Health Notes

 

Cancer

Total Health News:
Where does ayurveda fit into a prevention program?
Dr. Sharma:
Ayurveda translates as the 'Science of Life' and it is strongly prevention-oriented. Ayurveda recommends 'Heyam dukam anagatam' which translates as 'Avert the danger that has not yet come.' Ayurveda provides wellness strategies for the mind, body, senses, and environment. For the mind, Ayurveda prescribes meditation. A lot of research has been done on Transcendental Meditation (TM), which shows reduced cancer in subjects practicing TM(r), as well as reduced anxiety and enhanced peace and harmony. For the body, ayurveda has recommendations for diet, digestion, elimination, sleep, detoxification, yoga exercises, breathing exercises, etc. For the senses, ayurveda prescribes balanced functioning of all five senses. This means that the senses should not be overused, used in a distorted way, or underused. Overuse of the senses can be avoided by getting the proper amount of sleep and meditation.. Distorted use of the senses can be avoided by not watching gruesome scenes of torture and killing on TV, not listening to gossip and harsh criticisms of others, not eating spoiled food, not smelling foul odors, etc. No use of the senses should also be avoided, since the only way to accomplish this would be a complete withdrawal from ordinary existence.

A beneficial environment is also emphasized in ayurveda. This includes both the 'near' environment and the 'far' environment. Near environment refers to the place where you live and your workplace. Far environment addresses the effect of the stars and planets, etc. For example, the full moon has an effect on our emotions. The proper use of all aspects of life - mind, body, senses, and environment - brings about harmony and a long life that is free from disease and suffering.

Total Health News:
Are there any Maharishi Ayurveda formulations that you would consider particularly important in a prevention program? Why?
Dr. Sharma:
In our book, we mention several herbal mixtures and formulations that are very useful in purifying the body, improving digestion, enhancing immunity, helping with sleep, and detoxifying the body. Using the proper mixture of herbs that have the right potency, and maintaining strict quality control in the preparation of these herbal formulations, is of the utmost importance. The Maharishi Ayurveda herbs are recommended by the Council of Vaidyas (Ayurvedic physicians) who have intellectual knowledge and clinical experience in this area. These preparations are taken from the ayurvedic texts that have been in use for thousands of years. There is a vast amount of research available on these various herbs. With regard to quality control, ISO certification is the international standard for assessing quality control, and if I understand correctly, Maharishi Ayurveda Products International (MAPI) has the only ISO 9001 certified ayurvedic production facility in the world. We have recommended individual herbs in the book and also, for the convenience of the readers, the readily available quality herbal mixtures from Maharishi Ayurveda.

Total Health News:
How is the book organized? What are some of the topics you cover?
Dr. Sharma:
The book is written in a simple, light-hearted tone so that everyone can benefit from it. We have focused on a broad audience and therefore avoided technical medical jargon. The complex material is described and explained in a very specific and easy to understand way. The book begins with a simple description of cancer, cancer statistics, and its cause. Then we delve into all the different aspects of prevention, with a do-it-yourself approach to improve various areas of life, e.g. diet, sleep, immunity, detoxification, yoga, etc. We even explain ways to reduce chemotherapy toxicity.

Total Health News:
Let's discuss some topics from the book in a little more depth - you mentioned earlier that excess sugar can increase the risk of cancer.
Dr. Sharma:
Everybody loves sugar and sugar-rich foods like candy, cookies, ice cream, chocolate, etc. The average American eats 150 grams of sugar a day. That's about one-third of a pound of sugar. The problem with eating a lot of sugar is that cancer cells love it. They can't metabolize fat nearly as well as sugar. They suck up 3 to 5 times more glucose (the technical name for the sugar your body uses) than normal cells. Cancer cells also prevent normal cells from utilizing glucose. The result is that the patient gets cachexia (loss of skeletal muscle mass) and hyperglycemia (high levels of sugar in the blood, because normal cells are prevented from using it and the cancer cells can't eat all of it). The increased consumption of glucose also causes cancer cells to produce lactic acid. This creates an acidic environment where cancer cells grow faster.

Sugar has been linked to several different types of cancer. Experiments involving mice showed that sugar assists in the development of liver cancer. Mice with lots of sugar also developed mammary tumors. Colon cancer has also been linked to high sugar. In addition, sugar decreases the number of neutrophils (disease-fighting immune cells) in the body, thereby decreasing your immunity.

In the book, we talk about simple techniques to get rid of sugar craving and the herbs that are useful in achieving this goal. We recommend an herb called Gymnema sylvestre. It takes away the taste of sugar and blocks receptors, preventing your intestinal tract from using the sugar. The sugar then passes out of the body instead of going into the bloodstream. We recommend Be Trim tea, which contains Gymnema and other herbs, to help develop a stronger will to resist sweet foods.
Total Health News:
You discuss the spice turmeric in the book at some length.
Dr. Sharma:
Turmeric is the queen of spices. It is ayurveda's top candidate for the world's best anti-cancer herb. Scientific studies have shown that turmeric protects the DNA of the cells, stimulates detoxifying enzymes, has anti-inflammatory properties, increases the anti-cancer properties of other phyto-chemicals (plant chemicals), and has a host of other beneficial properties. We discuss how to use this spice to achieve the maximum benefit in both cooking and everyday use. A recipe for 'Immunity Mix,' a potent combination of turmeric and other readily available spices, is also included in the book.
Total Health News:
Lifestyle is also an important component of prevention. What have you discussed in terms of lifestyle changes in this book?
Dr. Sharma:
Let's talk about sleep. The lack of sleep and proper rest is rampant in our society. According to an estimate from the National Sleep Foundation, drowsiness during work-time is costing us $18 billion a year in lost productivity. If we get enough rest our productivity will improve, but more importantly, sleep can help prevent cancer. Small molecules called cytokines build up in the body throughout the day, in response to toxins that accumulate as you fatigue. One of the most important of these is Interleukin-2, a well-known anti-cancer commando that is used in certain cancer treatments. Interleukin-2 increases significantly during sleep. It attaches to errant cells, such as cancer cells, and guides cancer-destroying immune cells (e.g. T-cells and NK cells - Natural Killer cells) directly to them. Another cytokine, called tumor necrosis factor, increases ten-fold during sleep and has been found to kill tumor cells. The hormone melatonin is another beneficial substance that increases during sleep. Melatonin is a great free radical fighter. During the deepest sleep, the body also secretes the hormone prolactin, which gets the immune cells doing an even better 'search and destroy' job on toxins sneaking around the body.

According to Vedic Medicine, if you don't sleep well, you build up ama (toxins) in the body, which clogs the system. If you sleep well, you build up a nice quantity of ojas, the vital force that literally strengthens the underlying basis of DNA - pure consciousness. The better you sleep, the more ama you clean out and the more ojas you produce. The best time to go to bed is by 10 p.m. A little warm milk before bed helps in falling asleep. Adding some poppy seeds to your diet has a gentle, relaxing effect. We also provide a recipe for a Date Milk Shake, which is very helpful for sleep. If your mind is just too jazzed, we recommend taking an herbal preparation called Blissful Sleep. It contains Indian Valerian, known for its soothing effect; Muskroot, which has a calming effect; and Winter Cherry, to balance the mind and emotions. There are a lot of other helpful tips given in the book for having an enjoyable and refreshing night's sleep.

In the book, we also talk about chemotherapy and how to reduce its toxic effects. Some of chemo's side effects are:
Nausea and vomiting
Fatigue
Anemia, infection, bleeding
Mouth sores
Diarrhea, constipation
Problems with nerves and muscles
Tingling and burning, weakness and numbness in hands and feet, etc.

We discuss an herbal mixture called Amrit. This mixture contains potent phytochemicals and has many beneficial properties, without any toxic side effects. Research has shown that it decreases the toxic effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients. This herbal mixture has also been shown to decrease tumor formation and its spread under experimental conditions, in the areas of breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, neuroblastoma (a tumor of the nervous system), and melanoma. The book goes into detail about the research conducted on Amrit and we give instructions on how to take it. We also address other ways to keep in balance while undergoing chemotherapy, including a veggie diet, meditation, proper sleep, sesame oil massage, Vedic exercises (yoga), and proper breathing.
Total Health News:
It sounds like an amazingly comprehensive program for preventing cancer and staying healthy. Thank you, Dr. Sharma.
Dr. Sharma:
It was a pleasure.

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