Cancer is one of those topics that make us stop and pause. About 40% of the population will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and only about half will survive. If like me you are in the other 60% you will personally know someone who has or had cancer. Those statistics are very sobering and hit very close to home, my dad died of metastatic prostate cancer, and my mom is a breast cancer survivor. Cancer has an effect not only on those with the disease but those surrounding them as well.
There is a lot of new research that is looking very promising, in the prevention as well as in the treatment of cancer. In particular, research that is focused on tapping into the body’s ability to heal itself has captured my attention.
Cancer is a disease that occurs when the genomic information within the cell is damaged. The level of damage determines the virility of the cell to reproduce, i.e., how aggressive the cancer is. In all healthy cells apoptosis – cell self-destruction is programmed in to occur if the cell is no longer able to perform its intended function and a new stem cell takes its place. A cancer cell has so much genomic damage that it no longer recognizes that it is part of a larger organism, goes into survival mode, and begins rapidly reproducing.
Research done this year by Steven Cole showed a correlation between increased stress levels and decreased social support and accelerated progression of some cancers. The study showed that the microenvironment of the cancer, at the cellular level and the external macro environment of social support had an effect on cancer growth.
In a recent interview, Dr. Zach Bush talks about our disconnection with our body and speaks of reconnecting with the affected body part in active disease and more generally before the disease process begins. His work is showing that reconnecting with the body can help a cell remember its role in the whole and can trigger apoptosis. This can help to mitigate disease process.
To reconnect the cell needs silence, something we are often in short supply of. The silence helps the body, cells included, to recalibrate. The cells then resonate with the frequency of their intended function. The idea is that the cancer cells then recognize that they are damaged and self-destruct allowing healthy cells to take their place.
These findings suggest that the simple (not always easy) act of quieting our mind and reconnecting to our body can have lasting physiological effects. Each of us is unique in our experience of life, so a set prescribed protocol is difficult if not impossible task. What helps quiet my mind may be very different from what quiets yours. While not a panacea to cure all that ails you this body of research certainly lends credence to a simple daily practice of silence that can be of benefit.
Everyday Consciousness – Tips for applying this information
We all have habits that make up our day; some studies indicate up to 70% of our days are comprised of habitual behaviors. Try incorporating one or two of these mind-body techniques into your daily routine. It may help keep you healthy.
- Turn off electronics while you sleep
- Do a Body Scan – where you check in with how your body is feeling
- Before sleep practice progressive relaxation – tense and release your muscles from head to toe
- Create space – even 10 minutes- each day to quiet your mind.
o Meditate
o Pray
o Walk a labyrinth
o Deep breathing
- As a bonus work on a deeper connection by engaging in a more in-depth conversation once or twice a week by introducing a topic that sparks a conversation that moves beneath the surface and fosters connection.
Resources:
Steven W. Cole
New challenges in psycho‐oncology: Neural regulation of the cancer genome
First published: 18 July 2018 https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4838
Interview with Dr. Zach Bush https://lifespa.com/episode-61-can-learn-cancer-cells-interview-zach-bush-m-d/