What Natural Medicine Tells Us About Ovarian Cancer

When it comes to treating cancer, natural medicine is never a substitute for conventional medicine. What naturopathic medicine and "natural" approaches in general can do is to help steer you to the doctor in a more timely fashion, or to help you get well faster. "Going natural" is usually (although not always) a disaster for women who have ovarian cancer. Women who have ovarian cancer need all the help they can get.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, for example, teaches that women who have what Western medicine calls ovarian cancer typically have patterns of symptoms that suggest the disease. Different women can have different patterns of symptoms for the same disease.

One woman who has ovarian cancer might experience:

• Dribbling of urine, needing to "go" frequently but not going very much.
• Dryness of the mouth and lips, especially first thing in the morning.
• Lower back pain.
• Leg pain.
• Itchy skin.
• (In post-menopausal women, in particular:) Blurred vision.

Another woman who has ovarian cancer might experience:

• Unusual menstrual bleeding, or bleeding after menopause.
• Unusually clotted blood.
• Persistent, dull abdominal pain, as if something were "stuck" in the abdomen.
• Sluggish digestion, bloating, gas, and heartburn.

Chinese medicine, of course, has combinations of herbs that address combinations of symptoms.

That is difficult to do with conventional medicine, and actually women have higher survival rates with Western medicine than without it.

What else seems to go along with a higher risk of ovarian cancer?

• Family history is a strong indicator of disease. If your mother, grandmother, sitser, or aunt had the disease, it is more important to see a doctor for a definitive diagnosis even if it turns out you don't have cancer.
• Scandinavian women, especially Norwegian women, have unusually high rates of the disease. Asian women, especially Japanese women, have unusually low rates of the disease.
• Women who eat lots of prebiotic foods, that is, foods that feed probiotic bacteria, seem to have lower risk of developing ovarian cancer. Prebiotic foods include chicory, endive, onions, and berries. Just one serving of one of these foods every day is enough to make a difference.
• Women who eat more tomatoes, in one study, had a 60% lower risk of developing ovarian cancer, probably because of the lycopene in this common food. Just one cup of tomatoes a week is enough to make a difference. 

See Also: Ovarian Cancer - The Scary Connection To Height And Weight

But the most important thing women can do to know to see their doctors is to know and accept their bodies. If you are pleasingly plump, but lately you are finding yourself plumper with any of the symptoms mentioned above, see your doctor and express your concerns. If you have well developed abs but working out isn't working for you, mention this to your doctor. You may need early intervention. 

Many women who develop ovarian cancer actually do survive--when diagnosis and treatment are made available in time. Paying attention to your body gives you the early warning signals you need to have a fighting chance.