What Can You Do Now?

You don't have to wait to start improving your quality of life. You can do many things on your own to build resilience, feel better, and reduce the impact of conventional cancer treatments.

Therapies

Anticancer Lifestyle Program

Using expert videos, animation, text and interactives, the Change Module of the Anticancer Lifestyle Program introduces you to the course, and help you make lasting lifestyle changes that will decrease inflammation and enhance your immune system’s ability to fight disease.

This course is offered on a “pay-what-you-can” basis for 90-day access to all course modules.

None of the therapies listed here are as easy as taking a pill. They take time and effort, but the rewards are immeasurable.

7 Healing Practices

These 7 Healing Practices are the foundation of health-promoting therapies for people with cancer. They are inherently health-promoting and can enhance your well-being. Research demonstrates the benefits of these practices. Risks are low, with only a few cautions.

Benefits of these practices include reducing symptoms of cancer and treatments, increasing resilience to the side effects of conventional therapies, reducing inflammation and the risk of comorbidities such as heart disease and diabetes, and creating a body terrain that is inhospitable to cancer.

Creating healthy habits is similarly beneficial.

Therapies You Can Do Yourself

Helpsy Health

Even when people are getting the best of cancer treatment, they often feel like they need more help with organizing their care and managing symptoms and side effects. Helpsy empowers members to take control of their health through a real-time virtual nurse support service. This service is available via mobile devices, a Helpsy website and automated phone calls.

Highlighted Video

Author, clinical professor and BCCT advisor Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, demonstrates a breathing technique to lower stress and anxiety.

Many of these therapies are available without prescription. However, note any cautions, and check with your doctor if indicated.

Energy Therapies
Herbs, Supplements and Other Natural Products
- These are too numerous to list here; please see the Search Therapy Summaries database
Mind-body approaches, including these and more:
- Qigong
- Tai chi
- Yoga
Religious and spiritual approaches

Getting Ready for Treatment

Building resilience: cancer prehab and rehab

Find Help

Professionals: Advocates and navigators can help you find and assess options and can support you in making decisions based on your values and beliefs.
Your support network: Recent studies show that sharing love and support contributes as much to your health as diet and exercise do.
Others who have walked (or are walking) your path: No matter how much friends and family love you, they can't support you in the same ways as those who share your experience.
Cancer.Net: How to Find a Caregiver When You Have Cancer

View All References

More Information

BCCT: Financial Resources
Dr. Wayne Jonas: 3 Ways to Use Supplements for Healing
Helpsy Inc.: Helpsy Health
Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine: CanHEAL
BCCT: Get Help: Healing Circles: Share Your Experience
Cancer Treatment Centers of America: What are environmental risk factors, and how can I avoid them?
BCCT: Navigating BCCT by Stages on the Cancer Path
McDougall Advanced Study Weekend: Keith Block MD Speaks about a New Model of Integrative Cancer Treatment
Norman Cousins: Head First: The Biology of Hope and the Healing Power of the Human Spirit
Commonweal: Healing Circles