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Basic Tips on how you can have a Healthy Living after Cancer?

By Medical Expert Team

Nov 08 , 2020 | 2 min read

Exercise is an important part of healthy living. Being physically active during and after cancer treatment helps to:

Improve your physical abilities/self esteem
Reduce anxiety, depression and fatigue
Improve balance and lower risk of falls and broken bones.
Keep muscles from wasting due to inactivity
Lessen the risk of osteoporosis (weak bones that are more likely to break)
Improve heart health
Improve blood flow to legs, and lower risk of blood clots.
Maintain a healthy weight
Make you less dependent on others to do normal activities of daily living.
Boost muscle strength and endurance
Improves your quality of life.

Eating a healthy diet

Cancer survivors can build back strength after treatment by eating a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and other unprocessed, low-fat foods. Healthy eating can also reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

Experts recommend eating plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; lean protein; and low-fat dairy products. They also say to avoid highly processed foods and red meats as much as possible.

Nutrition and Physical activity regularly

During cancer treatment, surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy can affect your body’s need for nutrients. These treatments can also affect your eating habits and how your body digests, absorbs and uses food. Your main nutrition goals during this time are:

To make sure that your body’s nutrient and calorie needs are met
To maintain a healthy weight
To avoid losing muscle mass
To assure that any nutrition –related side effects, such as decreased appetite, mouth sores, difficulty swallowing etc. are being prevented or managed as best they can
To improve the quality of your life as you go through treatment.

The goal should be to be active as much as possible. Some doctors may suggest that you wait to see what side effects you have with chemotherapy before starting physical activity. If you did not exercise before diagnosis, you might start with stretching and brief, slow walks and progress slowly.

When you are too tired to exercise –fatigue and cancer-Most people with cancer notice that they have a lot less energy. During chemotherapy and radiation, about 70% of patients have fatigue. An aerobic training program can help break this cycle. Regular exercise has been linked to reducing fatigue. An aerobic exercise program can be prescribed as a treatment for cancer-related fatigue.

Few Tips to Reduce Fatigue

Set up a daily routine that allows activity when you are feeling your best.
Exercise regularly at light to moderate intensity.
Eat a balanced diet that includes protein and drinks about 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.
Keep your symptoms controlled like pain, nausea or depression.
Enjoy your hobbies and other activities that give you pleasure
Use relaxation and visualisation techniques to reduce stress.