Cancer, in general, is the group of diseases caused by uncontrolled growth or division of the cells of the body. Disease is caused at the site of invasion of these indisciplined cells – causing benign neoplasm or tumour. When these cells travel out of the site of inhabitation, they cause malignancy. This is the one of most dreaded diseases in present times.
Breast Cancer is the type of cancer that starts in the breast. It commonly occurs in women, and rarely in men. Worldwide, 1 out of every 8 women suffers from Breast Cancer in the urban sector; however, this isn’t the case in rural areas. Many of you may wonder why is this so? Because the urban woman is exposed to many carcinogenic agents around her, and she isn’t doing much to eliminate them from her system.
She is exposed to city pollution, stress, sedentary lifestyle, restaurant eating; she does not have much time for self-care. These factors lead to abnormalities in the system, usually presented by rapid weight gain progressing to growth of a tumour.
clinical signs and symptoms-
• Lump in Breast – painless, usually in upper or lower quadrant
• Change in shape and size of breast
• Discharges from nipple or areola
• Dimpling in skin
• Retraction of nipple
• Skin ulceration or fungation or tethering
• Enlarged axillary or supraclavicular lymph nodes
Early detection-
• Self-Examination of each breast
• USG Breast
– Investigation of Choice
– for Young patients (<30)
• Mammography
• FNAC from the lump detected
Common treatment-
• Lumpectomy
• Mastectomy
• Radiation Therapy
• Hormone Therapy
• Chemotherapy
What Ayurveda Says About Cancer – Arbuda?
अर्बुद = अर्ब्ब हिंसे तस्मै उदेति
हिंसा के लिए जिसका उदय हो – द्रुत व शीघ्र अनुसारी हो
The word ‘Arbuda‘ means a condition which develops to harm, or cause injury. It can be described as the disease which grows very fast and causes either destruction of local tissues or body part or even death.
Approximately 5000 years ago, Acharya Charaka and Sushruta both described the diseases Granthi and Arbuda, whose symptoms are equivalent to that of cancer. Indian clinicians were aware about the malignant diseases, except, these were very uncommon at that time.
Granthi – Benign or Minor Neoplasm
Arbuda – Malignant or Major Neoplasm
Digestive fire governs the cellular and tissue-based Agni or Pitta, which is responsible for metabolism. The decrease in agni is leads to deranged metabolism, that causes excessive tissue growth, and accumulation of Ama (the toxins) in the body. Vata adjoins this deranged condition and proliferates the growth of ‘bad or unhealthy tissue’. Kapha, which causes stability and maintains health in body, is suppressed here. This metabolic crisis gives rise to cancer.
Acharya Sushruta described Arbuda as a globular, gradually increasing mass, which is fixed with deeper structure, usually do not suppurate, giving occasional pain and can occur in any part of the body. It can involve Mamsa and Rakta due to vitiation of tridosha (V, P, K).
Principle of Ayurvedic Treatment:
- Shodhana – The purification and detoxification of body. Vata and kapha are predominant in Breast Cancer. They progressively vitiate the Rakta dhatu blood component of the body and Mamsa Dhatu, the musculature of the body. Virechana is described as the best shodhana process – Therapeutically Induced Stools.
- Shamana –
- Shastra – Use of surgical instruments
- Kshara – Use of alkali for degeneration of cancerous growth
- Agni – Use of cauterisation to prevent regrowth of cancer cells.
For Prevention and treatment of Breast Cancer –
• Gomutra – Fresh Urine from Purely Indian Breed of Cow
Herbal Drugs
• Haridra – Turmeric – Curcuma longa – Cold Pressed Powder of Turmeric is used, this method preserves the curcumin component of the drug, necessary in treating Breast Cancer
• Haritaki – Harad – Terminalia Chebula
• Kanchnar – Bauhinia variegata
• Wheat Grass – Triticum aestivum
• Aloe vera – Aloe barbadensis
• Tulsi – Ocimum sanctum – Fresh Leaves, used everyday except Sunday
• Neem – Azadirachta indica
• Guduchi – Giloy– Tinospora cordifolia – Ripened stem with bark is used
• Alsi – Flax seed – Linum usitatissimum
• Punarnava – Boerhavia repens – only leaves or whole plant
• Sadabahar – Catharanthus roseus – (Pink Variety).
Tip: In older days, Haldi, turmeric was crushed with pestle and mortar, which preserved the active, volatile component – Curcumin. Due to this, the women stayed free from Breast Cancer.
If we begin to use this regular spice in traditional method, perhaps, we can make this world go cancer-free gradually!
Yoga, Pranayama & Meditation-
• Yoga – Markatasana
- Bhastrika Pranayama– Deep and forced Inhalation and Exhalation – 10 minutes in Gyan Mudra
- Kapal-Bhati Pranyama– Rapid Exhalation – 20 minutes in Prana Mudra
- Anuloma-Viloma – Alternative Inhalation and Exhalation – 20 minutes in Prana Mudra
This practice has to be repeated twice a day for a minimum of at least 2 hours daily.
We request you to motivate the patient to follow this schedule every day because the supply of oxygen is very essential to stop the multiplication of cancerous cells, it can even help in reversing the manifestation of cancer.
Breast Cancer patients or any cancer patient, in general, suffer from a lot of pain. Some nights can be smooth, but many can be very troublesome and painful. During those nights, encourage the patient to do Kapal-bhati or Bhastrika Pranayama. This will ease the pain.
It is necessary to serve the patients with utter love, care and to keep motivating them as they need hope to fight their disease. Let’s see what they can eat to help them conquer their disease.
Know More-
Our thought process has a significant effect on our body. It can cause disease, and it can alleviate a disease. To know more, Click here.
By repeating positive self-talk, previous negative programming can be completely changed to positive one. To know more, Click here.
Treatment as compiled from the experiences of different Vaidyas-
(Swami Ramdev, Yogi Nityanand, Dr Arun Mishra)
- Abhyarishta
- Harad Powder – Powder of T. chebula – Roasted with Ghee or Castor oil (Erand oil)
- Gomutra-Haldi Yog
- Fresh Herbal Mix Juice
• Giloy juice
• Wheat Grass
• Tulsi leaves
• Neem leaves
• Sadabahar flowers
• Punarnava leaves or whole plant
• Sheesham leaves - Aloe vera – Haldi Preparation
- Dried Plums with Dried Sweet Imly
These formulations are to be taken under strict guidance of a well practiced, experienced Ayurvedic Clinician.
Recipes:
1. Oats Vegetable Cheela
• We have shared this recipe on our sister website – Bharatiya-Utpadan. Click here to read it.
2. Ayurvedic Tea
a. For Patients with Hot potency: (गर्म तासीर)
• Boil a cup of water.
• Transfer it to a glass container after a boil.
• Add washed Marigold flower (without seeds) to this water and cover the container for half hour.
• Drink this infused decoction warm.
b. For Patients with Cold potency: (ठंडी तासीर)
• Similar Infused decoction – with Tulsi leaves (Ocimum sanctum).
3. Moong Dal Soup
• We have shared this recipe on our sister website – Bharatiya-Utpadan. Click here to read it.
4. Vegetable Dalia
• We have shared this recipe on our sister website – Bharatiya-Utpadan. Click here to read it.
5. Mix Vegetable Khichdi
• Click here to read it.
Conclusion
Here we have tried our best to provide you with the knowledge to prevent and treat breast cancer in the Ayurvedic way. These methods are pharmacologically safe, therefore, can be used alone or in combination with the ongoing chemotherapy. These herbal formulations are found to enhance therapeutic effects and minimise chemotherapy‐induced toxicity. Neoplastic cells may use multiple cell survival pathways to prevail, but Ayurvedic medicines have the potential to flush them out of our system.
Here we have tried our best to provide you with the knowledge to prevent and treat breast cancer in the Ayurvedic way. These methods are pharmacologically safe, therefore, can be used alone or in combination with the ongoing chemotherapy. These herbal formulations are found to enhance therapeutic effects and minimise chemotherapy‐induced toxicity. Neoplastic cells may use multiple cell survival pathways to prevail, but Ayurvedic medicines have the potential to flush them out of our system.
Bibliography
• Concept of Cancer in Ayurveda by G C Prasad, Manoranjan Sahu, P J Deshpande
• Role of Ayurveda in tumorigenesis: A brief review
• Lectures of Swami Ramdev
• Lectures of Yogi Nityananda
• Lectures of Dr Arun Mishra
Know More-
Our thought process has significant effect on our body. It can cause a disease, and it can alleviate a disease. To know more, click here.
By repeating positive self-talk, previous negative programming can be completely changed to positive one. To know more, Click here.
Nice initiative blog
????superb
Thanks for sharing this article , lack of awareness is due to poor knowledge , a result of considering this topic a taboo in our society as well as lack of education .
All the aspects well explained
Thanks again