Herbal Remedies for Chemotherapy Side Effects

Chemotherapy is the chemical treatment of cancer, given in accordance with an individual's treatment plan. It may be given in a hospital, a clinic, a doctor's office or at home. The dose may be given over several days, once a week, or once a month, with treatment lasting anywhere from several weeks to several years. The medication used can greatly help cancer patients. But the side effects of chemotherapy can be powerful. Below I have listed some of the more common side effects of chemotherapy (side effects will vary with the type of medication used for chemotherapy), and provided some recommendations on herbal remedies for treating these side effects.

Always let your doctor know if you are taking any kind of medication, including herbal remedies. Herbs can interact with medications just like other medications, and the last thing you need as you are battling cancer is to start experiencing dangerous drug interactions. And some herbs and natural remedies may actually interfere with your chemotherapy. No matter how benign the herbal remedy seems, check with your doctor before ingesting it. This article does not constitute or replace medical advice.

• Nausea and vomiting. Two simple herbal remedies for these side effects are ginger and caraway seeds. Both can be made into a tea for drinking, or you can also chew on a little piece of ginger (go easy at first, as this is an acquired taste) to see if that helps. Fennel teas are also helpful for cancer patients for calming your stomach.

• Loss of appetite. This side effect of chemotherapy may be caused by nausea, so see above. For loss of appetite alone, one herbal remedy is to take Spirulina, a form of blue green algae (usually available in a tablet form). It is very high in protein and vitamins, which may be helpful to the chemotherapy patient as well. Some soy products can also help with loss of appetite due to chemotherapy. Soy Unique is one to try.

• Hair loss. Ganoderma Lucidum, a red mushroom, is an herbal remedy that has been found to benefit cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy by reducing hair loss, fatigue, and loss of appetite. This mushroom is also sometimes known as Reishi. You can usually find this in tablet form. Taking Vitamin E sometimes helps with hair loss caused by chemotherapy, too. Antidioxidants can interfere with some forms of chemotherapy, so check with your doctor on this.

• Mouth sores. Taking Vitamin E supplements may help prevent mouth sores from forming due to chemotherapy. (But again, this may do more harm than good, so speak with your doctor.) Also try eliminating barley, corn and rye products from your diet, as these have been shown to increase this side effect in some cancer patients. Tea made from slippery elm can relieve the pain of mouth sores for some cancer patients as well.

• Higher risk of infection (due to decreased white blood cells.) Siberian Ginseng is one herbal remedy that has been recommended for enhancing your immunity system. It can also increase your stamina and strength, which is vital for the cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy. Olive leaf extract is another herbal remedy which may also help strengthen the immunity system. And there is some evidence that fermented soy products can help enhance the immune system and help increase blood counts. Soy Unique is one recommended brand. Alfalfa capsules and aloe juice may also help to boost a cancer patient's immune system. The herbal remedy cat's claw tincture may help to increase your white blood cell count (do not use cat's claw if you take insulin for diabetes.)

I hope you find something in this article that is helpful to you as you undergo chemotherapy. As always, speak with your doctor before trying any of these remedies. Be sure to purchase any herbal remedies from a reputable brand and store, as herbs are not regulated by the FDA.

Source List:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer/DS00328/DSECTION=alternative%2Dmedicine

http://www.cancure.org/help_side_effects.htm

http://www.herbs2000.com/disorders/cancer_side_eff.htm

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/chemotherapy-treatment

http://www.herbalermediescure.com/herbal-remediets-for-chemotherapy.html