Hearing a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering and emotional time. A million thoughts race through your mind about treatments, life, death, your family, your friends, your job, and more. Although nothing can completely eliminate the stress of dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, the tips given in this article will help to ease the process.
Cancer takes quite an emotional toll on both the patient and their family. As there are different ways to treat and perhaps even cure certain kinds of cancers, have regular talks with a doctor.
Try to reduce the amount of sugar that you consume, as part of your daily diet. Some evidence suggests that sugar helps cancer cells to thrive, so stop eating sugary foods. Although this alone may not cure cancer, it is used with other treatments.
When it comes to cancer, the sun is your enemy. Too much sun exposure makes one especially prone to melanoma. In order to prevent cancer, use plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat if you know you will be in the sun for a long time.
Depression can deteriorate health and consequently promote growth of cancer cells. A positive attitude is essential to being able to fight cancer, so you should never give up.
When needed, speak up and assert yourself. Some people may come from ignorance when dealing with your cancer. They may pressure you to quit your job as soon as you receive your diagnosis or avoid you so that they don’t get cancer too. Prepare yourself in advance for questions of this nature. Decide how you’ll respond if someone says something ignorant or offensive, and address concerns as they come up. You set the standard for how you want to be treated; the way you respond to these initial questions tells people how to handle you as a person with cancer.
Do not be scared to feel a bit of discomfort if you have to get your breasts screened for cancer. It only lasts for a few minutes. Early detection can be the difference between life and death or keeping your breasts and losing them, so a little pressure is well worth it.
Regular physical exercise can decrease your risk of developing colon cancer by as much as 40%. Those who routinely exercise are more likely to be better fit, maintain a healthy weight, and evade diseases — such as diabetes — that can lead to cancer. Put the time and effort into developing an exercise program and sticking to it to protect yourself from cancer.
Drinking high-calorie, high-sugar drinks like soda can make you more likely to get cancer, so dump them right away. These drinks are poor nutrition that can not only lead to weight gain, but can interfere with the body’s ability to prevent the growth of cancer in the body.
While it may be common information that quitting smoking can reduce the chances emphysema and lung cancer, many smokers are unaware that smoking can also lead to colon cancer. Studies have indicated that colon polyps increase in size due to the carcinogens in tobacco. All of these concerns add up to serious reasons to put aside those cigarettes for good.
If you are diagnosed with cancer, it is better to understand what you will be going through before you actually experience it. Prepare now to fight later.
Go to appointments with loved ones if they’ve got cancer. Sometimes having more than one set of ears can really help to ensure all of you and your loved ones questions and concerns are addressed.
Talk to others. If it seems like your friends and family are not supporting you enough, politely bring up this topic with them. They may actually be relieved to have you bring it up, and they might also appreciate knowing from you what kind of support you would like and can use. Just be careful how you phrase your requests. This is a difficult time. Keep love in mind at all times. Do not have any regrets!
It is a well known fact that fish such as salmon is a healthy food choice. Yet a lot of people don’t know that low levels of mercury and omega-3 fatty acids actually can help prevent you from getting cancer. Eating a few servings of wild salmon every week can help you battle cancer-causing cells in the body.
Positive Attitude
Rid yourself of sugary sodas and similar beverages, as they hold the possibility of boosting your cancer risk. The high amount of calories and simple carbohydrates can cause weight gain, which in turn can invite cancer to grow and spread in numerous places in the human body.
You need to adopt a positive attitude and fight cancer actively, rather than letting your doctor work for you. Always pay attention and stay on top of the situation. Acting in this manner doe snot help you; however, a positive attitude will contribute to your victory over cancer.
Be prepared to make new “friends” when you have cancer; i.e. people you have to let into your life with open arms. These people also include nurses, chemo specialists, oncologists or any person that assist you, help you or empathizes with your situation. No one can get through cancer on their own, so be ready to accept the help of others.
Alcohol, in any form, will not prevent cancer. Wine has only been touted as a preventive measure because it is made with grapes, which have cancer-fighting properties. Drinking a lot of alcohol will increase your chances of getting cancer.
Do not be afraid and make sure you stand up for yourself. Fight your cancer with all of your might, it is a tough battle, but if you stay strong, and positive you will have the best chances of beating it.
Look for a doctor that is open and easily accessible. Your doctor should available to you and not rush you or brush aside your concerns or fears. An effective doctor will always be available to address any questions or concerns without delay.
Try participating in treatments that will fight cancer instead of just allowing it to happen. Whatever you do, stay involved in the situation. This will not help you get better faster, or at all.
If your backyard features a deck or wooden play set that was built prior to 2005, seal it. Most of the wood that these items were built with had an arsenic pesticide put on them; sealing the structure can help prevent you or your children from being exposed to a potentially cancer-causing chemical.
If you accompany a family member to an appointment with their oncologist, take the opportunity to get answers to questions you may have as well. You need your questions answered to enable you to assist your loved one during their struggle.
If a loved friend or close family member has become a patient of cancer, don’t flip their entire life around and begin treating them entirely differently than you normally would. Cancer patients need to have a lot of positive energy from their loved ones and when they feel that people are sorry for them and the condition that they are in, they in turn feel bad about it themselves.
Don’t drink coffee if you suffer from an upset stomach from your cancer medication or treatment. Caffeine found in coffee tends to make such issues worse, and therefore you ought to stop drinking it entirely. You should also refrain from consuming caffeine through other foods, including soda and chocolates.
Before your treatment begins, make sure that you have a good understanding of how your body may change. If you are well aware of what is ahead, you will be in a better position to cope. Some people might have hair loss. Talk to your doctor or others with cancer to get some tips for wigs and makeup so that you feel more comfortable when in public situations.
Always wear some sort of protection from the sun when going out into the sunshine. This helps reduce your risk contracting skin cancer. UV rays in sunglight are linked to melanoma, a form of skin cancer that can be fatal. Ideally, you should use waterproof sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30; this is especially important for fair-skinned people who tend to burn in the sun.
Get a minimum of eight nightly hours of rest. Treatments for cancer will leave you physically and emotionally exhausted. Proper rest equates into more energy, and drive to push through the next day, which is why you should always get the recommended amount of sleep each night. If you have to, block out time during your day to get in naps.
Avoid sun exposure from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon. Have your fun in the sun outside of these peak hours to drastically minimize your chances of serious, potentially cancerous, sun damage.
While some tests will determine whether cancer is present, others can help to prevent cancer before it develops. Time goes fast, and it is important to test yourself every now and again.
Allow yourself time to enjoy life. Just because you have cancer doesn’t mean it has to change your life. Don’t throw away your favorite hobbies. Make sure you keep reading, watching TV, going to the movies and doing other things that you love to do. While you may have to take extra precautions to avoid letting these activities become too taxing, you still have to make an effort to keep your life eventful and rewarding.
As you see, there are numerous ways where you can decrease your stress, and reduce your fears about your cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single method of managing cancer that works for everyone; however, you can apply small methods of easing this process. By applying the insights and advice in this article, you can take your journey each day as it comes, and put the power of your mind towards recovery.
It is important to listen to your body. When your body tells you to rest, take the time to take a nap. If your metabolism is not as fired up as you want, change up your diet regimen. Don’t ignore the messages that your body is sending to you. Follow what your body is telling you.