Symptoms

Tearing pain in the diseased region, a very intolerant temperament, hyper-sensitivity to touch, weakness and nausea, etc., are the main symptoms of this disease. In the preliminary stage of the disease the patient does not suffer from much pain, so in the beginning the disease is generally overlooked.

Causes

Cancer is a disease of the whole body as well as a tridośaja disease [involving disturbances of váyu, pitta and kapha]. This disease is a combined effect of many different factors. It is ordinarily observed that persons who suffer from constipation as a result of violating the health rules, and who likewise are lazy, lack self-restraint, sleep during the day and keep late nights, are most likely to be attacked by cancer.

When due to constipation, the blood and the muscle-fibre become worn out by the contaminated digestive fluids of the body and the contaminated air produced by them, cancer sets in. Parts of the internal organs of people who are extremely self-indulgent become weak. As a result of the attrition of shukra, their body loses its vitality. When such people eat too large a quantity of non-vegetarian food, their blood turns acidic and the disease gradually breaks out in the weaker parts of their bodies.

With those people who shun physical labour but take acidic food, chillies, or intoxicants and especially tobacco and similar things – there is every possibility that the disease will attack.

Treatment

The appropriate ásanas and mudrás will have to be prescribed after ascertaining the reasons why the patient is suffering from the disease. Constipation is generally one cause of this disease, so special attention must be paid to regular clearance of the bowels.

Morning – Utkśepa Mudrá, Násápána, Diirgha Prańáma, Yogamudrá, Bhújauṋgásana and Karkat́a Práńáyáma.

Noon – Same as in the morning except Utkśepa Mudrá and Násápána.

Evening – Matsyendrásana, Padahastásana, Utkat́a Vajrásana and Karmásana.

If the patient is unable to perform the above four evening ásanas, he/she should practise Sarváuṋgásana, Matsyamudrá, Naokásana and Pashcimottánásana. If he or she is also unable to perform these, then he/she should do the same ásanas as at noon.

Taking vyápaka snána⁽¹⁾ every day is a must. If health permits it can be taken both at noon and in the evening.

Diet

In order to reduce the acidity of the blood and make the liver function normally, patients will have to eat alkaline foods as much as possible, that is, all kinds of fruits and roots, vegetable soups, etc. Depending on the condition of the liver, sufficient milk will also have to be consumed by patients. If the liver is bad, the patient should drink coconut milk, peanut milk or curd-water instead of cow’s milk. The evening meal should be finished before 8 p.m. Also the patient should let the breath flow through the right nostril for about an hour after each main meal. The patient should drink about two-and-a-half seers of water every day but never more than one-eighth seer at a time. Pineapple, jám, banana, all kinds of citrus fruits, and tomato are both food and medicine in this disease.

Dos and don’ts

It is very good for cancer patients to take sun-baths. A sun-bath should be taken at sunrise and also between 9 and 10-11 a.m. in the summer or between 9 a.m. and 12 noon in the winter. After the sun-bath, the whole body of the patient should be wiped with a wet towel. Excellent results can be obtained if the patient applies river mud all over the body every day and afterwards bathes in the river. Sleeping during the day, staying awake at night, chillies, non-vegetarian food, and sexual relations are to be strictly avoided. Walking in open places as the strength allows, and, for those who are lazy by nature, doing some physical labour, are also necessary. Eating a piece of myrobalan after a meal is always helpful to clear the bowels. Patients should go to bed every night by 8:30 or 9 p.m so that they may get up very early the next morning.

Footnotes

(1) [[Regarding vyápaka snána, the author’s Ananda Marga Caryácarya Part 3, “Different Yoga Practices” explains:
A bathtub is most convenient, but if this is not available, an earthen trough will suffice. If this is not available either, a wet towel can be used, soaking it repeatedly in water. Fill the bathtub with cold water, and sit in it undressed so that the area from the navel down remains submerged. Keep your feet dry and out of the tub. The area from the neck to the navel should be kept covered with a shirt or dry cloth. The crown of the head and the back of the head should be kept covered with a wet towel.
Now take another towel and rub the area from the right side of the abdomen to the groin seven or eight times. Do likewise on the left-hand side and horizontally from right to left and left to right. You should make sure that the towel on the head remains wet.
After this, wipe the abdomen, hands and thighs and take a full bath. If this is not possible, then leave the tub wearing a shirt.
This should be practised behind closed doors. In the absence of a bathtub or an earthen trough, a wet towel may be wrapped around the areas to be bathed, but in order to compensate, cold water must be poured constantly over the towel, and the towel which is to be used for the massage must be kept wet. After vyápaka snána, the thighs, pubic area and abdomen should be warmed with a dry towel.
Before and after this bath one should not eat, in order to allow the stomach to rest.
–Trans.]]