Cancer Survivors: Make Changes for Long-term Health Gains

If you are a cancer survivor, whether you are currently in treatment or completion of treatment a long time ago, you are far from alone. Estimate the number of cancer survivors in the United States currently 137,000 yuan, and will continue to grow as our population gets older. We expect to 2022, there are 18 million cancer survivors.

Cancer researchers are working to early detection of cancer, improve the therapeutic effect, reduce the negative effects often associated with treatment, such as fatigue, pain, lymphedema, chemotherapy brain. Many people walked into the cancer experience and other chronic diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis), and more development of their cancer after treatment of additional conditions.

An important question is: What can I do to keep as healthy as possible, I feel better after I have cancer? The good news is that changing your lifestyle can make a difference long-term health. Here, we at the American Cancer Society recently developed physical activity and healthy eating recommendations, specifically for cancer survivors. What do they mean?

If you smoke, quit smoking

Smoking causes many health problems, who have not had cancer. But for cancer survivors, more importantly, is to quit smoking. Smoking and cancer recurrence (recurrence), a new diagnosis of lung cancer, bladder cancer, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, ovary, cervix, and many other chronic diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and heart disease name a few. I sell you do? Here are some great resources to help you quit smoking, and to help you stay quit.

Control your weight

Control your weight, more importantly, for cancer survivors than in those without a history of cancer. With higher overweight or obese people who are risk of certain cancers, including breast, prostate, colon, back, develop other chronic diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes), and dying people who are in the more earlier age than a healthy weight.

You are obese or overweight? Use our body mass index (BMI) calculator to find out.

How do you control your weight? Continue reading.

Get Active

As someone who studies aging, I like to say that exercise is the closest we have the fountain of youth. Studies have shown that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of recurrence of certain cancers (breast, colorectal, prostate and ovarian cancer) came back, the development of new lower risk of cancer, the development of more chronic health conditions, such as Diabetes and heart disease risk is low.

Here are some tips you can follow to increase your activity level, and maintain long-term active:

Do what you love to do: I do not like to admit it, but I do not like to run. When I tried to develop a running program, I find it difficult sticking to it, because I do not feel happy. Instead, I found a love to play tennis, and continues to play a few times a week to this day. It is important to actively try different methods to see to speak to you.

Only: Displays the gym, exercise classes, swimming pools, etc. your commitment to your health, you've taken a big step. If you do not achieve the full exercise of the day, that's fine too. You'll keep your promise to yourself to do something positive that day, just to get off the sofa.

You do not have to run a marathon, just move: If you are new to exercise or have taken a rest, it will take time to establish the recommended level. This is normal. In the meantime, talk to your doctor about an exercise program and get moving.

Identify a small, achievable goals is the key. If you go beyond this goal, on some days, great. You can always slowly increase your goals. However, the goal is set too high, especially in the first, can make it difficult to meet every day (especially how busy we all get).

Even a small increase can make a large difference in your level of activity in your physical and emotional health, and can reduce the risk for developing chronic diseases. You can do some simple things:

Go take a walk with a friend, rather than catch them on the phone or over pizza

Park farther away, so you have to walk in the grocery store several times each

The establishment of small your daily exercises, such as toe cause or squatting, brushing stretch in the shower or in your favorite TV show

Important information is to start small and build more activity every few weeks, you will at any time to reach physical activity recommendations! As an added bonus, you will feel great to achieve your goal is a more positive person.

Looking for a healthy "partner in crime": partner in crime to recruit a healthy life, you can help motivate each other and keep each other responsible. There is a walking friend and tennis buddy really helped me stick to my exercise routine.

Eat well

There are so many different messages, where to eat and what not to eat, I often feel confused - I work in this field! I use some tips:

A) adequate

The. Vegetables and fruits

Two. Low-fat protein, such as chicken, fish, egg, tofu

III. Whole grain foods such as whole wheat, oatmeal or whole oats, whole wheat cornmeal, whole rye, brown rice, and even popcorn without salt or butter

Four. Water: keep moisture and make you feel more full

2) less

The. Sugary drinks such as soft drinks, flavored water high-sugar, high-sugar juice). Many studies have shown that these types of drinks will increase the weight and increase your risk for different health conditions. Once in a while a small soda can be a good thing. The key is to enjoy these types of drinks moderately.

Two. Red meat: I love muscle once in a while, but a lot of red meat (such as pork, burgers, steaks) can increase your risk for many types of cancer (colon cancer, there may be other, including prostate cancer and stomach), weight gain and other health conditions. Enjoy it in moderation.