Can Chinese Medicine Prevent Cancer?

Did you know that cancer cells begin to grow ten years before they show up as a tumor?

Chinese medicine is an ancient art and is focused on looking at the root of illness.  It is said that a good doctor, stops an illness before it begins or takes root.  We all know we can help  prevent cancer by exercising, eating a clean diet and reducing stress. But how can Chinese Medicine help to reduce the likelihood of us getting cancer?

Chinese medicine views Cancer as a form of water stagnation, as well as the slowing down or halting (stasis) of the flow of certain bodily substances such as dampness, Qi and/or mucus/phlegm.  Emotions as well as diet are thought to highly affect these bodily substances - It is believed that “stagnant” emotions (especially anger) cause stagnation in the body. 

The key to a balanced and disease-free body is the balance of Yin and Yang.  If either Yin or Yang predominate, the one in excess tends to consume the other.  Disease is simply the state whereby change (including cell death or apoptosis) does not happen on time or properly.  Acupuncture and herbal medicine used to balance and harmonize the body is certainly one approach to mitigate chronic disease, especially cancer.  As it can be triggered by many factors; cancer can only develop and spread if the conditions in the body create a space for it to exist.   

In this way, we are responsible for what we allow in our bodies, how we perceive our environment (how we react to what we perceive); in other words, what we do to protect our internal and external environment.  In this way, we do have a bit of control over what happens to us in this lifetime.