Mistletoe therapy is an alternative form of treatment that has been gaining traction in recent years due to its potential efficacy.
Mistletoe therapy is a relatively new and unconventional treatment for cancer that uses a special extract of the mistletoe plant. The idea behind it is that the compound in the extract stimulates the immune system to fight off cancer cells. It has been used successfully in Europe for decades and is beginning to gain traction in the United States as well.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss what mistletoe therapy is, how it works, and what risks may be associated with its use. We’ll also explore some of the potential benefits of using this treatment option, as well as provide guidance on where you can get mistletoe therapy if you are interested in giving it a try.
What Is Mistletoe Therapy?
Mistletoe therapy is an unconventional but promising treatment option for cancer patients. It involves injecting or ingesting a specialized extract made from the European mistletoe plant (Viscum album). This extract contains several compounds, including lectins and viscotoxins, which are believed to be able to stimulate an anti-tumor immune response within the body.
The concept behind mistletoe therapy dates back to 1920 when German physician Rudolf Siegel first proposed using extracts of European mistletoe plants as a form of immunotherapy against cancer. Since then, studies have been conducted that demonstrate its potential to reduce tumor size and slow tumor growth. In fact, one recent study even found that this therapy increased four-year survival rates by 10 percent among colon cancer patients when compared to those who did not receive any form of alternative medicine treatment at all.
How Does Mistletoe Therapy Work?
When applied either through injection or ingestion, the compounds contained in European mistletoe extracts act on both tumor cells and healthy cells alike. On tumor cells they are thought to induce apoptosis (cell death) while on healthy cells they activate natural killer cells – white blood cells responsible for defending against infection and disease – which then attack any potentially dangerous virus or bacteria within our bodies. In this way, mistletoe therapy may help boost our immune systems as well as fight off cancerous growths directly.
It’s important to note that there is still much research needed before doctors can confidently recommend mistletoe therapy over traditional treatments like chemotherapy or radiation for particular types of cancer cases; however, preliminary results are promising enough for many people who are hesitant about modern day treatments due to their side effects or other concerns that they look into trying out this alternative approach.
Potential Benefits and Risks Associated With Mistletoe Therapy
Mistletoe therapy has been shown in clinical studies to be effective against certain cancers including oral cavity carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, melanoma and ovarian carcinoma; however it should still only be used under doctor supervision due to potential safety concerns associated with its use such as allergic reaction or low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia). Additionally, those receiving conventional treatments such as chemotherapy should not take part in this type of complementary medicine without first consulting their doctor due to possible drug interactions between them both.
On the plus side, proponents argue that unlike chemotherapy which targets rapidly dividing healthy cells along with potentially harmful ones; mistletoe therapy only targets diseased tissues – thus making it less likely for normal tissues within our bodies to suffer any side effects from its use than from conventional treatments like radiation or chemo therapies which can have numerous unpleasant repercussions down the line such as hair loss or nausea/vomiting episodes afterwards.
Where Can I Get Mistletoe Therapy?
If you’re interested in exploring alternative therapies such as mistletoe therapy instead of more conventional treatments like chemotherapy/radiation etc., then your best bet would be visiting a naturopathic physician near you who specializes in integrative care – they’ll be able provide you with more personalized advice on whether this type of complementary medicine could help you specifically given your medical history/present state etc., plus tell you where locally you could find practitioners offering Viscum album injections/herbal tinctures containing specialized extracts made from European Mistletow plants.
