An Integrative Approach to Cancer: Creating Balance.

When diagnosed with cancer, we might consider taking an Integrative Approach to our care and treatment, with evidence from the field of Integrative Oncology now showing how it can support outcomes, treatment tolerance and quality of life.

An integrative approach typically uses a combination of the following:

• Conventional medicine - including standard of care treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy and other targeted therapies.

• Complementary medicine & therapies - such as herbal medicine, nutritional support, yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, breathwork etc.

• Lifestyle and behavioural approaches - including sleep, exercise and movement, healthy eating, reducing toxin exposure, stress management, emotional regulation, finding meaning and purpose and living in accordance with our intrinsic values and strengths.

In my work as a Holistic Health & Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, Cancer Coach and the Cancer Support Group Co-ordinator for the Integrative Cancer Charity, Yes to Life, we regularly talk about balance.

We often cite the concept of ‘Balance’ with regards to creating:

• A balanced approach to health including conventional, complementary, lifestyle, and behavioural methods

• Homeostasis - balance in body & mind via the optimal functioning of all systems of the body

• A balanced diet

• Balance in rest vs activity

• Work-life balance

• Balance in time spent alone vs with others or socially

• A ‘w’holistic balance in body, mind & spirit

But how do we know when we have found it? How can the concept of ‘Balance’ hold us back from achieving it? Typically, we aim for a feeling or result and it can cause us more stress when we don’t feel or achieve what we hope for. We may feel that we’re not ‘doing it right’ or ‘doing enough’.

So how can we use the concept to create optimal health?

The concept of ‘balance’ wouldn’t exist if we didn’t get out of balance, which is quite ‘normal' for our human experience. 

‘Balance’ is a delicate dance of multiple influencing variables, right for us, creating a synergistic sweet spot. All that nourishes and nurtures our mind, body and spirit. A combination of Integrative Approaches, unique to us, that have a beneficial impact on our health, wellbeing and cancer experience.

‘Balance’ is iterative, not linear.

With support, knowledge, self-awareness and commitment, we learn how to adjust and evolve with change and challenge and create our own perfectly imperfect sense of ‘Balance’.

Sara Spinks