Alternative therapies are now more popular than ever, and women are now seeking “natural” solutions for the unwelcome symptoms of menopause. But natural doesn’t always mean safe. Actually, scientists have found out that some herbs can potentially increase the risk of breast cancer in women.

While there’s no study directly linking the use of herbs to the decrease or increase of the risk of breast cancer in women, there are some herbs that appear to have estrogen-like actions which shouldn’t be used long-term on women with a high risk or a past medical history of breast cancer. These herbs include: ginseng, dong quai, dang gui, chasteberry, blue cohosh, and black cohosh.

What about Chinese drugs which are associated with TCM or traditional Chinese Medicine in Saratoga Springs?

Although, in the annals of Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is no word for cancer, there are various illnesses with traditional names that would be diagnosed by physicians as cancer nowadays.

Interestingly, modern doctors are convinced that cancer is actually a lot of different diseases and not a solitary one. This currently held perspective is considering the viewpoint of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

For cancer, the traditional Chinese treatment is based on the principle of Fu Sheng Gu Ben. “Fu Zheng” means strengthening what is correct. “Gu Ben” means repair and regeneration.

The use of Chinese herbs for the treatment of cancer requires diagnosing the probable cause of cancer, and then choosing the appropriate plan of treatment. Diagnosis is done based on the four examinations of TCM. The objective of the treatment is to balance the patient and to kill the cancer cells.