7 Healthy Lifestyles for Cancer Patients That Are Important to Do
The importance of a healthy lifestyle for cancer survivors
The
implementation of a healthy lifestyle supports the effectiveness of cancer
treatment that patients undergo. That means the symptoms of cancer, such as
fatigue, become lighter, even reduced in intensity.
In addition, the
spread of cancer cells to surrounding tissues or organs can be prevented. In
conclusion, this can make the life expectancy of cancer patients better.
Healthy lifestyle guidelines for cancer patients include:
1. Make sure you get enough sleep
Cancer patients
can maintain the health of their bodies by getting enough sleep. Sleep is
closely related to the circadian rhythm or biological clock of the body. If you
get enough sleep with good hours of sleep, the body's cells will also work typically.
If you have
trouble sleeping due to treatment side effects, pain from tumours, and other
accompanying health problems, try to go to bed and wake up early.
Do this
regularly, even on holidays. Avoid drinking coffee at night and adjust the room
temperature and light, so you can sleep comfortably.
2. Apply a cancer diet
The cancer diet
becomes part of a healthy lifestyle for cancer survivors because foods contain
nutrients that play a significant role for the body, such as keeping cells to
work according to their function, boosting the immune system, and providing
energy. Of course, this will indirectly make the symptoms of cancer better.
Moreover, cancer
patients tend to experience indigestion, such as nausea, diarrhoea, and
vomiting. Not to mention eating disorders, such as anorexia and kaheksia. This condition makes their weight unstable.
Pay attention to
some of these things in applying a cancer diet, namely:
Consumption of healthy foods
Not right in
choosing food to cause cancer again can recur or more severe. Conversely, the right food
choices can increase the effectiveness of drugs as cancer cell killers and tumours.
Choose lean
meats, fish, eggs and dairy products as sources of animal protein. As for
plant-based protein, choose soybeans, peas, almonds, or walnuts.
Jengkol can also
be an option because it provides benefits such as cancer drugs, namely blocking
and inhibiting cancer cells, according to research in the journal International Food Research
Journal. Protein
needs for cancer patients at least 1 gram of protein for every kg of body
weight.
Later, protein
from healthy foods will help the body make cells, hormones, and enzymes and
prevent infection in people with cancer.
Applying a
healthy lifestyle to people with cancer, the carbohydrates selected are bread,
pasta, wheat, and cereal products. Carbohydrates that enter the body will later
turn into energy, whose unit units are in the form of calories. Cancer patients
in this diet need to meet 25-35 calories for every kilogram of body weight.
For the nutrition
to be complete, combine it with vegetables and fruit. You can choose beets,
soursop, lemons, and colourful vegetables to increase the benefits and
effectiveness of the drug as a killer of cancer cells.
According to the American
Institute for Cancer Research website, the efficacy of beets for cancer
is to keep DNA healthy because it is rich in folate, vitamin C, and B vitamins.
Meanwhile, the
efficacy of soursop and lemon fruit can slow the growth of cancer cells, induce
apoptosis (cell death), and have cytotoxicity activity to kill cancer cells.
In applying a
healthy lifestyle for cancer patients, the daily diet can be served in various
ways, such as salads, eaten directly, made juice, made into yoghurt toppings, processed
stir-fry, boiled, steamed, or stew.
Adhere to the recommendations and abstinence of the cancer diet
In addition to
paying attention to food choices, also adhere to some of the following things
in applying a healthy lifestyle for cancer patients, such as:
- Food in small portions but more
often. Limit drinking alcohol and reduce salt or spicy spices in
concocting foods and foods that are burned and high in saturated fat.
- Wash food thoroughly with running
water to clean bacteria and pesticides. Avoid consuming raw food because
it allows bacteria in it.
- Ramadan fasting provides benefits for
cancer patients because it can inhibit tumour growth and prevent cell
damage. However, be sure to get permission from your doctor first and
still follow a healthy lifestyle for cancer patients as usual. If you
can't, you don't have to force yourself.
- If nutrition is not fulfilled through
food, patients can use supplements. However, its use should be supervised
by a doctor.
3. Meet the needs of water
In a healthy
lifestyle, the intake of body fluids for cancer sufferers is also regulated.
The reason is, water helps regulate body temperature, delivers nutrients to the
rest of the body, keeps cells functioning normally, and prevents dehydration
due to diarrhoea and vomiting, which are side effects of chemotherapy.
According to the American
Cancer Society, adult
women need 9 glasses of water and adult men about 13 glasses per day. Water is
the best liquid option, followed by soup, juice, and milk.
4. Get used to regular exercise and adjust activities
The condition,
the choice of exercise and intensity must be adjusted to the state of the
patient's body. Start slowly, which is a few minutes in the beginning, then
increase over time.
Avoid swimming if
you have recently had radiotherapy or cancer surgery. Cancer patients must wait and
treat the wound until it dries and recovers fully.
Warm-up before
exercise for 2-3 minutes by moving the shoulders, neck, hands, waist, and legs.
Do not force yourself to exercise if the body is not healthy.
If you've
recently had cancer surgery, do breathing exercises and upward hand movements
for 10 seconds to prevent blood clots. If the patient still wants to work, make
sure if the cancer treatment schedule is not disturbed. Ask your doctor for
approval and tell the company you work for.
5. Know how to manage stress
Stress is prone
to attack cancer patients. The condition can increase mental problems, such
as anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder).
The National Cancer
Institute says that
chronic stress can increase the size of malignant tumours, speed up spreading
cancer cells, and decrease the effectiveness of treatment.
This makes the
patient's quality of life worse. That is why stress must be prevented or
reduced in implementing a healthy lifestyle for cancer sufferers.
There are many
ways to reduce stress: doing hobbies, relaxation therapy, exercise, or counselling
therapy. In fact, healthy cancer patients are also on vacation. However, the
patient must first ensure their safety during the holidays and is approved by a
doctor.
6. Take cancer pain relief medication
Painkillers for
cancer usually used are quite diverse, such as paracetamol and NSAID drugs(ibuprofen and aspirin).
If it's not
potent, your doctor may prescribe other medications, such as anticonvulsants,
antidepressants, anti-inflammatories(prednisone), bisphosphonates(pamidronate and zoledronic acid) or creams containing lidocaine or capsaicin.
7. Keep your sex life healthy
- Ask when it is safe to have sex
during cancer treatment. Usually 2 or 3 days after treatment.
- Use safe contraceptives, such as
birth control pills or condoms, and use lubricants with a doctor's
approval so that penetration does not hurt.
- Improve your relationship with your
partner by cuddling, cuddling, or kissing.
If planning a
pregnancy, cancer patients should wait 2 or 3 years after cancer therapy is
completed. The goal is to avoid pregnancy complications that can harm the
fetus.
If pregnancy is
not possible, the doctor will recommend the patient to follow an in vitro
fertilization (IVF) technique program or undergo an ovarian transplant(
ovaries).
Suppose pregnancy
occurs while the cancer cells are still in the body. In that case, the
obstetrician will evaluate the heart function of patients who have been exposed
to cardiotoxic drugs and monitor fetal growth closely.
How is the healthy lifestyle of cancer patients who recover?
Therefore, to
prevent it, people who recover from cancer (cancer survivors) are obliged to
implement a healthy lifestyle. Complete by quitting smoking, reducing exposure
to chemicals and air pollution and doing regular health checks to the doctor
Tips for dealing with cancer patients
In living a
healthy lifestyle, cancer patients need someone to help them. Not only to
facilitate their activities but the presence of a person can also be a strength
for patients to bounce back from feeling sad and disappointed.
Here are some
tips to face and support cancer treatment, namely:
- Know how severe the disease is so you
can understand the condition. Offer him the help he needs.
- Take the time to visit,
call/communicate, and exchange stories to not feel lonely.
- Not showing excessive feelings of
sadness and not asking questions that offend him, such as discussing the
physical.
- As a companion, you also have to put your own health first. Keep your diet and stay well-rested.
