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Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise: The Experts opinion about Prevention

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise is very essential if we are to stop the vicious circle of transferring cancer from one generation to another.

It is estimated that a third of all cancer patients’ deaths are associated with diet and physical activity not just in the US but also globally. This is not a small number to be overlooked. The need to reduce the risk of development of certain types of cancers becomes very necessary. And because the association is majorly on the physical activities and diet, we must as well start the corrective measures from there. It is therefore very important that we get down to the business of addressing the prevention of cancer using nutrition and exercise professionally and immediately. Cancer is one of the most traumatizing diseases and having to go through the treatment procedures would be very difficult both physically and psychologically. We can avoid all this by doing all it takes to keep this disease away from our live. Owing to the nature of the disease, we may not be able to understand better what must be done as laymen. Therefore we are going to engage doctor Dalal Akoury who been in the medical practice for over two decades in the same discipline. Doctor Akoury is the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and she has been instrumental in helping many people overcome their weight problems and you too can benefit from her expertise by scheduling for an appointment with her today.

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise: Body weight and cancer

Women who are overweight may have a greater risk for cancers of the breast (after menopause), endometrium, cervix and ovaries. The weight that is gained during adulthood may also increase the risk for cancer of the endometrium, and breast in postmenopausal women. Women who gain weight around their waistline are at great risk for these cancers. The body mass index (BMI) can indicate if a weight is healthy. The BMI is calculated using a person’s weight in relation to their height. A BMI chart is an easy way to look this up. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is healthy, BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight, and BMI of 30 and above is obese. Women should aim for a healthy BMI.

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise: Physical activity and cancer

From the various studies it has been established that physical activities whether moderate or vigorous are essential in lowering certain diseases including breast cancer risk. Being active is also capable of protecting women against post-menopausal breast cancer. Besides that physical activity may also help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and diabetes. Doctor Akoury encourages that people need not to get scared of registering for exercise. She says that it is not all about working out that delivers result. In fact even that little that could easily go unnoticed is good enough to make a difference. Therefore for starters, it would be appropriate that they start slowly by going at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Moderate activities include dancing, brisk walking, and cycling. To help prevent excessive weight gain, 60 minutes or more of moderate activity every day, or 30 minutes or more of vigorous activity is suggested. Vigorous activities include jogging, running and tennis. However, as for much older women of over 50 years of age, with serious medical problems, it would be most appropriate for them to consult with their doctor before commencement of any intense physical activity program.

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise: Diet and cancer

When planning a healthy diet with cancer in mind, it is different from when you are doing the same for your daily feeding practice. For that kind of program to work effectively, it would be very important that you seek for the expert’s opinion. Doctor Dalal Akoury suggests the following guidelines:

Shun from taking foods and drinks rich in sugar – Food elements like sodas, sports drinks, fruit drinks, cakes, pies, and cookies are very high in empty calories and fat and low in important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are not the type to go for under these circumstances.

Go for more of fresh produced foods of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, peas, beans, lentils – A plant-based diet is made up of foods that come mostly from plants. Plant-foods are more wholesome and are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients (plant nutrients). Phytonutrients help to protect the cells in the body from damage and help boost the immune system.

Limit processed meats and red meats – Processed meats are generally smoked, cured or salted. Processing of cold cuts, sausage, bacon, ham and hot dogs adds cancer-causing substances like salt or sodium nitrite. Studies have linked eating large amounts of processed meats with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Health experts recommend that red meats like beef, lamb, and pork should be limited to no more than 18 ounces a week. If meat is part of the diet, it is better to eat lean meats, fish, poultry, or beans. Cook by baking broiling, poaching or steaming, instead of frying.

Avoid alcohol – Women who drink alcohol should drink no more than one drink a day (no more than two per day for men). One drink of alcohol is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces 80-proof distilled spirits. Drinking alcohol can cause cancers of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon and rectum. Studies show that the risk for breast cancer increases, when the drinking of alcohol increases.

Limit the use of salty foods and foods processed with salt (sodium) – Too much salty may increase the risk of stomach cancer as well as high blood pressure. Salt in the diet should be less than 2,400 milligrams a day; about one teaspoon. Cut back on the added in cooking, and avoid salty foods and snacks.

Avoid using supplements for cancer prevention – Taking large doses of supplements may have serious side effects, especially if taken with certain medications. Women should also avoid taking soy pills, unless a doctor approves. In certain cases, a woman may need calcium or vitamin D supplements to prevent osteoporosis (brittle bones), but this should be prescribed by a doctor.

Phytonutrients and antioxidants – Studies have shown that food items from the vegetation (plants) contain thousands of phytonutrients that may have cancer fighting benefits. Plant foods are rich in antioxidants like vitamin A, C, E and beta carotene. These include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Other excellent sources of phytonutrients are: Green tea, grapes, wine, berries, citrus fruits, apples, whole grains, soy, and nuts. Brightly colored vegetables and fruits are the best sources of phytonutrients. Since no single food can provide all of the health benefits to reduce cancer risk, it is best to eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Prevention of Cancer using Nutrition and Exercise: The Experts opinion about Prevention

 

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Beauty after Breast Cancer

You Can still Achieve Beauty after Breast Cancer

BeautyBreast cancer is one of the common forms of cancers that have made many people victims. If you are not the immediate victim then you are affected in a way. this diseases has maimed many women but its effects goes beyond the need for medical care to correct the body tissues and cells affected for the sake of restoring good health but anybody who has suffered from disease and survived or have cared for anyone suffering from this disease will tell you that after breast cancer treatment you can hardly recognize them. It interferes with the beauty of our women. Before I indulge on how breast cancer treatments can have negative effects on your beauty, I think it is prudent that we know some facts about this monster. Breast cancer is disease that is caused by malignant cells that form in the tissues of the breast. The damaged cells can invade surrounding tissue, when this happens there will be more complex treatments needed to save the situation as the when the cancer cells are far spread in the body it becomes rather hard to deal with the situation as local chemotherapy can’t work any better. When the surrounding cells are affected the treatments used will often leave the patients with lots of side effects. However when this disease is detected much earlier before the breast is adversely affected and before the malignant cells affects the surrounding cells then it can be treated after which many people will continue living their lives normally.

Today it is estimated that one in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. As known to many this disease affects women more than it affects men and is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide. Each year it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 410 will die each year. This makes breast cancer both a man and a woman health threat therefore it should be addressed well by availing different alternatives to treat it so that it can be fought and one. Cancer treatments are known to leave the patients with myriads of side effects. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy that are the most used orthodox treatments for breast cancer targets to treat cancer by destroying the cancer cells on the breast tissues. Unfortunately when a person is put on either radiation therapy or chemotherapy not only the cancer cells are destroyed but also the living cells. Apart from this other side effects of chemotherapy that make women lose several ounces of beauty include;

Appetite loss– when a breast cancer patient is put on chemotherapy they will lose appetite, eating less than usual and at other times they will fail to eat a lot. How does this affect their outlook? Well, when a patient is under prolonged appetite loss they will fail to eat leading to malnutrion, loss of weight, loss of muscle mass and strength which will limit the body’s ability to heal. Lack of proper nutrition also leads to skin discoloration and dryness. The skin becomes dry and dark which isn’t any aesthetic to any woman.

Dealing with Hair loss

Patients receiving chemotherapy may lose hair from all over the body, gradually or in clumps. This side effect most often starts after the first several weeks or rounds of chemotherapy and tends to increase one to two months into treatment. Every person knows how valuable a woman’s hair is to them. During breast cancer treatment they not only lose the hair on their heads but also on other parts of the body. They lose eyebrows and eyelashes too.

Beautywomen may have very many roles in this life, they take up careers and today even perform most of the duties that were initially dominated by man but these all manly jobs that they have since dominated all in a bid to be independent which is good at all angles, they are still the flowers of this planet. Life revolves around women and not on them alone but also on their beauty. every woman spend the better part of their life pursuing beauty and tis beauty should not be completely swept off because of breasts cancer and treatments that follows it. A woman can still be beautiful after breast cancer; even after losing their hair to this monster. There are several cancer treatment facilities that are now offering several ways of restoring their beauty after cancer treatments. for the problem of hair loss there are wigs and hairpieces that are sold in shops that a person who has lost her hair can buy better yet there are wigs and hairpieces in some cancer treatment facilities that are specifically designed for breast cancer patients who have lost their hair. The choice of the wig and hairpiece to use depends on the patient, if she wants wig and hairpiece that looks exactly as her hair then it is better to choose a wig or hairpiece before her hair falls out so it most closely matches the original hair color and style.

for all problems that may arise as a result of lack of appetite, having the help of a nutritionist who can avail all the information and recommend best foods to restore good health, weight gain and solve the problem of skin dryness and skin discoloration will be a better idea. Some patients have also opted to go for cosmetic surgery to conceal the scars if they ever had to go for surgery in treatment of their diseases however for surgeries it’s good to check on possible side effects first. Breast cancer is a monster that wreaks havoc in a woman’s life but you should restore your beauty after treatment. For this purpose, contact Dr. Dalal Akoury by calling her on (843) 213-1480. She will surely be able to give a helping hand.

Beauty after Breast Cancer

 

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Life After Breast Cancer

Life after Breast Cancer: How to Still Enjoy Life

Breast cancerBreast cancer just like any other type of cancer is an intruder in a person’s life. apart from just giving you painful experience during all the time that you were sick and all those side effects that are associated with the orthodox methods of cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy and sometime having to fight the possibility of getting addicted to the opioids they give you to help mitigate the magnitude of the pain that you suffer, cancer changes a person’s life completely. the name cancer is synonymous to pain, while to some people the mention of cancer draws death in their mental picture as that is what many people have since grown to associate it with- that it what it does in most cases, after fighting it for some periods of your life you may end up in the cemetery, call this a bitter reality but thanks to invention of several effective alternative therapies that can be integratively used to help treat breast cancer. The advent of the several alternative cancer treatment therapies like ozone therapy among others have given hope to many cancer patients owing to their efficacy where they have been applied. Breast cancer patients can now have hope of facing tomorrow despite their pain in they face every day. however as I mentioned earlier breast cancer changes a person’s lifestyle, there are treatments that when a person is getting he will have to stop doing some of the things they were used to including the foods they used to enjoy and the activities that they involved in before cancer invaded their lives. When a person is receiving diet related problems they are required to adhere to strict diet guidelines but after they have conquered the disease how can they return to their normal lives and enjoy living for the remaining part of their lives? What are the challenges that breast cancer patients have to put up with even after treatment? How well can they adapt in their new life and live it to the fullest enjoying every moment of their stay on this planet? Here are some tips on how to fit in your new normal life.

Accept the change and move on

Like I mentioned earlier there are changes that you will have to put up with even after surviving from breast cancer. As you and me breast cancer is a disease that has many causes but to many the cause can be hormonal imbalance. Estrogen dominance is known as a major culprit in breast cancer, in the cause of receiving your treatment you might have gone through hormonal therapy, a treatment that aims at restoring the hormonal balance in the body. To my level of understanding the hormonal therapy has no serious effects but your doctor may suggest that you adapt to a new lifestyle to help you evade xenoestrogens that are full in our environments. Xenoestrogens are a type of xenohormone that imitates estrogen. They are not biodegradable so, they are stored in our fat cells. Accumulation of xenoestrogens in our bodies has been linked to many types of cancers such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer. Accept this change even if it has to do with your profession. in other instances you may be taken through surgical operation to remove the tumor, if only a bit of breast tissue was removed, well and good but if the entire breast was removed it better to accept the change and not stress yourself for the same. Whoever cared and loved you will continue doing the same even if your entire breast were chopped off as a result of the disease. Adhere to any diet that you have been told to as this may help minimize the chance of the tumor regrowing.

Some of the hurdles that women have to struggle with after breast cancer treatment are fatigue that may result from chemo treatment and the chemobrain phenomenon. The fatigue is to be expected since many living cells die during chemo. The chemobrain phenomenon refers to mental changes in the like memory deficits and loss of ability to focus. These make it hard for women to fit in their work scheduled before the invasion of the disease. To help with this you need to create rest periods in your schedule that you strictly adhere to. You also need to find someone whom you can share your frustrations with; this often takes burden off a patient and helps him rest. Give yourself time to heal as this may take time.

Regain your beauty

Breast cancerAfter suffering from breast cancer, your appearance will change owing to the treatments that you were on. Orthodox treatments like chemo always affect your appearance as they destroy living cells too and may lead to hair loss. Use wigs and hairpieces to conceal your baldness before your natural hair regrows. Adopt a healthy diet that will help you gain weight after periods of poor feeding due to lack of appetite.

Join Breast Cancer survivor Forums

Breast cancer is disease that is known worldwide with millions of victims and survivors. Today there are many online forums where cancer survivors can interact and share not only their problems but also ways through which they can adapt to their new lives. Joining such forums will expose you to several people who will avail you with necessary information to help you cope with life and restore your hope. Finally, you need assistance of an integrative doctor to help you cope with life after treatment. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Life after Breast Cancer: How to Still Enjoy Life

 

 

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Stem Cell for Cancer Reconstruction

Adipose Stem Cell in Cancer Reconstruction

Stem CellCancer is a multi-faceted disease that has to be approached with myriads of treatments to be won. Before the invention of various effective therapies that can now be used in treatment of cancers, patients had no option but to rely on three main treatments, which are the chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. These are the most commonly used cancer treatments in the mainstream medicine. They have been used for years and have been thought as the most effective because they all target the damaged cells or other the cancerous cells. However every patient who has gone through these treatments will attests to the fact that with these treatments it takes longer to be the person you used to be before the invasion of the disease. Even after being discharged there are signs that will always remind of the agony that you went through when dealing with cancer. All types of cancer are known for the pain they cause, the breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that have seen many women lose their breasts that had to be chopped to stop the cancerous cells from affecting the neighboring tissues and spreading farthest making it harder to contain. after the surgery which when done well and succeeds the spread of cancer can be contained and the cancer patients can be free from the disease, there are marks that are left on the patient, there also living cells that are also affected as a result of damage caused when the surgery was taking place, it is therefore prudent to get a cancer patient through a recovery and reconstruction phase. This phase takes place after cancer treatment and is aimed at retaining the appearance and the optimal health and wellness that the patient had before the invasion of the disease. Recently different researchers have been proposing the use of the adult stem cells to help in the cancer reconstruction phase.

The adipose tissues are a home of millions of mesenchymal stem cells that have been hailed for their ability in healing degenerative diseases. Recently, fat graft was proposed for breast reconstruction in post-surgery cancer patients achieving good aesthetic results and tissues regeneration. In spite of the known medicinal abilities of the stem cells, there have been speculations that have since been backed up by findings that adipose derived stem cells may have a role in cancer recurrence. These findings have since raised concerns over the safety of using the stem cells in cancer reconstruction.

Adipose stem cells may favor cancer recurrence in breast cancer reconstruction

To verify these findings a group of researchers namely; Eterno V, Zambelli A, Pavesi L, Villani L, Zanini V, Petrolo G, Manera S, Tuscano A and Amato A. did a research which involved establishing a model where autologous ASCs were combined with primary normal or cancer cells from breast of human donors, in order to evaluate potential effects of their interactions, in vitro and in vivo.

In the recent past autologous fat graft has been used as filler for breast reconstruction in cancer patients after conservative surgery. The past reports have shown that adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells have great capability in several medical fields such as plastic, orthopedic, cardiac, oral/maxillofacial and breast surgery. Autologous fat grafts were used to correct irregularities and, surprisingly they showed to promote a local tissue repair as a result of a new microenvironment, where Adipose Stem Cells favor healing processes], as it was shown for tissue damaged by radiotherapy in post-surgery breast cancer patients. However, it has been found that the mesenchymal stem cells that are essential for proper tissues development and homeostasis as described for mammary gland also have a role to play in cancer recurrence. The mesenchymal stem cells have been found to favor epithelial growth toward a tumorigenic development in breast cancer. They do this since the mesenchymal stem cells can secrete cytokines, chemokines and growth factors essential for development and maintenance of an inflammatory state, improving physiological tissue regeneration after injury but also at the same time the inflammatory state favors the growth of tumors.

In their research, Eterno V et al found that a well-orchestrated inflammatory response supports tumorigenesis, creating an optimal microenvironment where cancer cells are continuously stimulated to proliferate, also by recruitment of several cell types able to promote tumor neoangiogenesis. Besides, inflammation contributes to metastasis favoring homing of disseminated tumor cells in new tissues . This theory is feasible since the breast tumor cells also produce cytokines and growth factors, and express their cognate receptors which could be activated both in a paracrine and autocrine fashion.

stem cellIn this study it was also found that the mesenchymal stem cells encourages growth of tumors by influencing breast cancer phenotype, in terms of aggressiveness and invasive capability, such as supporting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) which has been reported to lead tumor cell dissemination and metastasis. The study established a model where autologous ASCs and primary breast cancer cells from human donors were combined in order to evaluate potential effects of their interactions, in vitro and in vivo.

The cultured breast cancer cells showed an increase in proliferation rate and invasive capabilities, acquiring a metastatic signature in Vitro while in Vivo simultaneous co-injection of primary breast cancer cells and Adipose Stem Cells into nude mice suggested adipose stem cells did not differentiate into adipocytes but instead integrated into the tumor stroma, aggravating tumorigenicity of primary breast cancer cells. The study however found that adipose stem cells were not tumorigenic per sè, as they were not able to induce a neoplastic transformation in normal mammary cells, which failed to form tumors in vivo.

Finally, cancer is a serious disease that ought to be approached integratively, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Adipose Stem Cell in Cancer Reconstruction

 

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Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Strategies for Easing Cancer Pain Naturally

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients requires deeper understanding of the bigger picture of cancer as a chronic disease

If we can effectively manage the pains we go through while in sickness effectively, then medication can be effective as well. Many times we are not able to get better as we should because of the overwhelming pain we are experiencing. When you are in a lot of pain, even taking your medication becomes difficult. And the consequence of this is prolonged illness and suffering. This is what experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care want to bring to an end. It is therefore very important that we address the effective pain management for cancer patients among other related chronic diseases. In our previous article, we dealt with strategies for easing cancer pain natural highlighting meditation, healthy diet and acupuncture as some of the natural pain control means. We want to further that by adding more to the list as follows:

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Massage Therapy

The feelings of being massage are very soothing and comfortable I must say. Normally good massage therapists will different massaging techniques which may include kneading, tapping, pressure and deep circular movements. All these are meant to deliver and relieve a variety of conditions including pain. No wonder according to a survey done by the American Hospital Association 91 percent of the respondents agreed that massage was effective in reducing pain. And yet in another study according to the American Massage Therapy Association, it was established that massage stimulates the brain to produce endorphins which is a natural pain-relieving chemical further confirming the effectiveness of massage in pain management. Besides that the experts have also established that massage therapy has the ability to perform the following:

  • Promotes relaxation and alleviates the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients
  • Reduces post-traumatic headaches better than cold-packs
  • Reduces pain and muscles spasms in patients who have had heart bypass surgery

Massage has been endorsed in many studies as a pain reliever but in all this doctor Akoury say that if you were to go for this then you must be careful to look for a reputable and qualified massage therapist who is experienced in helping with pain relief.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Chiropractic Care

If you look keenly, you will realize that those who go for chiropractic care does so mainly because of neck pain, back pain and headaches. And for sure they get help from the chiropractic care nonetheless chiropractic care can also help your spine and other body parts to get back into proper alignment and by extension helps in relieving pain besides supporting the body’s natural healing processes. According to the American Chiropractic Association, studies have shown that patients treated by chiropractors for low back pain had greater improvement after one month than patients treated by family physicians. Chiropractic care has also been proven to provide significant relief for headache pain and neck pain, as well as provide treatment for joint pain.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Laughter Therapy

When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers that also contribute to a sense of well-being. This may help to reduce your pain directly, while also distracting you from the pain, similar to meditation, and providing a wonderful form of stress relief. Indirectly, laughter therapy, which is, as it sounds, using humor therapeutically to get you to laugh more often, can help to relieve pain by:

  • Relaxing your muscles
  • Easing digestion and soothing stomachaches
  • Promoting relaxation and better sleep
  • Enhancing oxygen intake
  • Boosting your immune system and circulatory system
Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Music

Music can be extremely soothing not only for your mind but also for your body. By way of distraction and relaxation, music is a form of pain relief that’s as simple and enjoyable as it is effective.

  • In one small study, patients with back, neck or joint pain experienced a 20 percent decrease in pain after listening to music for one hour a day for seven days, compared to a 2 percent increase in pain in the control group.
  • Music has also been found to help reduce post-surgical pain, chronic and cancer pain, along with reducing patients’ need for pain-relieving medications.
  • It is therefore recommended that whenever the mood strikes and your spirit goes down put on your favorite musical artist and let the sounds help soothe the problem away.
Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Exercise

Like laughter, exercise prompts the release of pain-relieving endorphins, which can help to block pain signals from reaching your brain.

Exercise also works to boost your mood, strengthen bones, muscles and tissues around joints, and provides you with more energy.

Regular exercise can also help with weight control, which can be beneficial for certain types of pain, especially joint pain and back pain.

Take for instance patients struggling with rheumatoid arthritis; engagements in aerobic and strength training exercises will help in the improvement of their endurance, strength and functional ability.

For those with fibromyalgia, one study found pool exercise significantly improved chronic widespread pain, while knee strengthening exercises have been found to significantly reduce knee pain and improve knee function in those with knee pain.

If you’re in pain, you need to be careful not to overdo exercise or engage in high-impact activities that could worsen your condition. If this describes your situation then you can consult with experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and you will be attended to by a knowledgeable personal trainer who will take you through exercise tailored to help in improving your individual health needs.

Finally dear reader, pain is never good for anyone and more so when you are a cancer patient. Anything medically sound which can help you elevate pain must be done by all means. The experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury are determine to bringing comfort to every cancer patients by ensuring that pain is eliminated. We can only be of help to you if you avail yourself for the help you need. Therefore desire to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today and begin the journey towards comfort and healthy life you desperately need.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Strategies for Easing Cancer Pain Naturally

 

 

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