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.
Avoid eating sugary foods to prevent cancer cell growth. Cancer cells survive on sugar, so taking sugar out of your daily diet can help eliminate cancer cells. By itself, this is not a sufficient treatment to beat cancer, but it can serve as a supplement to other therapies.
To keep cancer cells from spreading, cut sugar out of your diet. Cancer grows with sugar, so if you do not eat any sugar, it can help prevent it. This alone isn’t going to get rid of cancer, but it can increase the chance that the cancer will go into remission if other treatments are used.
Stop smoking immediately after you have receive a cancer diagnosis. One of the worst things you can do after being diagnosed with cancer is to continue smoking or using tobacco products. There is no sound basis for assuming that continuing this unhealthy habit is justified by illness. Continuing to smoke still delivers carcinogens to your already weakened body and works against treatments.
Cancer can be a trying time, both for the person and the family. There are many ways to deal with cancer, so consult with a doctor regularly.
Learn about the side effects of your cancer treatment, so you can be prepared for the physical effects you may experience. Your physician can give you a good heads up about the side effects that your drugs and treatment might instigate. You may need to buy a wig, if you lose hair or wear makeup, if your complexion becomes very pale, and it makes you uncomfortable.
Adding exercise to your daily activities is crucial while you are dealing with cancer. Exercise helps your circulation by getting your blood flowing. When the blood is flowing faster through your body, vital nutrients and pharmaceuticals that are needed to cure your disease will more easily travel to the areas of your body affected with cancer cells.
Fruits and vegetables may be contaminated. They are usually sprayed with pesticides in order to prevent fungus, bacteria and bugs from destroying them. Before you eat anything from this food group, gently wash them with soft soaps and rinse them off with water to get rid of pesticides. Alternatively, just buy foods that have little or no amounts of pesticides in the first place.
The first thing smokers should do when diagnosed with cancer is quit. Many people with cancer make the mistake of thinking that they should not quit smoking because they are already sick. Continuing to smoke still delivers carcinogens to your already weakened body and works against treatments.
If someone you care about has recently gotten the diagnosis of cancer, listen to them. It can seem hard to talk about at first, but you will soon understand the importance of being able to express your feelings to another person who actually understands what you are going through. Be careful to keep your focus on them and do not interject your personal opinions.
Ask questions when you need to or make the effort to share your difficulties. Plenty of people still live under false stereotypes of the “cancer patient”. They may think you are unable to perform your job or may be contagious, take this chance to prove them wrong. Be ready to answer those questions by thinking about how to do so in advance. It will give you control of the conversation and a little bit of confidence.
You need to know the symptoms of certain kinds of cancer, for instance colon cancer, because your best chance of surviving is to catch them early. Sudden weight loss, cramping, thin stools and stools that contain blood are all symptoms of colon cancer. Any indication of symptoms like these should send you straight to the doctor for tests.
Make it a priority to sit down and really listen to the feelings and concerns of anyone close to you who has received a cancer diagnosis. It can be quite difficult at times, but they need a chance to express their frustrations and feelings in a safe and loving environment. Don’t give your opinions or interrupt, simply listen.
By quitting smoking, you’ll not only help to prevent lung cancer, but you’ll also reduce your risk of colon cancer. The carcinogens produced by smoking can reach the colon and cause polyps to grow. Just one more reason you should lay the smokes down.
If you are depressed, your immune system will be weakened, and you may not be able to fight your illness as successfully. He or she may give up hope entirely.
Don’t let the thought of some mild discomfort discourage you if you need to be screened for breast cancer. It only lasts for a few minutes. The result could be the awareness of cancer that could save both your life and your breasts. That is why it is important not to let your fears get in the way from you getting a screening.
When you find out you have cancer, you have to come to terms with certain things in life, this is part of living with it and is natural, remember that. You need to be ready to fight back.
If you are diagnosed with cancer, it is better to understand what you will be going through before you actually experience it. Get yourself ready now to fight your cancer batter later.
By being active in your cancer treatment, instead of just letting doctors care for it, you will be able to combat it more effectively. Do not take yourself out of the situation. Avoiding discussing your condition won’t help you to get the treatment you need.
When you are diagnosed with cancer be ready to make some new “friends”. These helpers are medical professions, such as doctors and nurses. They also include aides and counselors and administrative personnel. Cancer is not something you can go through alone, be ready to let these special people into your life.
Prevents Cancer
Consuming large amounts of alcohol will not prevent cancer. The only reason that wine helps fight and prevent cancer is due to the grapes. Actually, drinking alcohol frequently increases your chances of getting cancer.
The myth that alcohol prevents cancer is untrue. The only reason wine prevents cancer is because it is made with grapes. Drinking lots of alcohol increases, not decreases, your risk of cancer.
Take vitamin E on a daily basis. The recommended dosage of vitamin E taken regularly, can profoundly reduce cancer risks. A number of different foods are sources of Vitamin E, and most of them are pleasing to your tongue.
Don’t continue seeing a doctor who doesn’t openly communicate with you. Some questions just can’t wait for an answer. You should always be able to speak to someone about your concerns.
If you have a family member that is experiencing cancer, it is vital that you don’t treat him or her differently. Positive energy is what a cancer patient needs right now, negativity will only lead to self-pity, and possibly even a defeatist attitude.
One of the best ways to deal with a cancer diagnosis is to join a support group to talk with other people who are going through the same thing. Check with your local hospitals and clinics, as well as online, for support groups. Doing so will help them find others who can relate to the emotions specific to a cancer diagnosis.
Always wear some sort of protection from the sun when going out into the sunshine. This helps reduce your risk contracting skin cancer. The sun doesn’t let up on the UV rays, and the melanoma that can result from getting too much sun can kill you if you don’t get treatment. Water-resistant sunscreen with a minimum of SPF30 is recommended by experts, especially if you are fairer-skinned or prone to sunburns.
Consume your daily dose of vitamin E each day. It has been proven that vitamin E is very helpful in preventing cancer from occurring in both women and men. A wide world of tasty dishes that have good amounts of this vitamin are waiting for inclusion in your diet.
Certain clothing does not protect your skin against dangerous UV rays. If you’re unable to find clothes that provide sufficient protection at the stores in your area, then take a look online. There are many options, and you’re sure to find something that interests you.
Support Group
Be sure to set aside some time for enjoyment. You don’t have to (and shouldn’t) completely change your lifestyle just because you have cancer. Keep doing the things that give you pleasure, such as watching anime, going to art shows, or fencing. You may have to do some extra planning so that exertion doesn’t get the best of you, but you do still need to have a life.
Perhaps joining a support group could help you stay positive. At a support group, you will be able to speak with other cancer patients and learn different techniques for coping with the disease. Family members are usually welcome to attend group meetings.
Diarrhea can be a side effect of some cancer treatments. If this happens to you, you should try cutting coffee out of your daily routine. You might feel more alert, but the caffeine does increase the severity of cancer-related diarrhea. To reduce the severity of diarrhea, steer clear of caffeine.
If a member of your family is a cancer sufferer, it is vital that you try not to treat the person any differently. A patient desires the positive energy, and treating them drastically different due to their illness can drain all of that positive energy away in a flash.
Avoid skipping meals so that your nutrition stays high. After treatment, you might not feel like eating, but to allow your medicines to work safely, your stomach should be full. Eat starches if you’re having trouble keeping other foods down. Fruits and vegetables are another good option.
Make sure your skin is always covered when you are outside in the sunlight, so as to reduce your chances of getting melanomas, which are also known as skin cancer. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can be harmful to the skin. If you get skin cancer, it can be fatal. Waterproof sunscreen of at least SPF 30 or more is suggested, especially if you have fairer skin, which is very prone to sunburn.
If you are suffering from cancer, you may want to bring your entertainment to your bedroom. You may have previously used your bedroom for sleeping purposes only, but right now is a good time to change that for the time being. You will likely spend a lot of hours in bed when getting treatments. This piece of equipment may prove invaluable for passing the time as you recover.
Prior to treatment, ask questions about the physical changes that you can expect. Being prepared for what’s to happen can help you deal with the changes better. 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.
Encourage anyone that is struggling with cancer to be optimistic about the future. It is important for them to see themselves as a cancer survivor who will have many good years to look forward to. Including them in future events, will let them know you believe in their eventual recovery.
As the above article has shown, lots of methods of decreasing stress and alleviating fears concerning cancer exist. Although a magic pill has yet to be found for handling and curing cancer, there are certain things you can do to make it easier on you. You can take some advice here to overcome the effects of cancer in your life in a thoughtful daily process.
While undergoing cancer treatments, it is best if you have someone available who can take you to see your doctor. Not only can cancer itself cause fatigue or other problems, but so can some common cancer treatments. To keep yourself safe while undergoing cancer treatments, it’s best to let someone you trust drive you to all your cancer-related appointments.