Lifestyle Adjustments after Cancer Treatment

Following cancer treatment, you will likely have some adjustments to make in your lifestyle. This is common given that you have undergone a major event in your life. It is important to recognize what impact a cancer diagnosis and treatment has had on you, not just medically, but in almost every aspect of your life.

Physical Health

The advice for cancer survivors is no different than the advice for anyone who wants to improve their health—get regular exercise and improve your diet. Regular exercise increases your sense of well-being after cancer treatment and can speed your recovery.

Eat a Balanced Diet

Vary your diet to include lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. When it comes to selecting your diet, the American Cancer Society recommends that cancer survivors:

• Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Choose healthy fats, including foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, rather than saturated fats or Trans fats.
• Select proteins that are low in saturated fat, such as fish, lean meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, and beans.
• Choose healthy sources of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
• Maintain a balanced diet that combines these recommended foods to ensure that you’re getting plenty of the vitamins and nutrients you need to help make your body strong.

Mental & Emotional Well-being

When you were diagnosed with cancer, you might have devoted all your time to focusing on your treatment and getting healthy again. Now that you’ve completed treatment, your focus is back on the things that you did before. However, you may not be ready or able to take care of all of your responsibilities. This can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed.

If you find that your feelings are overwhelming you or interfering in your everyday life, it’s a good idea to consider getting some outside help. Sometimes talking with friends or family can help. But you might feel like those people can’t truly understand what you’re going through if they haven’t had cancer.

Click here to learn more about adjusting to life after cancer.

Cancer Survivorship Program

Touro Infirmary offers a Cancer Survivorship Program to help with the process of recovery after treatment. Touro’s Cancer Survivorship Program helps people transition from cancer diagnosis to wellness by providing support services and evidence-based medical care.

To learn more about the Cancer Survivorship Program at Touro or to schedule an appointment, please contact Paula Harrelson, RN at 504-210-4351.