When you first hear a cancer diagnosis, the first thought in your mind should be about recovery. Read this article to find out more about your treatments options, the kind of support you need and the changes you should make to your daily life.
It is important to listen to your body. If your energy is low, then take a break. When you feel tired, you may need to change up your diet. Pay attention to how you feel, and take good care of yourself.
There are some nonmedical therapies that may help get you through your cancer treatment, and allow you to relax. Perhaps you could try acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy or aromatherapy as relaxing ways to control your stress. All these different ways will help you not be as stressed as you battle this disease that adds tremendous stress to your life.
Prepare yourself for the changes you will go through, while being treated for cancer. Your doctor will be able to tell you what affect treatment and drugs may have. If your hair falls out as a result of chemotherapy, you many want to purchase a wig. If your skin becomes pale, as a result of cancer treatments, you might want to wear special makeup.
It is perfectly natural for a person suffering from cancer to grieve and regret that their old way of life is gone. It's alright and natural to have thoughts like these, but you have to keep your head up and push forward if you want to enjoy the life you have now. Coping with life as a cancer victim is a lot easier if you do this.
Tell your loved ones who are diagnosed with cancer how much you love them. There's no substitute for saying I love you. This is a good way to affirm them that everything will be alright.
Avoid doctors that you cannot communicate openly and honestly with. Questions always come up and you need someone to be there to answer them. Your concerns must be addressed immediately.
Keep your lifestyle healthy. This can help you mentally and physically cope with being diagnosed with cancer. Make sure that you are eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly and getting plenty of rest. One advantage to exercising is you will have more energy, and your body will be able to recover quicker after treatment.
Ovarian cancer is generally treated by surgery, with a follow-up of chemotherapy. With surgery, the options range from removing ovaries to doing a complete hysterectomy. Lymph node removal is also common. Chemotherapy is the use of radioactive chemicals to kill the cancer cells left in your body. This is usually done after surgery, but sometimes it is utilized before surgery, as well.
Some screenings only detect the presence of cancer, while others see certain things that may help to prevent cancer. It's easy to put cancer screenings off till it's too late, but it is very important that you take the time for these important tests and screenings.
Get enough sleep. If you're getting cancer treatments, you need eight or more hours of sleep every night. Treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation put extreme physical stress on you, so you need adequate rest to recover from these treatments. If you get good sleep, it enables your body to heal with more speed, and your mind will be fresh to face the next day. You may need to nap throughout the day too.
Drinking high-calorie, high-sugar drinks like soda can make you more likely to get cancer, so dump them right away. Because these drinks are high in calories and simple carbs, they can result in an unhealthy weight gain, which is one of the factors that promotes the development and spread of cancer throughout the body.
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. You should utilize a waterproof sunscreen such as SPF30+. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin that gets sunburned easily.
Do not think that alcohol can prevent cancer. Wine can prevent cancer because it contains grapes. Drinking lots of alcohol increases, not decreases, your risk of cancer.
Always remain committed to eating three times daily. Even if you have lost your appetite due to treatments, you still need to maintain a full stomach for the medicine to work properly and safely. If you experience problems keeping feed down, try to eat mostly starches. Vegetables and fruits are good to eat as well.
Your diet may impact your body's ability to fight cancer. For example, tomatoes protect men against prostate cancer. There is research that shows that this is a fact.
If you need to be in bed during your cancer treatment, bring entertainment right along with you. Televisions are great for in the bedroom and can help keep you occupied when the days seem long and the nights are tough. The nature of this disease requires you to spend a good amount of time in bed while undergoing treatment. You might find that time flies by faster during your recovery.
Smoking can cause emphysema and lung cancer, as well as colon cancer. The carcinogens produced by smoking can reach the colon and cause polyps to grow. Just another reason to avoid smoking.
Most fresh fruits and veggies bought from the store may have contamination. Pesticides are used on these crops to guard against diseases and pests. Wash off all of your vegetables and fruits before you eat them to get rid of any pesticides. You might also want to consider buying organic foods with little or no exposure to pesticide products.
Educate yourself on the symptoms of specific types of cancer, such as colon cancer, in order to catch them early. Losing weight rapidly and unexpectedly, dark feces and cramping are just a few of the symptoms of colon cancer. You need to go to your physician and get tested if you have these symptoms.
Life will continue even though you are sick! You should continue engaging in your favorite activities for as long as you're physically able to. If you like doings something, having cancer should not be a reason you should quit. You will be happy you did it, and you will know it is easy to keep a positive attitude.
There are many techniques to help you cope with cancer no matter what your diagnosis, from seeking out support to learning about your own treatment. Use these tips to develop strategies that work for you and help you approach cancer in an educated way.