the nose brings prana, also known as nerve energy and life force, into the body. The brain contains Prana, which keeps up motor and sensory abilities. Moreover, prana regulates cognition, memory, focus, and mental processes. Nasya is recommended for convulsions, nasal congestion, migraine headaches, Prana abnormalities, and certain eye and ear issues.

Pashchat karma

Throughout the Panchakarma treatment, a rigid diet and lifestyle regimen must be adhered to.

"Paschat Karma" refers to the therapeutic measures used to return the food and way of life to normal. At this point, the digestive system is functioning normally again. Drugs are used to treat illnesses or to revitalize the body.