Tag Archives: positive attitude

Dealing With Cancer Related Stress

The Stress Of Cancer
The Stress Of Cancer

Dealing with the stress of cancer is difficult, both for the patient and his or her family. Aside from the obvious worry and questions about the illness and treatments are the overwhelming details that must be handled regarding health insurance, medical appointments and financial concerns.

For the Patient

  • It’s OK to not be OK. Your mind and body are reacting to many new challenges, and if you feel sad, tired, confused, angry, lost, or afraid, it’s OK.
  • You may not think a support group is for you, but connecting with others going through similar situations, whether in person or online, can reinforce the idea that you’re not alone. And your insight might help someone else. Sometimes that is enough to make you feel more positive.
  • Give your body a break. Don’t push it. Give yourself permission to rest more by simplifying your routine. Treat yourself to massages, eat healthy and exercise as little or as much as you want.
  • Prioritize what’s really important to you and unplug from anything that causes undue stress.

For the Family Caregiver

  • Remember that your loved one is feeling very out of control, so sharing input in as many details and decisions as possible will keep the paths of communication open and ease stress between you.
  • Maintain a good support system of family and friends. Don’t become overwhelmed with the stress of caring for a family member with cancer.
  • Keep yourself healthy and watch for the warning signs of stress and depression – sleeplessness, irritability, forgetfulness and exhaustion to name a few.

Don’t let cancer related stress diminish the quality of life you or your loved ones deserve. The Issels Treatment® uses natural, alternative protocols, individualized for the patient’s health and well-being.

What Do Our Patients Say About Our Treatment Program?

Positive Feedback
Positive Feedback

We could tell you all about the treatment provided at our alternative cancer therapy center. Our mind-body approach has made Issels Treatment® a leader in individualized immunotherapy for more than 60 years. But we’re proud and honored to let our patients speak for us.

  • In early 2007 Jacinta McShane arrived at Issels from her home in England. She had been battling recurring breast cancer with lung metastases, choosing to come here after refusing her doctors’ advice to begin radiation and chemotherapy. “Nothing really prepared me for the inspirational, loving atmosphere of this healing oasis. Here I was ‘cared for’ as Jacinta – a person first and foremost who happens to have breast cancer. At times, I felt more like an invited guest than a patient at all.” She continues to lead a happy, healthy life.
  • Joseph Momot came to us in June 2010 after being told his liver cancer was terminal and he had only a few months left. “It was a really, really rapid recovery for me so I call it a miracle place.” His liver is now functioning normally and he’s able to walk freely.
  • After round-the-clock chemotherapy for leukemia, Barbara Humphrey decided against a bone marrow transplant and came to Issels instead. “They care about you just like they would about someone in their own family … That’s what I love about the Issels clinic – you become empowered with so much knowledge.”

Nothing gives us more satisfaction than helping our patients to resume healthy and productive lives.  Please call 888.447.7357 or contact us online for more information.

Relieve Stress and Insomnia with “Laughter Yoga”

Have a Good Laugh
Have a Good Laugh

It’s long been said that laughter is the best medicine. Letting go with a deep belly laugh can provide a physical and emotional release. A doctor in Taipei is helping cancer patients improve their moods and sleep better with a class in laughing.

Liao Chih-Ying, director of radiation oncology at Taichung Hospital, first learned about “laughter yoga” in the United States and introduced it at his hospital in October 2013. This innovative method is based on the idea that forced laughter provides the same physical and emotional benefits as spontaneous laughter. Through regular practice, the fake laughter can eventually become genuine.

According to Dr. Liao, many cancer patients experience varying degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms can include depression, stress and insomnia. This creates a domino effect when stress-related hormones and chemicals weaken the immune system, which can allow the cancer to spread.

Laughter stimulates production of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain relievers. Dr. Liao believed that learning to laugh more frequently could be a healthy way to reduce the patients’ mood disorders. Yoga instructor Lai Ching-ju was asked to teach a weekly one-hour class at the hospital. Two months later roughly 70 percent of the participants reported improvements in their pain and mood levels as well as better quality sleep.

At Issels Santa Barbara we also believe that improving your quality of life can help build your defense mechanisms. Our personalized alternative cancer therapies take a mind-body approach toward restoring health. Please contact us for more information.

Pet Therapy – Improving Your Quality of Life

Pet Therapy
Pet Therapy

Is there anything more adorable and heart-warming than a four-legged friend who offers unconditional love? Pet therapy has become an increasingly popular means of providing physical and emotional support for cancer patients and others dealing with serious health problems. Mayo Clinic oncologist Dr. Edward Creagan has referred to it as “medication without side effects”.

Sigmund Freud was known to use dogs as relaxation aides for his psychotherapy patients, but it’s only fairly recently that pets have been used to “treat” those suffering from cancer. Therapy Dogs International and Pet Partners, the two earliest animal-assisted therapy groups, date back to the mid-1970s.

Cancer patients who receive visit from therapy pets have demonstrated emotional benefits such as lowered stress levels and improved moods. Interacting with the pets can help relieve the loneliness and isolation that often accompanies medical treatment. Some patients have even demonstrated a reduced need for pain medication.

While pets have been known as good companions since the dawn of mankind, researchers have tried to find the specific reasons that pet therapy has proven to be so effective. Studies have shown that visits with pets can reduce the levels of cortisol in the bloodstream. Cortisol is a hormone that produces the “fight or flight” response during high-stress situations. In addition, it can raise the level of endorphins, which are the body’s natural pain-relieving hormones.

Pet therapy can provide a valuable boost to your quality of life during cancer treatment. It’s a good complement to the integrative approach used at Issels alternative cancer treatment centers. Please contact us for more information.

Improving Your Quality of Life While Living with Cancer

Improving Your Quality of Life
Improving Your Quality of Life

Cancer treatment and recovery are highly personal experiences – no two patients living with cancer have exactly the same physical or emotional response, even if their treatment is identical.

But beyond the scope of the purely clinical approach to fighting off the disease, another factor enters into the equation: quality of life. People living with cancer can take steps during and after treatment to help create a better sense of normalcy. In fact, a recent study conducted by the May Clinic confirmed that quality of life programs helped people with advanced cancer.

* Counseling for patients and their families can go a long way toward easing the burdens of worry regarding treatment cost, approaching workplace issues, supporting healthier relationships and more.

* Physical activity contributes to a stronger body, a clearer mind and improved self-esteem during and after treatment. Even something as simple as a daily walk can deliver physical and emotional benefits. Your oncologist or physician can help design a workout appropriate for every portion of your treatment and recovery.

* Mental stimulation creates a “buffer” that takes the mind off some of treatment’s more distracting or distressing elements. Anything from online courses to computer games and art classes can provide a mental workout that may improve your overall outlook.

* Spiritual approaches can lift the inner self. While living with cancer, you may find your religious beliefs fortified, which provides comfort and consistency. You may choose this time of life to investigate other spiritual paths, such as meditation or yoga, to deliver enhanced peace of mind.

At Issels we are here to help by providing information and treatment options for cancer patients and families who want to know more about non-toxic cancer treatment and how to improve your health while being treated for cancer.

5 Ways to Boost Your Spirits When Cancer Gets You Down

Get Moving
Get Moving

There’s nothing rosy about having cancer. But new cancer treatments, cancer vaccines, integrated immunotherapy, cytokine cell therapy and gene-targeted cancer therapies have increased cancer survival rates dramatically and appear to hold the keys that may lead to future cancer cures. Alternative cancer treatments offer new hope even when traditional treatments fail.

With real potential for long-term cancer remission, there is value in maintaining a positive and hopeful attitude. The connection between mind and body is not fully understood, but we do know that a positive attitude can promote healing and reduce the negative effects of stress on the immune system and general physical and mental health.

Finding ways to relieve cancer stress and maintain a positive attitude may make a difference in your ability to fight cancer successfully. When cancer gets you down, use these suggestions to boost your spirits:

  1. Move your body. To release negative emotions, do the chicken dance with your kids or tune in the soundtrack to Stomp and stomp around or drum on pots and pans.
  2. Focus your attention. Engage in a thought-provoking conversation, learn a language or take up a new hobby. New challenges force the mind to focus on the task at hand.
  3. Have a good sob. Tears have a cleansing effect on the psyche. Rent a tearjerker and cry until you’re spent.
  4. Notice the world around you. Look out the window, go for a drive or walk and tune into the world’s funny quirks and compelling beauty.
  5. Tap into your creative side. Exercising your imagination is energizing and releases joy.