This article is the fifth and final installment of a series on Natural Health Therapies and Cancer. The material presented is meant to inform you of complementary cancer therapies that are available in the medical community. These therapies are to be used in cooperation with other cancer treatment methods. They are not meant to replace your physician's care.

So far, we have discussed the basics of cancer, looked at a list of causes, reviewed the various types and stages of cancer, and examined the use of nutrition and herbal supplements as forms of cancer therapy. We have also talked about various physical support therapies and their benefits for individuals with cancer. In this article, we will investigate the use of Energy Support Therapies for cancer. These methods include Electrodermal Screening, Magnetic Therapy, and Light Therapy.

‘Energy Medicine' refers to any therapies or testing that use an energy field such as electrical, magnetic, sonic, microwave, infrared, or acoustic energy. We've all been exposed to energy medicine before. EKGs for heart activity, EMGs for muscle tests, EEGs for brain waves, and MRIs for scanning body parts are all examples of energy medicine techniques.

The basic principle in energy medicine is that a disease will show an energy change before it becomes a full-blown illness. The energy flow is based on acupuncture meridians known for thousands of years. These meridians are pathways for energy flow. The concept of energy flow in the meridians is similar to the flow of blood in the arteries and veins in our circulatory system. Studies done in Germany and at Stanford University verified that there is electrical conduction through the acupuncture meridians, that the energy changes at the traditional acupuncture points, and that the energy changes when health is poor.

Electrodermal Screening Testing the skin surface to determine if there are any imbalances in the energy flow is called electrodermal screening. It is done by touching a small probe to certain points on the hands and feet, which generates information on a computer. A point value on a scale of 0-100 is assigned to the various readings. Scores in the 45-55 range are considered normal. Readings below 45 indicate organ degeneration while scores above 55 suggest organ inflammation. Following the electrodermal screening, therapies are given according to the scores displayed at each of the various test sites.

Magnetic Therapy We are exposed to magnetic energy every day. Some is naturally generated by our body, by solar flares, by changes in the weather, and by the earth itself. Common electrical devices like radios, televisions, computers, microwave ovens, power wheelchairs, and commercial power lines also produce magnetic fields.

Magnetic therapy focuses on the use of external magnets and electromagnetic devices to relieving symptoms and reversing degenerative diseases. The negative poles of the magnets have shown benefits to health while the positive poles exhibit a harmful effect. It has been identified that cancer thrives in a high-acid, low-oxygen environment. Negative magnetic fields cause the cells to become more alkaline and to increase the oxygen level. The technique is called Magnetic Resonance Bio-oxidative Therapy and is still considered experimental even though there are reports of successful treatments of cancers of the prostate, brain, spine, skin and mouth.

Light Therapy Exposure to sunlight plays an important role in maintaining good health. Not only does it help the body produce Vitamin D; the sunlight also sends impulses to our brain's regulatory system. The brain then generates signals to control everything from sleep cycles and body temperature to digestion and immune function. Because of the body's need for light, poor lighting or minimal exposure to the sun can lead to health problems. Studies have linked poor lighting to fatigue, hostility, suppressed immune function, depression, hair loss, skin damage, strokes, and cancer.

‘Full-Spectrum Light Therapy' has shown the ability to help with improving the overall health. Similar to exposure to sunlight, this therapy uses the entire range of light including ultraviolet. A study at Johns Hopkins University Medical School demonstrated a positive relationship between full-spectrum light and the prevention of breast, colon, and rectal cancers.

‘Ultraviolet Light Therapy' is used both topically for skin lesions and through a process called hemo-irradiation for other cancers. Hemo-irradiation involves removing about a pint of blood, exposing it to ultraviolet light, and returning it to the patient's bloodstream. This technique has been reported to increase oxygen levels, neutralize body toxins, and balance the body's biochemicals.

‘Photodynamic Therapy' or PDT is quite promising in handling some early stage cancers. This therapy involves injecting dyes or medications that are sensitive to light. These agents are absorbed by the cancer tumors which are then exposed to certain types of light. This technique has had a 90% success rate in Japan for the early stage cancers of the lung, stomach, esophagus, and cervix.

Further Information Most of you know that I am an advocate for learning more about your body and any illness for which you have been diagnosed. Education is a great tool in preventing disease. Here is a good book for Cancer and Alternative Medicine -- A Definitive Guide to Cancer by W. John Diamond, M.D., W. Lee Cowden, M.D., and Burton Goldberg.

The Definitive Guide to Cancer is a must-read. I recommend this book to everyone because it provides a great historical and medical background for the increase of cancer in today's society. It also describes 37 different alternative cancer treatments being used by physicians in the U.S. and around the world. The book is informative and eye-opening. I have used it as a reference many times while writing this series on Cancer.

If you would like more information on any topic discussed in this series or to suggest ideas for a future article, you can contact me through my website or email me at DoctorRyan@JerryRyanPhD.com.