Cancer: the most feared word in medicine. It should be. According to the World Health Organization, in 2008 cancer became the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming 7.6 million lives that year. They predict that by 2030 cancer will be claiming more than 11 million lives per year.
Cancer starts with one single cell that, through a range of internal and external processes, becomes a tumor cell. What was once a vital part of your body now begins attacking you from the inside. If not caught early, that cell will reproduce quickly, interfering with the rest of your body’s functions.
We started thinking about cancer this week when we read this article in Japan Today about Tamagawa Onsen in Akita Japan. The hot springs in this area are some of the most acidic in all of the world and the rock in the area has high concentrations of naturally occurring radium. Japanese cancer sufferers believe that laying on the rocks and bathing in the springs can help cure cancer. Some use the onsen to augment a western medical treatment program. Others who cannot get access to medical treatment use it as their own version of radiation therapy. Even the area’s rocks, which are not supposed to be removed from the area, can sell for thousands of dollars for people too ill to make the journey to the onsen. The blog Only For Lonelies has a nice writeup on the background of this spring.
The Japanese are not the only ones who believe that heat bathing can help mitigate cancer.
IR Lamp Sauna by Bela Lampenfabrikation
One alternative is Kelley Metabolic Cancer Therapy. In addition to taking large numbers of supplements, the program calls for daily use of a near-infrared lamp sauna to help rid the body of the cancerous cells. The thought is that there are two mechanisms at work: Cancer cells cannot tolerate high temperatures as well as healthy cells, and some cancer cells are affected by certain frequencies of visible light.
Cancer cells not tolerating high temperatures is a proven medical fact. American Cancer Society has a large article on hyperthermia to heat a tumor up to 45°C (113°F). The heating can sometimes destroy a tumor by itself, or make the tumor more vulnerable to chemotherapy or radiation treatments. The heating is done using special machines that heat just the tumor and little of the surrounding tissue or by elevating the whole body temperature of the patient.
Light therapy is another commonly discussed advantage for using a near-infrared sauna. Proponents claim that certain wavelengths of light can help the body destroy cancer cells. These wavelengths are present in the heat lamps used in a near infrared sauna. Unfortunately, the American Cancer Society cannot find any evidence to back these claims. Light therapy is used in professional cancer treatment, but only as an activator for certain photosensitive drugs.
Saunas can have another benefit for cancer sufferers: Pain management. Heating the body in a sauna and cooling it gently has been shown to help sufferers of chronic pain ease their symptoms without medication.
If you are suffering from cancer, and are looking for alternatives, the sauna may be a benefit for you. However, like all alternative therapies, you should discuss what you plan to do with your doctor first. Many medications are heat sensitive. Others can interfere with your body’s natural cooling mechanisms. What may seem like a harmless addition could cause serious complications for you.
According to the article, heat therapy is being used to treat all sorts of ailments:
Cancer is one we had not heard before. Apparently, heat allows the body to more easily determine that cancer cells are not normal, and it encourages the body to attack them.
Heat for treating heart disease is one that specifically mentioned the sauna. A Japanese team found that after two weeks of sauna use a group of men with heart disease had significantly improved their blood flow. The researchers believe the heat from the sauna helped widen their arteries.
Athletes have long known that heat can help muscle injuries more than 48 hours old to heal faster. Applying heat to the area causes the blood vessels there to dilate, bringing more oxygen to the area. This allows the body to heal itself quicker.
Sufferers of aches and pains, whether it be from a backache, arthritis or even menstrual pains can get relief by heating the area. Applying heat for 20-30 minutes at a time will block pain messages from being transmitted, just like taking a painkiller. Longer periods of heat application creates what is called “rebound” which makes all of the areas stiff and sore.
Of course, heat, especially steam, can help people who are suffering respiratory problems from a cold or allergies. As we have reported here before, a regular sauna can help you avoid catching a cold in the first place. Unfortunately, once you have a cold a sauna won’t help you get over it more quickly.
So now you know, taking a sauna not only helps you feel better, it helps you get better too.
Of course, heat can also have a number of negative impacts on your body and may cause medications to behave much differently. Before starting to use heat therapy on your own, consult your doctor to fully understand what your risks and complications may be.
After a good sauna, it’s always nice to cool down naturally, by relaxing and letting the breeze gently take the heat away from your body. Of course, since the sauna is best enjoyed with as little clothing as possible, if you’re enjoying the sauna during the day, you probably want a good sunscreen.
Many sunscreens available in the U.S. may be the equivalent of modern-day snake oil, plying customers with claims of broad-spectrum protection but not providing it, while exposing people to potentially hazardous chemicals that can penetrate the skin into the body. When only 8 percent of sunscreens rate high for safety and efficacy, it’s clear that consumers concerned about protecting themselves and their families are left with few good options.
The risk of Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, may be increased while wearing sunscreen, for some people.
High SPF products may be more harmful, suppressing sunburns, while allowing other skin damage to occur.
Sunscreen may inhibit the production of Vitamin D.
Vitamin A in sunscreen may speed the development of cancer.
Free radical damage from UV rays may be worse with sunscreen than it is on bare skin alone.
Hormone disruptors or Nanomaterials are present in most US sunscreen formulations.
European sunscreens are better than US sunscreens, because
The US FDA has lagged approving new compounds, and has spent 33 years developing a sunscreen safety policy.
The Environmental Working Group is a US Non-profit dedicated to educating the public about hidden toxic chemicals and working to change government policy that allow, promote or subsidize the use of these toxins.
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