When you hear the fateful diagnosis of cancer, you should think of only one thing–recovery. The following article provides you with many valuable hints and tips to help you win your battle against cancer, from learning about various treatments, to developing a network of support.
Skin Cancer
Melanoma, or skin cancer, is one very common and deadly form of cancer. Protecting yourself with a good sunscreen and a hat will help to prevent skin cancer.
It is important to quit smoking immediately if you are diagnosed with cancer. A lot of smokers with cancer think they shouldn’t quit smoking. Their thinking is that they are sick already. That’s wrong, though. Cigarettes are called “cancer sticks” for a reason. The chemicals in the cigarettes significantly reduce the chance that you will recover.
If a loved one receives a diagnosis of cancer, make yourself available to them. It may be a difficult thing to do at times, but your friend or family member needs to have the opportunity to express their feelings. For the best results, focus on being a good listener rather than trying to solve their problems or give your own interpretations.
Colon Cancer
To avoid getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer, it’s best to educate yourself about their symptoms. Warning signs that might indicate colon cancer include situations like sudden and inexplicable drops in weight, cramping and stool that is filled with blood or increasingly thin. Get checked if you have these symptoms.
Depression can have a negative impact on your overall health and increase the likelihood that your cancer will grow. If a cancer patient becomes depressed, he may give up on trying to defeat cancer and refuse to do anything the doctor suggests to prolong his life or enhance its quality.
Don’t take cancer lying down. Remember that your life actually hangs in the balance here, so determination to never yield a centimeter of ground is the resolve that gives you the best odds at surviving.
Helps Prevent
Do not let someone fool you by telling you that alcohol helps prevent and fight against cancer. The component of wine that helps prevent cancer is grapes. Drinking a lot of alcohol will increase your chances of getting cancer.
Seal any play sets made of wood if they were made before 2005. Oftentimes, an arsenic pesticide was applied to the wood used in these older structures. This chemical has the potential to cause cancer, but you can keep your family safe from this danger by using a quality sealant on the wood.
If you have a family member with cancer, go see the doctor too and ask questions. You’ll be able to ask things that the patient might not think of, providing answers to your questions and information for them as well.
Try full disclosure when it comes time to telling your loved ones about your prognosis. You will end up feeling lonely if you decide to fight cancer on your own. A good support system is absolutely necessary. Your condition will be far easier to endure if you do it with the support and comfort of those closest to you.
Ask questions about what types of physical changes you should expect as your treatment progresses. If you know what to expect, it will be easier to deal with. If you will be experiencing hair loss, talk with other patients to get recommendations about makeup and wigs so that you will be prepared when the time comes.
Whenever possible, you should avoid exposure to sunlight between the late morning and early afternoon hours. Go outside before or after those times to enjoy the fresh air without damaging your skin.
Cancer prevention is a much wiser path than treating an avoidable cancer after the fact. You can prevent cancer by avoiding the sun for too many hours. And if you must be in the sun for a long time, cover your body with sunscreen.
Do not forget that life goes on in spite of your illness. Try your best to keep participating in all of your favorite activities. However, be aware that there may now be some limitation on what your body can do. If you like to do something, you should not stop doing it just because you are ill. In fact, continuing your passions and pleasures will keep up your spirits and positive attitude.
There are some nonmedical therapies that may help get you through your cancer treatment, and allow you to relax. Yoga, massage and acupuncture procedures can all benefit your body and mind while fighting cancer. Aromatherapy can work wonders, too. All these different ways will help you not be as stressed as you battle this disease that adds tremendous stress to your life.
No level of alcohol consumption has been found to be safe in terms of contributing to your overall cancer risk. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol makes you far more vulnerable to certain types of cancer. Esophagus, mouth and throat cancers are all potential threats from over-drinking. Limiting the amount of alcohol you drink can reduce your risk for these cancers.
Avoid participating in risky and unsafe behavior. Anything that makes infection more likely can help lead to cancer. Therefore, you should make sure that you practice safe sex and you should avoid ever sharing needles with anyone.
Usually chemotherapy and surgery are the common treatments for ovarian cancer. The surgical options include removal of the fallopian tubes or an ovary (or both ovaries) and can go as far as a full hysterectomy or removal of lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is the use of radioactive chemicals to kill the cancer cells left in your body. It’s usually done after surgery, but a number of women get it done, beforehand.
If someone close to you has received a cancer diagnosis, it is a good idea to talk with them about the future in a way that includes them. It is important for them to feel that you believe that they are going to overcome their condition. Making plans for the future together, will reassure them of your confidence in the success of their treatment.
Your ultimate goal is to win the fight against cancer, regardless of what you have to sacrifice during the battle. The role of the doctors are to take care of your physical symptoms, but it may be difficult to find good emotional treatment while in the hospital.