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Lymph Dysfunction and
Its Role in Prostate Cancer Recent studies from the National Cancer Institute on Prostate Cancer, show men have the same rate (1 in 8) for Prostate Cancer as women have for Breast Cancer; 400,000 plus men each year have prostate surgery; 165,000 men plus each year learn they have prostate cancer; and if you live a normal male life span — you will experience a prostate problem! Today, with prostate, every male faces three choices: (1) if the prostate is benign (swollen but not cancerous), you and your physician will monitor the problem and practice "Watchful Waiting" (i.e., hoping it will not become cancerous); (2) if the prostate is benign, and you experience problems with elimination (i.e., unable to urinate, pain when urinating, frequent elimination, sexual disinterest, etc.) you can take medication, which helps relieve the symptoms, but doesn't change the size of the prostate; plus you and your physician will practice "Watchful Waiting"; or (3) if the prostate progresses into cancer, you can join the 400,000 plus males and have surgery. And, even with surgery, prostate cancer sets in problems with sexual functioning and is the second leading cause of death in men. With a prostate problem—long life prospects are not good! Modern medicine, while performing unparalleled "life saving" services for desperately ill people, primarily concentrates on helping us recover from "death-inducing" illness. And modern medicine does a wonderful job! But what if a male does not wish to wait for the prostate "death-inducing" state? What can a male do? A male can look for a "causative" event which helps produce the "prostate disease" condition. To do this, the male must look at the disease, like any investigator, and examine the body environment for clues which specifically induce prostate cancer conditions. As an investigator, the male simply wants to understand better "why the prostate swells". Then the male wants all information to be incorporated into an improved "death-inducing" strategy and integrate the information into current pharmaceutical and surgical options. The hope for the male is to find a "key" which increases the male's survival rate in his life battle with prostate cancer! At ELF Labs, we have researched prostate cancer medical data and found a "common" physical pattern present in all prostate conditions — a pathological environment which provides the greatest opportunity for the development and growth of cancer cells in the body. In this article, we will examine this condition and propose a few options, which we believe, will help lower prostate cancer opportunities and should result in a lower prostate cancer risk for the males of the world! Our body has a vital, but little understood circulatory system which is critical to managing the elimination of toxins from our body. This system is called the Lymphatic System and is the primary immune defense and waste eliminator system for the body. It contains over 6oo "collection" sites called "lymph nodes" and has a network of collecting vessels, more extensive than the venous system. Our Lymphatic system is primarily responsible for carrying disease fighting material to cells attacked by germs, transporting the dead germs away, and supplying protein-rich plasma fluid back to the heart. Medical research explains the Lymphatic System as the primary system used by all immunological support elements (such as macrophages, T-Cells, B-Cells, Lymphocytes, etc.) fighting the virus, fungus and bacteria attacking our body. And our lymph fluid is composed of over 50% plasma protein — the major system carrying nutrition-rich plasma protein back into our blood. When the Lymphatic System is blocked, infection fighting material is prevented from destroying germs, and cell nourishing elements are prevented from reaching our blood. As a result, germs grow and blood loses needed protein! With the lymphatic system blocked, an engorged (swollen) condition results in our lymph nodes, as found in a recent AIDS study by Dr. Fauci, NIH Allergy & Infectious Disease Center, [this condition] "results in providing a breeding ground (especially for the HIV virus) for pathogenic material. The lymph system acts as a reservoir of infection churning out billions of HIV-infected immune system cells that eventually spill into the blood stream, where they travel to other parts of the body. Much later, after enduring years of viral proliferation, the immune system begins to falter, and infectious disease marches. In." Studies by Dr. Fauci, using the sophisticated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test reveal that "up to 10 times as much virus may reside in the lymph system as in the blood." This is due to the fact that the HIV virus is cell specific to the T-4 Helper cells — an important group of T-Lymphocytes that communicate commands to the B-Lymphocytes in protecting the body. This lymph condition is also present in prostate cancer. When looking at the lymph system, most chronic (disease) problems occur at the junction of lymph vessels called "lymph nodes". One can feel lymph nodes, by pressing under the arms; just below the collar bone; or in the crease between the thigh and pelvic area. When touching these areas, most people will feel small bumps and sometimes pain. The bumps and pain are symptomatic of blocked lymph nodes. Blocked lymph nodes indicate a breakdown in the "mechanical" functioning of the lymphatic system. In a mechanical malfunction, we have lost the ability to eliminate the chemicals produced by our cells and organs from the body. When we combine these natural chemicals with chemicals (i.e., pesticides and growth stimulants chemically similar to natural chemicals found in the human body) found in our food, they create a potent opportunity for disease. Some pesticides contain chemicals called aromatic hydrocarbons, very similar in formulation to human sex hormones, and are called sex hormone mimickers. When these pesticides are sprayed on vegetables, they become absorbed into the food and when ingested, they accumulate in specific organs which attract this class of chemicals. Because our body recognizes sex hormones as potent chemicals, as soon as they have completed their work, they are aromatized (broken down into simpler substances) by liver enzymes and the by-products are removed quickly from the body. This removal is managed by the lymph system and keeps human sex hormones in balance.
When sex hormones (natural or pesticide originated) residue are not removed quickly, (i.e., there is a blockage in the lymph system) an imbalance occurs and the sex hormone by-products become destructive due to the high rate of lipid peroxidation they create in tissue. In men, this can lead to prostate cancer. In women this can lead to breast cancer. In men, testosterone tends to concentrate in the genital area — including the prostate. Although testosterone is a very important male hormone, once it has completed its job, it must be removed quickly from the body! A group of lymph glands (called the inguinal lymph nodes) are primary in removing testosterone from the prostate. The Inguinal Lymph Nodes Group (Figure 1) is the most important mass of lymph nodes in the male. In men and women, the inguinal nodes are located in the area (crease) of the groin, between the genitals and the thigh. If there is unusual lymph blockage, these nodes will swell in both men and women. However, they are more critical in men as they are the primary channel for letting accumulated lymph (protein and fluid) pass from the prostate, up the Solar Plexus into the Cisterna chyli — a vital connecting point for lymph fluid removal. In men, special attention must be given to the Inguinal Lymph Nodes as they are responsible for helping the prostate gland stay in balance. They prevent the accumulation of excess protein and hormone metabolic by-products in the prostate. In many prostate cancer situations, one finds the inguinal nodes well involved and greatly enlarged (Figure 2) — a lymphogram of a 68 year old male patient with prostate cancer) due to trapped lymphatic fluid in the inguinal nodes (numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Lymph nodes can be moderately swollen (there is some pain) or seriously
swollen (much pain). Lymph nodes, exhibiting severe pathology, become
hard and feel like small marbles or little bb's under the skin. Since
we are dealing with a primary drainage and immune support system for
the prostate, it is critical to visit a medical practitioner and get
help with seriously swollen or hardened lymph nodes. However, once
lymph node pain is reduced, self-administered self-help techniques
work very well. For moderate to severely blocked lymph nodes, a light physical massage combined with new technology called the Light Beam Generator, facilitates opening lymph nodes. With over four years experience using light massage and the LBG, relief to the lymph node is well documented. Energy produced by the LBG creates a beneficial "energetic" environment, that when combined with Manual Lymph Drainage, helps reestablish mechanical breakdown and provides the lymph node support in releasing blocked material. "In my practice [D. Pies], I have proven that with the use of the LBG, I can accomplish in one therapy session, what would normally take me an average of eight manual lymph drainage sessions [to accomplish]." Other Physical Therapists, who are also Manual Lymph Drainage Therapists, find the LBG an essential tool treatment, helping produce quicker results and and improved client benefit. Several people have reported great success in using LBG to help unblock an enlarged prostate. One man, 63 years of age, had frequent night urination and was facing a surgical procedure. He used the LBG and manual lymph massage and after two treatments, he no longer had to urinate at night. He continues to use the LBG and light manual massage and is live a prostate problem free life. We found that once lymph flow is reestablished i.e. the immune cells can center and clear out pathogenic material), the body recovers more quickly. Self administered manual techniques can be used to facilitate continual
lymph flow, and a daily manual massage routine vital to maintaining
the health of the prostate should be considered. One recommended procedure
follows:
So, if you are a likely candidate for prostate cancer: (1) Check your lymph nodes; (2) If they are sore, your lymph is blocked, and you have created a breeding ground for disease; (3) If the soreness is moderate, use the manual massage technique; if pain persists after a few days usage; (4) Ask your health practitioner to help you find someone experienced in lymph drainage; and (5) Remember: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — and just might save your prostate! In Europe, Lymphatic Therapy is the fourth most prescribed massage technique by medical doctors. It is primarily active in Germany, Austria, France, Scandinavian countries and Canada. In 1976, therapeutic lymph drainage was officially recognized by the German Society of Lymphology. However, in the United States, lymphatic therapy is still little understood and used. As more U.S. practitioners gain insight into the importance of the lymphatic system and its role in maintaining a healthy "body" environment, Lymphatic Therapy will become standard prescription therapy. Sky David, R.P.T., M.P.T., NAVALT has been a physical therapist
for over 23 years. With 15 years of college level teaching and 18
years in institutional rehabilitation, Sky specializes in soft tissue
regeneration.
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& copy © 1999-2004 The Prostate90
Education and Research Foundation Last Updated : 1/20/06 |
