Coping With Cancer Through Mind, Body, Spirit and Emotions

With one out of every two or three people at risk for cancer, as suggested by the American Cancer Society, perhaps it comes as no surprise that the topic of cancer and stress are tightly linked. Long ago, man used the fight-or-flight response to survive natural threats, such as man-eating tigers. Today, the stress response has become a complicated dynamic, linking mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Ironically, what was originally designed to help us survive threats now can put us at risk for health problems and disease. But it doesn't have to be this way. Stress can also motivate you to seek help, resolve issues, practice forgiveness, and come to a sense of inner peace. The most effective stress management program, regardless of the circumstances, is based on the idea of balance. Many things can knock us off center, but it only takes the recognition of being off balance and the desire to return to balance that moves us toward equilibrium. First, let's look at some aspects of cancer associated with stress and then focus on ways to cope with stress, finding peace mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The Fear of Cancer

There are many reasons why stress arises with the mere mention of the word cancer, the biggest being fear (fear and stress are often synonymous). There are many fears associated with cancer. These are the most common:

• The Fear of the Unknown. Many questions arise when cancer is diagnosed. What kind of cancer is it? What stage is it in? How do I treat it (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, complementary medicine)? Will I die from it? How long do I have to live? What did I do to deserve this? Why did this happen to me? Fear of the unknown can either be motivating (to learn some answers) or immobilizing. The fear of the unknown is conquered with an inquisitive and balanced mind. Seek answers, but don't become overwhelmed with too much information.

• The Fear of Isolation. Many cancer patients feel like social outcasts, and indeed others, in their own fear, may withdraw, adding to feelings of isolation. While the initial shock of finding out you have cancer may make you feel alone, this fear can be overcome by talking about feelings that surface. Support groups are a great way to resolve this fear!

• The Fear of Failure. This fear shows up (often as guilt) if little or no progress appears to have been made during treatment. While the premise of holistic wellness is that each person must take an active role (responsibility) in his or her own health, the fear of failure is an unreal fear. There are some people who do absolutely nothing (no chemotherapy, no mental imagery) and their cancer goes into remission. Take an active role in your treatment, and remember the bigger picture.

• The Fear of Death andDying. This fear arises when someone is confronted with his or her own (or a loved one's) mortality. If you have many unresolved issues that need addressing, this fear may be pushed to the surface of your attention. However, in a culture where death is still considered a taboo subject, death remains a difficult topic to address comfortably. Making peace with yourself and your loved ones is the first step in facing this fear. The next step is focusing on living (not dying) and doing those things you really enjoy doing.

Signs of Stress

Stress from cancer develops in different ways, from feelings of being overwhelmed with responsibilities (both patient and caregiver) to feelings of resignation and helplessness. Here are some of the more common signs and symptoms of stress from a holistic perspective.

• Body. Initially, stress can be energizing, but without adequate rest, stress can deplete your energy. Feelings of fatigue can set in rather quickly. On-again, off-again fatigue turns into constant lethargy. In addition, headaches, allergies, muscle tension, and gastrointestinal problems may arise. Stress can and does cause wear and tear on the body.

• Mind. Mental stress ranges from boredom to feeling completely overwhelmed. Sensory overload (too much information) can boggle the mind and confuse thinking. Confusion and poor decision-making are a result of mental stress.

• Emotions. Stress emotions can range from anger (impatience and frustration) to guilt, anxiety, apathy, and resentment. Left unresolved, these emotions can pull you into a downward spiral of depression.

• Spirit. A lackluster spirit becomes cynical, sarcastic, unforgiving, and apathetic. Stress affects the three pillars of human spirituality: relationships, values, and a meaningful purpose in life.

Current research reveals that the mind and body are really one entity, not two separate parts. Stated simply, there is no separation or division between the mind, body, spirit, and emotions. Studies conducted at Ohio State University and Tufts Medical School indicate that unresolved emotions of anger and fear can actually suppress the immune system. This is not good under any circumstances, but for cancer patients, it can be serious. With this in mind, the best stress management program is one that moves you from a place of fear toward a place of peace, however you conceive this to be.

A Cancer Stress Management Program

There are hundreds of ways to cope with stress. The goal of each approach, whether it be coping skills or relaxation techniques, is to bring you from a place of tension to a place of peace—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The following are just a handful of suggestions.

• Support Groups. Find a support group of people who live in your area who are cancer patients (or caregivers) like yourself. Research indicates that people who belong to a support group are better able to cope with the stress of their disease. In doing so, many people actually live longer than those who do not create/adopt a sense of belonging. While online support groups are a good start, actually meeting with people and sitting down to discuss problems, issues, and concerns is emotionally healing. Aside from comfort and morale uplifts, support groups are also a great means of getting information (information seeking), which is also a great way to cope with the fear of the unknown.

• Humor Therapy (Comic Relief). While anger and fear are normal (and even healthy—in tiny amounts), they are not healthy when left unresolved for prolonged periods of time. As mentioned earlier, unresolved emotions can actually suppress the immune system. Norman Cousins launched a whole new field of medical study (psychoneuroimmunology) by using humor therapy. The results are famous: Positive feelings can indeed boost your immune system. Humor, especially black humor, not only helps decrease the fear of death and dying, it helps relieve feelings of anger as well. If nothing else, humor serves as a distraction from the pain and suffering associated with cancer. The average number of times a person laughs per day is about 15. Have you met your quota today?

• Massage Therapy. Muscle tension is the number one symptom of stress, regardless of the stressor. Massage therapy reduces muscle tension and promotes a sense of inner peace. There are many different types of massage (Swedish, sports massage, myofascial release, rolfing, craniosacral). Someone on your healthcare team or support group may know someone you can go to for a full body massage. You will be amazed by how good it feels.

• Complementary and Integrative Medicine. The field of complementary and integrative medicine is loaded with various forms of healing (to be whole, to be at peace). Personally, I am a big advocate of five-element acupuncture, which regulates the flow of energy (chi) throughout the body. It is particularly helpful before and after chemotherapy treatments. Reiki, therapeutic touch, and bio-energy healing also work to regulate (harmonize) the body's layers of energy. Herbs can be helpful, too (ginger helps reduce nausea). The purpose of all forms of complementary healing is to bring homeostasis to mind, body, spirit, and emotions.

• Affirmations and Prayer. Although a positive attitude is often hard to keep when the body is under attack, self-talk has been fou nd to be very effective in keeping peace of mind. Studies show that prayer can help people find peace of mind and spiritual healing. Prayer helps nurture the connection of being part of a much bigger picture, which so often feels severed in times of stress. Prayer is medicine for the soul.

• Healthy Nutrition. The connection between proper nutrition and health cannot be understated. While there is a flood of special diets on the market to improve health, common sense suggests that everyone should eat balanced meals for a healthy immune system. There are two thi ngs to keep in mind: First, what can you do to minimize the amount of toxins you take into your body? Second, what can you do to boost your body's natural healing ability? Here are some cautions and some recommendations:

  • Consider eating more (preferably organic) vegetables. Not only are they high in fiber (reducing toxins in your gastrointestinal tract), they are often loaded with health-enhancing antioxidants. I suggest only organic vegetables as the combination of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides often becomes too much for the immune system to handle.

  • Consider herbal supplements. Try adding an herbal tincture of astragulus (known to boost the immune system) to your diet. Milk Thistle is great to clean the tissue of the liver, which aids in the elimination of toxic chemicals in foods and waste products. Consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements.

  • Eat meats that are organic or free range. Commercial chicken and beef are known to be loaded with hormones and antibiotics. Also, the animals eat grains that have been sprayed with a host of toxins. Your immune system has to spend time eliminating these products, when it is already busy fighting cancer cells. Protein (amino acids) is essential for keeping the immune system in check (white blood cells are made of amino acids). The best sources of protein are meats not tainted with chemicals, hormones, etc. The same goes for milk (cheese, ice cream)—organic wherever possible!

  • Eat natural whole foods. Many foods today are highly processed. The body has an extremely hard time digesting, absorbing, metabolizing, and eliminating these non-natural chemicals. Hydrogenated oil is an example of a highly processed food.

  • Remember your essential fatty acids. There are some oils the body cannot produce that must be ingested from natural sources. Omega-3 and omega-6 are two such lipids. Most foods contain omega-6 oils. Most people do not get enough omega-3s, which can affect the integrity of each cell membrane. Salmon and flax seed oil are great sources of omega-3s.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that cancer can be very stressful, but it doesn't have to stay that way. There are many ways to come to a place of peace, balance, and harmony. In my work with cancer patients, it is not uncommon to hear them say the road of cancer is a hard one, but the lessons are priceless. Balance is the key to life!

If you are seeking more information, there is no lack of resources to choose. Be careful when looking for information from bookstores, talk shows, and websites. The following are some of my favorite sources:

1. Chopra, D. Quantum Healing. New York: Bantam Books, 1989.

2. Epstein, G. Healing Visualizations. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1989.

3. Kübler-Ross, E. On Life After Death. New York: Collier Books, 1997.

4. Radner, G. It's Always Something. New York: Avon, 1995.

5. Remen, R. N. Kitchen Table Wisdom. New York: Riverhead Books, 1997.

6. Seaward, B. L. Stressed is Desserts Spelled Backward: Rising Above Life's Challenges with Humor, Hope, and Courage. Berkeley, CA: Conari Press, 1999.

7. Siegel, B. Love, Medicine and Miracles. New York: Perennial Press, 1987.

8. Simone, C. B. Cancer and Nutrition. Wayne, NJ: Avery Publishing Group, 1992.

9. Weil, A. Eating Well for Optimal Health. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 2000.

10. Weil, A. Spontaneous Healing. New York: Ballantine Books, 1996.