According to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in 2014 there were approximately 3,020 new cases of bone and joint cancer and 1,460 estimated deaths. While the instance of bone cancer is certainly not as high as, say, lung, breast or prostate cancer, the NIH reports that new cases of bone and joint cancer have been growing by 0.4% on average each year over the last 10 years, with a 66% survival rate. If you’re experiencing bone/joint cancer, or are cancer-free but still feel pain in these areas for other reasons, what are some sustainable, natural solutions that support the body’s efforts to alleviate or eliminate the day-to-day discomfort?
What is Bone Cancer?
Bone/joint cancer occurs when healthy cells within the bone and/or joints grow uncontrollably and form a tumor. Benign, or noncancerous, tumors can grow large enough to weaken the bone and add pressure to neighboring tissue. Malignant, or cancerous, tumors can spread to other parts of the body, including the lungs. The most common types of bone cancer are:
- Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma – most common in children and young adults.
- Chondrosarcoma – cancer of the cartilage; more common in adults.
- Chordoma – first appears in the lower spinal cord.
What are the symptoms of bone/joint cancer?
The symptoms of bone cancer are caused by the tumor pressing against healthy bone tissue and potentially destroying it. Something to note is that many symptoms of bone cancer are similar to those of osteoporosis or arthritis, so it’s easy to confuse the cancer for something else in the early stages. In the initial stages, people notice localized swelling and pain, with the frequency and severity fluctuating depending on the stage of cancer. A tumor in close proximity to a joint might also cause the joint to become swollen, stiff and tender, restricting movement and mobility. In the later stages, the initial symptoms intensify and may even cause bone breakage where the tumor is located. Other symptoms that are much less common include weight loss, fatigue and difficulty breathing.
What are the risk factors?
According to the Cancer Center, the cause of bone cancer still largely remains a mystery, but there are certain factors that may increase a person's risk of developing bone cancer.
- Genetic Disorders: Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Rothmund-Thompson syndrome, mutation of the retinoblastoma and multiple exostoses syndrome.
- Other Medical Conditons: Paget disease is a non-cancerous condition that makes the bones thick and brittle, while multiple enchondromatosis creates benign cartilage tumors.
- Radiation: Exposure to radiation may increase the risk of bone cancer formation in the areas exposed to radiation.
- Bone marrow transplants: Those who have had a bone marrow transplant are at higher risk for bone cancer.
How can you support your body when battling bone cancer?
Whether or not you’re undergoing chemotherapy, surgery or radiation therapy to treat bone cancer, it’s essential (in addition to the Hallelujah Diet plus the Recovery Diet) to give your body additional support that targets the bones and joints so you can live each day with as much comfort and as little pain as possible. Bone/joint cancer is often accompanied by chronic pain in the area of the tumor, nearby joints and surrounding tissue. At the core, this pain is caused by inflammation. During this time, it’s important to stick to a clean and healthy plant-based diet to provide your body with every nutrient it needs to fight the cancer, while adding targeted supplements that will support the body’s efforts to mitigate the pains, swelling and aching. To learn more about how to fuel your body so it’s optimally equipped to handle cancer, consider reading Unravel the Mystery by Ann Malkmus. The Hallelujah Diet offers two supplements that specifically support the body’s efforts to alleviate pain and inflammation while also helping to restore lost tissue.
Joint Health Supplements
Our HD Joint Health Supplement is unique because it contains dual-action ingredients -- those that help the body limit inflammation from acute injuries and others that help rebuild cartilage. They work together to throttle reduce oxidative stress ( a root cause of acute inflammation) in several different ways for better results than popular, though less effective, ingredients in other joint health products. While OTC pain relievers simply mask the pain, Hallelujah Diet® Joint Health Supplement works to directly supply the resources the body requires to addresses the root of the pain using a 100% natural and highly effective formula. Hallelujah Diet Joint Health Supplements reduce inflammation from acute injuries that causes pain and also supports your body's efforts to rebuild cartilage at the same time with these tried-and-true plant-based ingredients:
- Curcumin in the form of BCM-95, the most potent and easily absorbed kind of curcumin.
- Boswellia (also known as Indian frankincense) has been used for centuries to suppress free radicals that cause inflammation.
- Grape seed extract has antioxidants that help address free radicals that cause joint inflammation.
- Astaxanthin is also included for its effectiveness with underlying oxidation that causes inflammation.
- ASU (avocado-soy-unsaponifiables) helps to rebuild cartilage.
Serrapeptase Serrapeptase, or serratia peptidase, is a proteolytic enzyme originally isolated from a microorganism in the intestine of a silkworm. Proteolytic enzymes used systemically help reduce inflammation associated with acute injury in the body and symptoms that often accompany that inflammation. Serrapeptase is used in many European countries for swelling. A double-blind German study found that serrapeptase may decrease swelling by up to 50% in post-operative patients. Patients who took serrapeptase reported considerably less pain than the control groups and were totally free of pain by the tenth day. A natural anti-inflammatory enzyme, serrapeptase digests non-living tissue. The enteric coating assures passage through the stomach so that maximum amounts can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Bodily aching, pains, swelling and limited mobility are extremely disruptive to one’s day-to-day life. Whether or not these conditions are a direct result of bone/joint cancer, taking a sustainable, holistic approach to support your body’s self-healing abilities is a vital part of the recovery process. With a mostly raw, plant-based diet and natural, high-quality supplements that target the problem at the core,work synergistically, you can find maximum comfort as your body overcome this specific health challenge.
