Fortunately, some of us will end up going through life without ever having to face what it’s like to deal with cancer either directly or through someone we love. Others, unfortunately, will find themselves in the horrifying position of dealing with cancer. Here are some tips you can use to help in the fight.
Some people diagnosed with cancer choose to opt out of conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation due to the damage they can cause to the body. They turn instead to alternative treatments such as nutrition therapy and vitamin therapy among many others. Some (but not all) of these treatments have been shown to shrink tumors and prolong life. Always check with your doctor before beginning any unconventional therapies.
Skin cancer can be very serious, even deadly. Malignant Melanoma is a serious type of skin cancer that often can’t be cured. Be proactive and have your skin checked regularly by your doctor or dermatologist. He or she can see places you can’t and examine you for suspicious moles and skin changes.
It’s important to take detection and the possibility of early treatment, seriously, when thinking about cancer. Learn how to self-examine yourself for cancers of the skin, colon, prostate, cervix and breast. Be sure to perform checks regularly so that you can start fighting early and give yourself the best chance possible.
It is important to eat well when you are battling any form of cancer. When you are receiving treatment, you may feel nauseous or weak. There are certain foods that you can eat to feel less ill or to feel stronger throughout the day. You need to learn what those foods are and eat them on a regular basis.
Sit down and go over your goals and priorities. A cancer diagnosis provides a good reason to re-evaluate and reflect on your life. Some things that were important may no longer be as important as they were before. Are there activities that you have been thinking of doing or people you haven’t seen that you would like to?
Seek out other people who have been diagnosed with cancer. They understand your situation and many of the feelings that you are having. While your friends and family members are wonderful, it may be difficult to talk to them about certain aspects of your treatment. There are a variety of local support groups and forums that you can find online.
Know various symptoms of various types of cancer to detect it early, like colon cancer. Things like unexplained weight loss, blood in the stool, increasingly thin stools and cramping are all signs of colon cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, get checked out by your doctor.
There is always a chance that a mammogram won’t be able to spot any tumor, so a manual breast inspection is in order if you want thorough results. A skilled mammogram technician should also be skilled at giving a manual exam and also skilled in showing you how to give yourself a breast exam.
How you eat can help you fight against cancer, and a food like cabbage is incredibly healthy for you and very important if you’re trying to prevent getting sick. Cabbage is full of indole-3-carbinols and sulforphane (that stinky stuff), and this can help you to fight against certain types of cancer.
Switching out coffee for green tea can help you to prevent catching cancer. Coffee will not necessarily increase your risks, but if you need a caffeine boost, green tea is full of EGCG and polyphenols. These substances help prevent cancer in the colon, liver, prostate, breast, and other areas of the body.
Whether you are healthy or stricken with cancer, the worst thing you can do is smoke. Do not smoke under any circumstances. Smoking is a known cause of cancer with 100s of carcinogens in a cigarette. Not only that, smoking can exacerbate cancer and its symptoms and make it worse.
Every person with cancer believes that they are above the five known stages of grief, but the best thing you can do is to accept that you are susceptible to them. Giving in to your emotions now means that you can get the denial out of the way and reach the acceptance stage where you fight back against the disease.
Know your individual risks for cancer, including your age, gender, race, and family history. These things could give you more information than you think, especially when you begin showing symptoms that otherwise could be misdiagnosed. If you are aware of an increased risk of cancer, you can target your issues appropriately with a health care professional.
Like some people say it’s better to be lucky than good. That holds true with cancer. Dodging its deadly grips is a little lucky if anything. If you can’t be lucky, however, you can use the tips above to up your skill level and to approach cancer through a knowledgeable standpoint as you fight to defeat it.
