| Naturopathic Medicine: Prostate Problems | |
Conium maculatum: with enlarged gland
Ferrum picricum: best remedy for prostatic enlargement and inflammation
in the aged
Lycopodium: enlarged prostate and inflammation, when there is pressure
in the perineum near the anus while urinating
Sabal serrulata: inflammation and enlargement when the gland is hot,
swollen and painful; in senile cases
Spongia tosta: hypertrophy, spermatic cord and testicles are red
and swollen
Thuja occidentalis: hypertrophy and inflammation, frequent pressing
to urinate with small discharge, discharge of prostatic fluid in morning
on waking
Flower essences most frequently chosen for prostatis are dill or garlic.
Healing colors are, for acute prostatitis, turquoise directed towards
the front of the body and blue, which promotes relaxation, lowers high temperatures
and reduces inflamed tissue when directed towards the gland as much as possible.
For chronic postatitis use lemon (helps to dissolve blood clots). With
enlargement of the gland (BPH), plus infection (prostatitis), orange acts
as a decongestant and indigo acts as an astringent (to tonify boggy tissues),
antipyic (reducing pus formation), and hemostatic (reducing bleeding and
inflammation.
Psychospiritual metaphors and correlations for inflammation to consider
revolve around the "inflammatory" feeling of fear, especially
as it expresses through anger. Examples of this kind of thinking are often
described in a telling manner: inflamed thinking; seeing red; seething with
anger and frustration about conditions in one's life. Remember too that
the prostate represents masculine principle.
If you have an astrological bent you may want to look at what's going on
with conjunctions with your birth chart indicators: Perhaps Mars, Pluto,
or a planet in Scorpio are afflicted.
And the all-important mental connection, true for almost all disease, includes
the power of the spoken word, spoken lovingly to yourself. Consider the
following affirmations:
- (for inflammation) My thinking is peaceful, calm, and centered.
I am willing to change all patterns of criticism. I love and approve of
myself.
- It is safe to be a man.
Those who are prone to inflammations are attempting to avoid conflicts.
Questions that arise may be useful to explore in a more conventional psychotherapeutic
context:
- What conflict in my life am I failing to see? hear? feel?
- What conflict am I dodging? What is my relationship to it?
- What conflict am I failing to admit to?
Prostate Cancer
Finally, the most serious diagnosis for the prostate gland will be briefly
discussed. As a very general rule of thumb, carcinoma (cancer) is usually
best treated with a COMBINATION of conventional therapies (in fact one of
the most effective chemotherapy regimes is the one for prostate cancer,
in terms of relatively few side effects and a good cure rate, especially
with early detection) and supportive complementary treatments, which will
be discussed below.
Prostate cancer is very rarely seen in males under 50 years old, and is
rated third in cancer deaths in male patients over the age of 65 (behind
lung and colon). Most are adenocarcinomas. They are associated with benign
prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), but there is no specific causative link. Cancer
can be tricky. Signs and symptoms may not present at all. Or you might
experience urinary frequency, urgency or needing to pee during the night.
A physician will often find a firm, hard prostate on rectal digital exam.
The role of healthy eating can not be overemphasized in both prevention
and reversal of cancer. In general, the eating principles with prostate
cancer are based on alkalinizing the system. Alkaline fasts must be undertaken
under physician supervision -- a physician well versed in therapeutic fasting,
and with a good grip on nutritional biochemistry.
Therapeutic foods to consider are:
- pumpkin seeds (raw) dosage: 25 four times daily
- anise, tangerine, cherries, figs, litchi, sunflower seeds, mangos, seaweeds
- Zinc-rich foods, squash seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, tahini, Vitamin
E rich foods, kelp
Additional supplements, geared towards resolving malignancy, as opposed
to specifically towards the prostate, are:
- Vitamin A (high doses, under physician guidance)
- Selenium
- Zinc
The botanicals listed are, again, geared to halting the progression of cancerous
growth, and to ameliorating the side-effects of chemotherapy. They are listed
alphabetically, and with their particular restorative function. For doses
and duration please consult a qualified herbalist or naturopath.
- Avena sativa: nervous debility of convalescence
- Baptisia tinctoria: for tumorous or malignant conditions
- Berberis aquifolium: dyscrasiae due to cancerous cachexia
- Conium maculatum (toxic): pain of cancer
- Echinacea spp.: increases interferon production, purifies blood
- Gentiana lutea: bitter: promotes appetite, improves digestion in
chronic debility
- Phytolacca decandra (toxic): carcinoma, adenoma; hard, swollen lymph
nodes, especially in the pelvic region
- Rumex crispus: early stages of cancer; to prevent
- Taraxacum officinale: loss of appetite, weak digestion
- Trifolium pratense: alterative; purifies blood, cancerous diathesis;
with daily use: patients are slower in developing carcinoma after excision
- Viola odorata: malignant disease, neoplasm in alimentary canal; after
tumor extirpation to protect from metastases. Combines well with Galium
aparine
- Viscum album (toxic): tumor-inhibiting effects reported, main use
as follow-up therapy after surgery or radiation. Extracts available: Iscador
(Weleda), Phenesol (Madaus), Helixior
The famous "Hoxsey" herbal formula for malignancy also deserves
mention here. It is comprised of:
Glycyrrhiza glabra, 12 g.
Trifolium pratense, 12 g.
Arctium lappa, 6 g.
Stillingia sylvatica (toxic), 6 g.
Berberis aquifolium, 6 g.
Phytolacca decandra (toxic), 6 g.
Rhamnus purshiana, 3 g.
Rhamnus frangula (toxic), 3 g.
Xanthoxylum americanum, 3 g.
To mix up the formula, combine the dry herbs, place in 3 cups of water and
simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool, strain and store in a dark glass jar.
Dose: use 2-4 tbsp. tea in a third cup water adding 1-2 drops of saturated
potassium iodide and 5-11 drops strong iodine (Lugol's) solution. Take
four times daily, with food, and again before bed.
Traditional Chinese Medicine therapies will not be discussed in great detail
here because it is critical to not hope that they would suffice, alone,
to treat cancer. However, the following guidelines towards understanding
a TCM diagnosis are offered:
- Zeng Ye Tang plus chrysanthemum flower (ju hua), trichosanthes root
(tian hua fen), glehnia (sha shen), dioscorea (shan yao) and moutan bark
(mu dan pi): Large Intestine Dryness: oral side-effects of radiation therapy:
dryness that is worse at night, irritability, dry tongue, rapid thin pulse
- Dang Gui Ji Xue Teng Tang: Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Xue Xu (Blood
Deficiency): leukopenia or thrombocytopenia during radiation therapy or
chemotherapy
- Hoelen Five Herbs F. (Wu Ling San): side-effects from radiation.
- Ji Xue Teng Qin Gao Pian (patent): increases white blood count.
- Ci Wu Jia Pian (patent): Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Kidney Jing Xu (Essence
Deficiency): enhances immune system, helps protect body from radiation;
inhibits metastasis.
- He Che Da Zao Wan (patent): Kidney Yin Xu (Deficiency)
- Ling Zhi Feng Wang Jiang (patent): Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Xue Xu
(Blood Deficiency)
- Chih-ko and Curcuma C. (patent): All tumors
- Blue Citrus (patent): Groin swellings
Homeopathic remedies that might be chosen are:
- Conium maculatum: stony, hard prostate, inability to have erections
but high sex drive; intermittent urination in old people; urine flows and
stops; weight like a stone in perineum
- Crotalus horridus: cancer with hematuria
- Iodatum: incontinence of urine; complete prostration of strength
and general emaciation; worse from external warmth
- Psorinum: discharge of prostatic fluid before urinating; several
organs flabby, torpid; aversion to coitus
- Selenium: lot of sexual activity that led to debility, masturbation;
worse in hot weather, after sleep and anything that causes relaxation; involuntary
dribbling
- Sulphur: offensive sweat around genitals
- Thuja occidentalis: pain, burning on urination or ejaculation; lot
of sexual problems; frequent and urgent desire to urinate
Flower essences to consider:
- aloe vera
- dandelion
- mallow
Colors to work with:
- lemon (helps to dissolve blood clots; acts as a chronic alterative)
- indigo (an astringent, antipyic, antiemetic, and hemostatic) on area
- orange (acts as a decongestant) on area may further reduce mass.
Metaphors and correlations to ponder:
- The prostate represents the masculine principle.
- Loss of sexual function after surgery is more likely to be related
to the patient feeling unattractive, to lack of information, or to lackof support in dealing with postoperative psychological reactions than to surgical loss of sexually-responsive tissue. Many sexual problems will
be solved by just the chance to discuss them; patients need to hear that
their sexual concerns are completely normal.
- Comprehensive cancer management should include members of the medical
discipline who provide holistic and humanistic treatment. One team member
should be both a qualified sex therapist and psychotherapist. This individual
should be introduced to patients at the onset of treatment, be involved
in a preoperative assessment, during hospital stay, and during the post-operative
period.
Visualizations and affirmations for approaching cancer must be individualized
so that they are deeply meaningful for you. It is quite likely that someone
in your community will be able to guide you in creating specific healing
metaphors and imagery to work with the issues that have produced prostate
cancer. Have faith in the healing power of your own mind and your own body.
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