The National Cancer Institute site has put together a list of the alternative treatments for cancer that include mind and body wellness. The treatments outlines include:

Aroma therapy and essential oils – This has been seen to improve the quality of life for cancer patients using essential oils from plants, herbs, trees and flowers. This can positively impact physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing

Self Hypnosis – A clinical study has shown that women, who were employed self hypnosis during a breast biopsy, experienced lessening of anxiety, and pain.

Also women who underwent hypnosis reported that their hot flashes were seen to reduce in severity as well as frequency.

Improvements were seen in depression and anxiety as well as sleep and daily activities.

Spiritual Approaches – Whether it is organised religion or a spiritual seeking of inner peace of reestablishing an inner connection, these have also proved to be great coping mechanisms for cancer patients.

Yoga – Yoga is seen to promote general health and wellness, but is also very effective in terms of cancer management. It improves body and mind fitness and helps in relaxation, since it is also able to enhance the body’s stress coping mechanisms and mind body awareness.

As with humans, alternative therapies also may work differently with different animals and to different degrees, however an increasing number of vets supplement western therapies with alternative ones to bring about the most efficacious cure. Alternative therapies that animals may respond well to are:

Acupuncture: For problems such as arthritis this may work very well indeed – for bacterial infections of a fractured limb on the other hand, this may not be the answer.

Physical therapy: There can be several different types of physical therapy that can help animals – for instance they can benefit greatly from massage.

Chiropractic care for animals is seen to help manage a long list of ills such as different aches and pain of the limbs, joints and spine. Chiropractic treatment can help in recovering from a surgery, orthopedic disease and with issues relating to bowel, bladder and other chronic internal medical issues. Hydrotherapy and physical rehabilitation aimed at animals can also help considerably.

Chinese herbal medicines: A knowledgeable practitioner can use these also to great effect. However, keep in mind that if you use this therapy in conjunction with mainstream therapy, mention what you are using to your vet so that any medical reactions etc can be avoided.

Cerebral Palsy is a term that covers a number of disorders that result in disability of human development.

Cerebral palsy develops during pregnancy or infancy and can cause disturbances in perception and sensation, cognitive problems, difficulties in communication, impeded behavior, and other musculoskeletal problems.

Conventionally, physical, behavioral, speech and occupational therapy combined with drug therapy is used for managing Cerebral Palsy, however, there are a number of alternative treatments that can help manage cerebral Palsy:

The Adeli Suit: Originally developed for soviet cosmonauts, this was a suit constructed to help maintain muscle tone of astronauts in the weightless environment of space.

Children with motor control problems can wear this form fitting suit, which is fitted with adjustable elastic bands, which helps align and restrict the body appropriately.

Use of the Adeli suit is thought to help re-train the brain to send the correct signals for movement to the muscles. There has been improvement reported in gaining speech and better motor control and movement using the Adeli suit.

Other products based on the same concept are known by names such as the TheraSuit, NeutoSuit and the Penguin Suit

Magnetic Molecular Energizing: This therapy uses the power of magnets, for managing cerebral palsy. This therapy is thought to improve the chemical reactions in the body, improve oxygenation, nutrient assimilation, enzyme production, free radical control, metabolic waste removal and tissue regeneration.

Also the rate of healing is improved using magnetic energizing. Many choose to try it out particularly since it is painless, non invasive and has no side effects.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment: The basic premise of this therapy is that saturating the blood with oxygen (by breathing pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber), a number of problems such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, head injuries, autism, injuries as well as CP can get help and treatment.

G therapy: This is a therapy that is developed using constituents of homeopathy and bio-chemical salts. This treatment is thought to work by stimulating the neurotransmitters of the brain and clearing blockages.

Expression, communications, emotional development and intelligence may all be improved using this therapy. Many have found this therapy useful in managing an autistic child and children with other brain related disorders.

G therapy is found to be particularly useful for managing CP when used in conjunction with counseling, physiotherapy and speech therapy. Parents have reported improvement in speech, motor movement, sleep patterns and spasticity within days of starting treatment.

It was a heart rending story of a boy diagnosed with cancer who ran away from home in a bid to avoid cancer treatment. He was then required by a court order to undergo chemotherapy and radiation and now his father is diagnosed with leukemia.

In a case of like son, like dad, the latter also is choosing to go the unconventional therapy route for his cancer.

Anthony Hauser, father of Danny Hauser, from Sleepy Eye, MN who was diagnosed with cancer last year, was feeling ill and tired for the past month or so.

The senior Hauser was then diagnosed with leukemia and now wants to use natural healing treatments instead of chemotherapy to treat leukemia.

Evidently the entire family holds dear, the belief that there are advantages that alternative medicine and natural supplements have over conventional therapy. The family belongs to a farming community in Minnesota and has a healthy lifestyle honed by working the fields and baling hay.

The family belongs to a growing mindset that chooses the less invasive therapies offered by non mainstream or alternative and complementary therapies to heal. Not only are alternative treatments being seen as more effective, they are being seen as less harmful.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D, in his new book Road to Recovery from Parkinson’s Disease offers insight in to this deadly and debilitating disease, exploring the options for alternative treatment to assist in the management if not the cure for the disease.

While it is urged that natural therapies per say are not to be assumed to be safe and misunderstanding their nature is dangerous, it is possible to apply alternative therapies in the manner described by the book.

Though there is yet no known cure for Parkinson’s, complementary therapy could well be a very positive experience for sufferers using:

• Aromatherapy. Here the essential oils obtained from plants and flowers are used for purposes of relaxation as well as several others
• Ayurveda, which is the traditional Indian system of medicine
• The Bowen technique that tries to restore balance by way of gentle manipulation of the soft tissues
• Vitamins and minerals contained in certain foods i.e. nutritional therapy
• Meditation, yoga and laughter yoga
• Music
• Herbal medicine wherein a therapist structures treatment based on an individual’s lifestyle and health
• Massage therapies
• Reflexology
• Tai chi
• Homeopathy

More than one of these therapies could assist in the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s as well as for treatment of the whole body.

Source: American Chronicle