Hearing a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering and emotional time. A million thoughts race through your mind about treatments, life, death, your family, your friends, your job, and more. Although nothing can completely eliminate the stress of dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment, the tips given in this article will help to ease the process.
The key to beating cancer is to catch it early. Always have your tests and screenings as recommended. This tests can detect presence of any cancer cells, which usually show up before cancer’s symptoms show up. Monthly self exams can be an effective way to detect any early signs of breast cancer or testicular cancer.
Getting too much sun can lead to skin cancer, which is among the most prevalent cancers. In order to prevent cancer, use plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat if you know you will be in the sun for a long time.
Speak up for yourself when necessary. Some people might question whether or not you can continue doing your job, or will fear that your cancer is contagious. Think about ways to address such questions or concerns, and address them right away if they arise. This will help those around you to be less intimidated or fearful as you battle cancer.
Colon Cancer
If you want to catch cancer early, learn the warning signs. So if you have symptoms like blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss or cramping then you could have colon cancer. If you have any colon cancer symptoms, don’t procrastinate about making an appointment. Early detection is key to keeping colon cancer under control.
You can reduce chances of colon cancer by about 40% if you engage in regular physical activity. If you exercise on a regular basis, your body is healthier and more likely to fight off any disease. In addition, obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes and other diseases which weaken the body, and make it more prone to cancer. Fitness is a very important preventative measure.
Smokers must be aware that quitting can protect them from colon and lung cancer, as well as emphysema. The smoke from tobacco can damage the colon. You can minimize the risk to your colon if you quit smoking.
If your loved one has cancer, try to go to as many medical appointments with them as possible. Having a second pair of ears to listen for information and someone who may be thinking more clearly about questions or concerns is a great idea.
Support Groups
If someone you know has cancer, find them someone to talk to. Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to find support groups and even people who will talk to the patient in person. Support groups give cancer patients the outlet needed to release pent-up emotions.
Sun exposure between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm is the most dangerous in terms of skin cancer potential. Go outside before these hours to reduce the risks of getting skin cancer.
Certain foods are known combatants of specific cancers, like the documented benefits of tomatoes against prostrate cancer. Most nutritional defenses against cancer are supported by scientific studies.
A wide variety of screenings are available to help prevent cancer, detect when cancer is present and identify any other problems. People are busy, but it’s best to have routine cancer screenings once a year, especially if you are middle aged or older.
Sometimes, the best thing you can say to someone who has cancer is nothing more complicated than, “I love you”. Putting that love into words is just as necessary as helpful actions. This assures them that things aren’t as bad as they seem.
Diarrhea can be a side effect of some cancer treatments. If this happens to you, you should try cutting coffee out of your daily routine. Caffeine may assist you in feeling alert; however, it can worsen diarrhea, and may cause dehydration. You should stay away from caffeine in order to relieve the symptoms.
Shun behaviors which may put you at risk for certain cancers. There are some activities that cause infection, which increases the chances of developing cancer. Don’t share needles or do other things that can put you at risk.
Usually chemotherapy and surgery are the common treatments for ovarian cancer. You can have as little as one ovary removed or as much as an entire hysterectomy with lymphectomy. Chemotherapy uses drugs, hoping to kill any cancer cells that remain. Chemo is usually done after surgery, although some women are treated this way prior to surgery.
As you can tell, there are a ton of ways to decrease the amount of stress you go through, and to alleviate your fears about cancer and it’s treatment. There is no overnight solution to cancer. You can take some advice here to overcome the effects of cancer in your life in a thoughtful daily process.