Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Nutrition Perspective Jacqueline Baker If you or a family member are considering or have commenced complementary, alternative or integrative medicine (CAM) as a treatment option for your cancer, it is important that you understand both the risks and benefits associated in order for you to make an informed decision. CAM is a group of practices and products not currently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary therapies are used with conventional medicine, whereas alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine and is generally not recommended. There is limited research on these therapies at this current time. Although more and more research is being released all of the time, at this stage researchers do not know how safe many of the CAM treatments are or how well they work. However, studies are underway to determine the safety and usefulness of many CAM practices. Some dietary supplements may interact with medications, have side effects, or may contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the label. Some diets can be extremely restrictive and deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. Therefore if you choose to use other nutrition therapies or try different types of diets, it is best to discuss this with your Dietitian, in order to find out if you are meeting all of your nutritional requirements, especially throughout treatment where nutritional requirements can change. Ensure you inform your doctor and dietitian of any CAM practices you are undertaking, in order to ensure safe practice.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:58:50 +0000
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