Complementary and alternative medicine can range from cancer prevention diets, to massage, acupuncture, exercise, and supplements. What are some realistic and affordable CAMs that patients and families can incorporate into their “treatment plan” to improve overall wellness and feel better?
Here are some suggestions for affordable ways to incorporate self-care and CAMs into brain tumor management.
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Find free or reduced cost programs in your community
-Seek out free
yoga, meditation or other classes offered near you—these may occur at churches, sporting stores or community centers.
-Explore community
acupuncture—acupuncture that is done in a community setting so that costs are lower and more people can experience acupuncture. Costs are reduced to as low as $15 per treatment. A national database of community acupuncture clinics can be found
here.
-Find a local
Student Massage Clinic where you can get massages from $20-40 per hour, and no tips are allowed! Or reach out to your family and friends and exchange massages, facials, pedicures, it’ll feel nice and you will be in good company.
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Cook cancer prevention meals at home
Research has shown that a “Rainbow on your plate” is great advice to keeping cancer at bay and part of living a healthy lifestyle. Speak with your Oncologist or a Registered Dietician to see what recipes or cookbooks are on their shelves. Also explore the
National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website for many resources on the cancer diet.
To wet your appetite here's a recipe full of delicious and cancer battling ingredients courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.
Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry
Sauce:
1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. unsweetened pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. cornstarch
Stir-Fry:
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
1 small carrot, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup snow peas, cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup chopped green onion, green part only
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned in unsweetened juice and drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
In small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
In another small bowl, mix chicken with soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Set aside to marinate.
In nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot and green pepper, stir-frying for 3 minutes. Add snow peas and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
Add remaining oil to hot pan. Add marinated chicken. Stir-fry constantly until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Return vegetables to pan. Add onion and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add pineapple. Stir sauce and pour over mixture. Stir-fry until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes.
Serve over brown rice. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 396 calories, 9 g total fat (2 g saturated fat),
45 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 6 g dietary fiber, 709 mg sodium
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Bon appétit! Please always inform your treatment team of activities and diets or supplements you are thinking about. It is important that both the CAM practitioners and your physicians know what is going on because of possible interactions.
Share with our community any great recipes or wellness activities that you and your supporters have started as a way to feel better during and after treatment!
Blog reposted from October 7, 2010
Photos credits
Flickr (MuddyRootsYoga)
tasteofhome.com