For those recovering from chemotherapy treatment, the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute recommend eating a healthy diet, managing weight, staying active, avoiding known carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents, getting regular medical checkups and addressing emotional factors in order to regain and maintain health.
Proper Nutrition
There is very little research available as of 2010 on using diet to prevent a recurrence of cancer. However, eating certain foods can reduce the risk of developing other types of cancer and can improve strength and help the body rebuild its tissues. Certain side effects of chemotherapy, like weight loss, poor appetite and trouble swallowing, can linger even after treatment ends. If this is the case for you, discuss options for dealing with the problem with your doctor or nurse. Once you begin to feel better, you'll want to start on a balanced and nutritious eating plan. It may be advantageous to have a dietitian create a plan especially for you. Some general nutritional guidelines provided by the American Cancer Society include several servings of fruits and dark-green and orange vegetables daily, whole-grain breads and cereals, low-fat and low-salt foods, and limited amounts of alcohol.
Staying Active
Even if exercise was never part of your lifestyle before, you can still find a balanced program that is right for you and works with your current level of fitness and strength. The Stanford University School of Medicine reports that people who start exercising later in life gain many of the same benefits as those who have been exercising their whole life. According to the National Cancer Institute, fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced during the first year of recovery. This can make it hard to get active again or feel motivated to begin an exercise program. It is important to discuss anything that might be limiting your ability to start and stick with an exercise program with your doctor or nurse. In some cases, pain resulting from chemotherapy treatment or other health issues may be part of the problem. Among NCI-recommended treatments for pain are acupuncture, physical therapy, hypnosis, meditation, yoga, relaxation techniques, certain medications and braces to limit movement of painful joints or limbs. If these approaches are not effective, nerve blocks or surgery may provide relief.
Maintaining A Healthy Weight
Cancer survivors can have issues with either weight gain or weight loss. Loss of muscle tissue and gaining of extra fat is a common problem, but so is loss of weight due to reduced appetite. It is important to be patient with yourself in the beginning and focus on the positive elements in your control, like your food choices. The NCI has a number of helpful recommendations for dealing with changes in weight and eating habits. In many cases, moderate activity like a brisk walk before a meal can help to stimulate appetite. Focusing on your favorite foods and starting with small meals is also helpful for restoring appetite. If weight gain is the concern, an individually tailored eating plan from a dietitian is again recommended.
Avoiding Known Cancer-Causing Agents
Educate yourself on the dangers of known cancer-causing agents, like excessive sun exposure and how to protect yourself and your family. Tobacco, in the form of cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, is another well-known carcinogen. The ACS provides helpful reference information on tobacco use, its association with lung, mouth, throat, esophageal, stomach, and pancreatic cancer, and programs to assist you with quitting the habit. (See Reference 1)
Regular Medical Checkups
Recurrence of cancer or the development of a new cancer is always a possibility for cancer survivors. Having regular medical checkup and cancer screening tests is an important part of your self-care regimen following completion of chemotherapy. Early detection is often possible with certain cancers and can increase the chances of success when treating them. The ACS provides screening guidelines for most adults for the early detection of cancer, many of which are covered by insurance plans. Discuss your checkup and screening schedule with your doctor.
Emotional Factors
Just as important as the ailments of the body are the ailments of the mind, and so you must remember to pay attention to your emotional health when recovering from chemotherapy treatment. It is normal to worry about cancer returning during the first year of recovery, and sometimes, anxiety and depression threaten to take hold. However, there are many ways to cope with the fear and emotional stress that cancer brings about. The NCI recommends being open and expressing your feelings of fear, anger or sadness with friends and loved ones, a counselor or other cancer survivors. It is also important to stay informed about the cancer you've had and focus on things you can do to get healthy, things within the scope of your control. Always remember that cancer can happen to anyone and it's best not to blame yourself. Many cancer survivors describe their experience as a "journey," one which has allowed them to grow and better appreciate the things most important to them.
