By Nancy Lonsdorf, MD

Q. Over the past few years, I’ve had surgery and chemo for cancer. How can I restore my immune and hormonal systems?

A. Although most of the effects of chemotherapy are short-term, some—including fatigue, impaired immunity, hormonal imbalances, and temporary problems with memory, attention, and concentration (recently dubbed “chemobrain”)—can persist for years. To date, not many researchers have looked at the efficacy of treatments to reverse or prevent these long-term side effects. However, it makes sense that approaches that support detoxification, reduce stress, and rebuild immunity will help speed your recovery from both the cancer and its treatment.

Reducing damage to the body during treatment also may prevent side effects down the line. In laboratory studies, researchers found that one traditional ayurvedic herbal formula called amrit nectar protects normal cells from chemotherapy injury. In another small clinical trial, the formula reduced side effects and improved overall strength and well-being without interfering with chemo’s anti-cancer effects. My clinical experience with traditional detoxification approaches from ayurveda, the traditional health system of India, has convinced me that cleansing the body of toxins and rebalancing the body after cancer treatment can help restore optimum health. This type of ayurvedic detox has two phases.
Phase I: During the first eight weeks when your body is recovering strength and stamina, eat a wholesome diet with immune-boosting herbs and spices, drink plenty of pure water, reduce stress, and get extra sleep to enhance your body’s own healing response.

Follow the tips below for optimal detox and recovery during this time.
• Eat organically grown foods, including whole grains, legumes, unprocessed nuts and seeds, and seven to 10 servings of fresh vegetables, fruits, and freshly squeezed juices each day.
• Avoid alcohol, refined sugar, artificial ingredients, cigarette smoke, chemicals, and pollution.
• Cook with turmeric, coriander, cilantro, basil, oregano, rosemary, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, fennel, clove, and saffron to support immunity, hormonal balance, detoxification, and antioxidant protection.
• Take soluble fiber such as psyllium husks to promote elimination of toxins excreted by the liver via the stool.
• Drink eight glasses of warm, pure springwater daily.
• Lower your stress with effective techniques such as yoga and meditation. Research has shown that Transcendental Meditation enhances quality of life in breast cancer patients, reduces stress hormone levels, promotes longevity, and boosts DNA repair.
• Support liver detox and the production of glutathione, the body’s primary defense against most toxins, with plenty of protein in your diet. Nonvegetarians are advised to favor more easily digestible sources such as organic poultry and wild-caught fish that is low in mercury. Vegetarians may wish to include organic, high-protein vegetable sources such as soaked nuts and seeds, legumes, quinoa, amaranth, spirulina, and hemp-seed nut. Consult your doctor before increasing soy in your diet.
• Drink this simple detox tea to support liver and kidney function: Add 1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seed, 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon whole fennel to two quarts of boiled hot, pure springwater; let steep, and sip throughout the day for two months.

Phase II: After two months, if you still feel in need of detox, consider the intensive level of ayurvedic detox called panchakarma, traditionally done in-residence under professional supervision. Check out The Raj (www.theraj.com), a health spa offering holistic and natural maharishi ayurveda treatments and massage. Panchakarma includes warm oil massages, gentle heat treatments, and mild elimination therapies to remove both water- and fat-soluble toxins from deep in the tissues. (Other non-ayurvedic detoxification approaches, such as steam baths, saunas, aerobic exercise, and drinking large amounts of water, can also reduce water-soluble toxins substantially.) In one two-month study, five days of panchakarma treatments resulted in a 46 percent drop in blood levels of PCBs and 58 percent drop in beta-HCH, prevalent environmental toxins linked to cancer and other serious disorders. It is always best to detox under professional supervision with methods supported by research and an established safety track record.

Nancy Lonsdorf, MD is dean of faculty for Vedic Medicine at Maharishi College of Vedic Medicine in Fairfield, Iowa. She’s also the author of The Ageless Woman: Natural Health and Beauty After Forty with Maharishi Ayurveda (MCD Century, 2004).