If you’ve been watching the news lately, you understand the threat that free radicals pose to your body with regard to cancer. However, you may not know all the various steps that you can take to treat or even prevent cancer. Read on to discover some helpful suggestions.
Cancer is a tumultuous time for both the patient and their family. You should be checking in with your doctor regularly, as new ways to treat and even cure cancers are always being developed.
Cancer Cells
It’s especially important for cancer patients to quit smoking. The sooner you quit after receiving your diagnosis, the better your chances for long-term recovery from the disease. Some cancer patients mistakenly reason that there is no point in quitting since they’re already sick. Cigarettes can cause further damage to your body because they contain cancer causing agents, which diminish your body’s ability to recover.
If you have cancer, avoid consuming large amounts of sugar. Cancer cells live on sugar, so removing sugar from your daily food intake has positive effects on starving cancer cells. By itself, this is not a sufficient treatment to beat cancer, but it can serve as a supplement to other therapies.
Learn the symptoms for all major types of cancer so that you know when you need to see a doctor. If you go to the doctor when you first experience symptoms, you may be able to get cancer treated before it has progressed very far. This improves your chances for a long and happy life. Early indications can include unexplained fluctuations in your weight, bloody or thin stools and abdominal cramps. Visit your doctor if you notice any of these signs.
It’s essential to get enough exercise, and to be on a healthy diet, to reduce the cancer risks. Do the usual things, including eating fruits and vegetables, drinking eight glasses of water per day, and exercising 30 minutes per day, five days per week.
Cancer can potentially grow and spread, if you let depression get the best of your health. Depression makes it more likely that someone will stop fighting their cancer.
If you are a smoker and you are diagnosed with cancer, then you need to become tobacco free immediately. Many cancer patients mistakenly think that it doesn’t mater if they quit smoking or not. Smoking will reduce your chances of recovering completely.
Although screening for breast cancer can cause some slight discomfort, don’t let this keep you from being screened. The discomfort is slight, and lasts for only a minute or two. The end result could be catching cancer in time and saving your breasts and your life, so do not allow the fear of being uncomfortable deter you from getting a screening.
Be cautious about chemical contamination on fresh fruits and vegetables from the store. Often times, they are sprayed with poisons to prevent bacteria, fungus and bug from destroying them. Before eating these nutritious foods, be sure to wash off any pesticide residue. You can do this with a mild detergent and warm water. You may also want to buy organic produce to avoid pesticides.
During cancer treatment, you will meet a number of new people. Welcome them into your life. These people also include nurses, chemo specialists, oncologists or any person that assist you, help you or empathizes with your situation. You can’t beat cancer by yourself, so open your heart up and start fighting!
Defend yourself when you need to. Alot of people are in the dark, they are not aware of the latest information about cancer and actually may think it is a disease that could be transferred from you to them. Think about how you need to respond to questions prior to being faced with them in public. It will have an impact on the way people treat your during treatment.
Never be afraid of the fight. With cancer you are basically in a fight for your life. You need to be strong and ready to fight.
Be willing to listen to the concerns of a friend or family member with cancer. Even though it’s not always the easiest thing to do, you have to allow your loved one the opportunity to communicate his or her thoughts, feelings and emotions. Don’t interrupt, contradict or give your opinion. Just listen while your loved one talks about his cancer diagnosis.
Do not let someone fool you by telling you that alcohol helps prevent and fight against cancer. Wine has only been touted as a preventive measure because it is made with grapes, which have cancer-fighting properties. If you drink alcohol, you can be at risk for cancer.
If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with cancer, consider attending their doctor’s appointments with them. It’s nice to have a clear-headed person with you so that no pertinent questions for the doctor get overlooked.
Help a loved one or friend who has cancer to find a network of support people to share their experiences with. The Internet has an abundance of resources, such as support groups, forums and websites, so that you can find the right support system. This will give the individual with cancer an additional outlet for their emotions.
Don’t neglect breast cancer testing because you’re afraid of the pain. The discomfort is very temporary, usually lasting only a few minutes. This type of screening can be the deciding factor in starting an effective treatment in time to avoid surgery, and possibly save your life. With this in mind, avoiding the screening because of some momentary discomfort just doesn’t compute.
It is important to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of cancer so that you are more likely to know when you are at risk. If you know you have risk factors, then these signals and symptoms can be observed more closely.
If medication or other treatments for your cancer are bothering your stomach, stop drinking coffee altogether. Caffeine can worsen an already upset stomach, so avoid it. Also, try to avoid all other sources of caffeine, which is usually present in soft drinks and chocolate as well.
If you go to the doctor to support someone who has cancer, do not be afraid to ask questions. You are likely to have some that your relative does not ask, and if you get answers, you are better able to be a good caretaker.
Get enough vitamin E every day. Vitamin E, when taken in its recommended dosage, has been shown to have astounding benefits in the prevention of cancer. There are a wide variety of great tasting foods that are high in Vitamin E.
Whether you had a recent cancer diagnosis or if you’ve been fighting it a while, you might want to get into a support group. Other cancer patients know ways to deal with the disease that you might not be aware of. You can also take your family members here too.
Whether you were just diagnosed or have been fighting cancer for a while, a support group can be a huge help. You can talk to others who have cancer about how to physically and mentally deal with the disease. Many groups encourage family members to attend as well.
Don’t change the way you treat a beloved family member when you find out he has cancer. People who have cancer require a lot of positive energy and support from their friends and family. If you express pity or excessive sorrow for their condition, they may begin to feel guilty or have other negative thoughts.
Try full disclosure when it comes time to telling your loved ones about your prognosis. If you are strong and brave, you can feel kind of isolated; therefore, you should be honest about your feelings and utilize your support system. Open lines of communication build sound bonds that are healthy and beneficial to all involved.
Cancer prevention is a much wiser path than treating an avoidable cancer after the fact. Using a good sunscreen, and curtailing your hours in direct sunlight, will go a long way to preventing skin cancer.
When heading out in the sunshine it is recommended that your skin is covered by clothing and/or sunscreen to reduce the risk of getting 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. It is recommended that you use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more, especially if your skin is fair. Fair skin takes sun damage more easily.
Make sure you remember to have some fun. Being diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean that you will be unable enjoy life any longer. Be sure to do what you love, whether watching sports, reading books, or seeing movies. Plan these events when you are well rested so that you can get out there, and you won’t feel as though life is passing you by.
Body Tells
Be aware of and monitor your body’s signals for what it needs. You need to get some rest if you feel fatigued. If you lack energy, try to allow for healthier foods in your diet. Don’t ignore the messages that your body is sending to you. Follow what your body is telling you.
Make sure you pay attention to how your body is feeling. When your body tells you to get rest, lay down and rest. Avoid feeling fatigued by eating a nutritious diet. Get in touch with what your body tells you, and listen.
There are a couple different complementary therapies that could help you through the treatments and life after for your disease. Try using aromatherapy, getting acupuncture treatment or a massage. You might even consider giving yoga classes a try. Anything that helps alleviate stress and makes you feel relaxed will be of benefit to you.
Never take information for granted. Researching a topic regularly maximizes the chance that you will have quality, up-to-date information to help you deal with problems as they arise. Cancer can be as severe a situation as you will ever face. Absorb the above information to help you combat this disease.
Certain foods can prevent cancer. For instance, tomatoes are effective against prostate cancer. There are a number of studies that have shown this to be true.