It’s official — you have finished your prostate cancer treatment and you are ready to get back to living your life in the Inland Empire. The bottom line is cancer has changed you, and it is time to make some positive lifestyle changes in order to enjoy your life to the fullest.
Whether you have suffered from prostate cancer, kidney cancer or liver cancer, the following changes will help you enjoy your cancer-free days in Rancho Mirage.
Life after Cancer Treatment
Know the importance of making good choices: Living a healthy life is not necessarily about giving up everything that is potentially bad or harmful, but it is about living in moderation. Perhaps give up alcohol and tobacco — two products that are known to be damaging to the body.
Instead of choosing two fried side dishes, maybe choose just one side that you enjoy and another delicious fruit or vegetable to balance out your meal. When you make good choices, you will find that you will feel better both inside and outside. It is important to make choices that help keep your stress levels down in order to keep your emotional health in check at the same time.
Eating Right
Cancer treatment can have a significant impact on your appetite. It may cause you to feel nauseous, not allowing you to eat the portion size you normally would in order to maintain a healthy weight. On the other hand, it could cause you to gain weight because you are hungry more often than usual. Every patient is different and will experience different symptoms after their treatment is complete.
It is important that all patients take the time to sit down with a dietitian to find a plan that works for them. Some people might want to eat light meals every few hours while others might want to cut out certain fatty foods to help them maintain a healthy weight. No matter what, it is important to eat a well-balanced diet that is rich with healthy foods such as lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains.
Striking a balance between Exercising and Resting
Depending on a person’s age and lifestyle prior to their diagnosis, a patient could feel very fatigued even after treatment is complete. This fatigue does require rest, but ultimately it is addressed through patients slowly but surely building up their tolerance for exercise and physical activity once again.
Patients should consult with their urology doctor, to find out what types of exercises they should be doing and how often they should be doing those exercises. Some people might need to take short walks only once or twice a week while others need an intense exercise regime after treatment is finished.
While every cancer patient is excited to be finished with treatment, it can also be a daunting time. Every patient is different and needs to be evaluated on an individual level. Consult with your urology doctor in order to find out what life after cancer treatment will be like for you.
