Role of Ayurvedic Diet in Cancer Prevention

Originated in India more than 5000 years ago, Ayurveda has been used as a natural therapy practice for thousands of years. Ayurveda is an ancient healing system that focuses on vatta, pitta, and to create a balance between the mind, body, and soul. There are various ways in which Ayurveda can be used to lead a healthy life. It could be routine changes or changes to the diet.

What is an Ayurvedic Diet and its relation to Cancer?

In the purview of Cancer, the patients have to alter their daily life and their food habits, with changes to the diet. It usually follows a strict regime, where a person wakes up early, remove fats and carbohydrates from the diet, add healthier superfoods like turmeric and garlic. Diet plays a very important role in building immunity to fight chronic illnesses. There are various herbs and superfoods that are incorporated into a person’s diet along with daily exercise, in order for the body and mind to be at ease.

The relation between food and cancer is not direct but is affected by each other. Ayurveda is the science of leading a healthy life. It examines daily routines and offers positive changes to lifestyles and their diets. There are various Ayurvedic herbs that help prevent cancer and have anti-cancer properties.

Ayurvedic Approach to Cancer

Ayurveda has been used as a complementary therapy to western treatment for a very long time. Ayurvedic herbs are organic in nature, they are known to reduce the side effects caused by the chemotherapy and other radiological therapies that cancer patients are exposed to. AIIMS has collaborated with the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences to delve into the possibilities of different remedies for treating cancer through Ayurvedic Herbs.

Following is the concept of Cancer according to Ayurveda. Read about how the balance between the mind and body helps the body to heal itself.

• Ayurveda does not indulge the patients in intensive therapies as remedies for cancer. It harnesses the body’s capability to heal itself through lifestyle and diet changes.
• Ayurvedic diet includes different herbs as natural remedies that help balance the Tridosha’s and Triguna’s.
• Striking the balance between mind, body, and soul is imperative for the body to build a healthy and strong immune system.
• A terminal illness like Cancer does not affect only the body, but also the mind. If the mind is blocked with negativity or anxious thoughts, it can result in symptoms like lethargy, hyperactivity, depression, hyperactivity.
• Ayurveda refers to this imbalance as ‘Tamasic’, meaning the negative side of Tamas (the mind).
• The Ayurvedic diet for cancer patients includes various herbs such as the ones listed below along with different whole grains like raagi, bajra etc.

Role Of Ayurvedic Herbs in Cancer Prevention

Ayurveda focuses on striking a balance between mind, body, and consciousness. To achieve this, one has to follow a daily regime of healthy practices, like a wholesome diet and emotional balance. Balance is the key to a healthy life in Ayurvedic practice.

Following are some Ayurvedic herbs that have proven to have anti-cancer properties.

Amla: One of the richest sources of Vitamin C, Amla contains quercetin, gallic acid, tannins, flavonoids, pectin, and various polyphenolic compounds, making it the king of healing. Laboratory studies have proven that Amla extracts have healing properties that help kill cancerous cells without harming healthy cells.

Garlic: Including Garlic in a diet is very useful in reducing the risk of getting cancer. Garlic contains sulphur, arginine, flavonoids, and selenium. These bioactive components are formed from allicin, which is found in garlic bulbs. Multinational research going on in 10 countries about the consumption of garlic and onions have proven that garlic has anti-cancerous properties and can help combat cancer.

Turmeric: Turmeric has been studied extensively for a very long time by different researchers. It is one of the oldest forms of naturally occurring antiseptic which also has anti-cancer properties. The most important component of turmeric is Curcumin, a potent antioxidant that has proven to kill cancerous cells while not harming healthy cells.

Ashwagandha: Known as Indian Ginseng, Ashwagandha is known as a natural stress buster. The value of the anti-cancer properties was realized about 40 years ago when researchers isolated a crystalline steroidal compound called Withaferin A.

Holy Basil (Tulsi): Known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-stress properties, Tulsi is a widely used herb in India. It is most known for phytochemicals that prevent chemically-induced lung, liver, oral, and skin cancers by increasing the antioxidant activity, altering gene expressions.

Ginger: Ginger has active constituents of potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have proven to be highly medicinal. Today, there is a lot of research on the cancer-preventive effect of ginger. The University of Michigan did a study on the preventive properties of Ginger in preventing Ovarian Cancer.

How does Navgrah Ashram assist in providing Complementary Therapy for Cancer?

Shree Navgrah Ashram is a one of a kind Ayurvedic Ashram in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India. It focuses on Ayurvedic Treatment and Herbal Medicines as the method to treat various diseases including cancer. We have more than 400 herbs growing in-house in the ashram. Our treatments include Cancer treatment, Diabetes, Kidney related ailments, and other diseases. We aspire to cure and bring relief to ailments that can be treated by Ayurvedic therapies, herbal medicine, and other Ayurvedic treatments without any side-effects. An Ayurvedic Ashram in India, which deals with helping the patients to work through the difficult process of cancer treatment, make it easier through Ayurveda, Shree Navgrah Ashram has guest houses for the patients who want to stay there and receive treatment. The in-house herbs are a boon for the patients and they are given proper doses of the herbs required without having to worry.

Based on the research done by the in-house herbologists and doctors, a special diet was formed to assist cancer patients in avoiding side effects of cancer treatment, it is called Pavtan Aarogya Ahar, which is sold by Pavtan. Pavtan’s diet is wholesome and includes various superfoods that help build immunity and increase the body’s healing capabilities.