Home remedies for prostate cancer include dietary and lifestyle changes that you can start at home, besides undergoing the standard medical treatment or in place of it. However, when you plan on using home remedies for prostate cancer in addition to the regular medical treatment, you need to consult a doctor. Such treatments are then called complementary therapy. When you use home remedies instead of using standard medical care, they are called alternative therapies.
1. Lifestyle and diet changes
If you plan on trying out home remedies for prostate cancer, you must get in touch with your healthcare provider. It is because such remedies can interfere with the effects of some cancer medicines that you may be taking. You must also inform your doctor if you plan on using only home remedies for treating cancer, in place of the standard medical treatments.
Most of these remedies will alleviate symptoms and side-effects of cancer treatments, but none has yet been proven to cure the condition. So, by choosing to opt for home remedies exclusively and stopping standard medical care, you may be putting your life at risk.
2. Diet changes
The most common home remedies include changing the diet by adding nutrient-rich foods to the diet or switching to a new diet altogether. Most often, people become vegetarian and start a plant-based or a low-fat diet. They prefer juicing veggies and adding nutritious foods like tomatoes, green tea, and pomegranates. However, to date, no research shows a direct link between this cancer and the number of vegetables and fruits that the patient should eat. But, a healthy diet will always reduce the risks of developing cancers.
3. Dietary supplements
There may be some advantages when you add key vitamins and minerals to the diet as your body prepares to battle cancer. But, there is no solid evidence to suggest that it can prevent cancer growth. Incidentally, trials investigating the effects of dietary supplements in treating prostate cancer had to be stalled when no benefits were found. These studies were evaluating the role of selenium and vitamin E in preventing cancer.
4. Plant extracts or herbal supplements
Some herbal supplements were seen to interact with medicines, reducing the effectiveness of many cancer medicines. Many herbs help to alleviate the side-effects of cancer drugs, but you need to clarify this with your healthcare provider. Only your doctor can tell you whether it is safe for use.
There are plant extracts like saw palmetto that may be effective for treating BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, there is still no solid proof to show that this herb reduces risks or prevents prostate cancer. Milk thistle and turmeric have shown anti-cancer properties, but neither has a direct correlation to reducing risks of prostate cancers or delaying cancer growth.
5. Essential oils
These are obtained from plants and inhaled through diffusers or directly using an inhaler. There is however no evidence of such oils curing cancers, but there is proof that the essential oils can help reduce stress, anxiety, and side-effects of cancer treatments. They may be useful for massaging to give stress relief to patients.
Cannabis or marijuana may have anti-cancer properties. However, it is primarily used for relief from the side-effects of cancer treatments and for treating cancer symptoms. Another alternative is the CBD oil or cannabidiol for managing side-effects and symptoms. There are two FDA-approved cannabinoid drugs today for treating chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea.
