How To Deal With An Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis

How To Deal With An Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis
There’s an ongoing question in the world that touches on a simple yet extremely poignant point: If you knew how long you had to live, would you live your life differently? Unfortunately, many people are forced to answer this question when they are diagnosed with cancer. Focus on making the right decisions with the disease by using the information in this article.

To reduce your risk for various types of cancers, not smoking or using tobacco in any way is one of the best and easiest methods. Smoking has been linked not only to lunch cancer but also to lung, bladder, cervix and kidney cancer. Don’t take the risk, and quit now, or don’t start!

If you have been diagnosed with cancer the best advice anyone can offer you is to take it in stride. Whatever you do, don’t freak out or panic. Rather, take a methodical approach, and try to get yourself cured. While the rates of cancer related deaths are still alarmingly high, they get better every year. There is hope.

Aside from talking to your close friends, family members, and your doctor, you should also try to talk to other cancer patients. Those who have had first hand experience with cancer will know better than anyone else what you are going through and they can offer support and share experiences to help you through.

TIP! There are many stigmas with cancer that still exist today. People will often wonder if cancer is contagious, if those with cancer can perform as well as someone without cancer, of if cancer patients will be offended at the very mention of the disease.

So many people diagnosed with cancer just want to give up. They may feel hopeless and sure that they are certainly dying. This isn’t true in a vast amount of cancer cases! Studies show that people who face their disease with a positive attitude and who visualize the tumors dying, have a much better rate of survival!

When you first receive your cancer diagnosis, get as many facts as you can about it. Try to gather as much useful, basic information as you can about the type of cancer you have. What kind of cancer is it? Where is it? Has it spread? How will it be treated?

Here is one of the most important tips for cancer prevention in existence. Avoid BPA at all costs. BPA, also known as Bisphenol A, is a synthetic estrogen. It is found in hard plastics such as those that are used for water bottles and the interior of canned foods. BPA has been linked to cancer in many cases. In order to avoid BPA, use products that do not contain it.

One of the most critical things you can do to cope with your cancer diagnosis is taking the time to think about your goals and what you want from life. Participate in activities that you enjoy; they will make you feel happy and hopeful. Spend time with the people you love and don’t waste your energy on other things.

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A great way for cancer survivors to deal and to know what lies ahead is to network with other survivors. There are plenty of cancer survivors in the world, thankfully, and they meet up at support groups and even on internet forums, so you can always keep in contact with other survivors.

TIP! We all know that carrots are good for your eyesight, but this root vegetable is also essential in fighting against cancer. It’s amazing how simple things from nature can help to prevent such a disease; and with the beta-carotene and falcarinol found in carrots, throat, stomach, lung, bladder and other types of cancers can be prevented.

It is important to read the warning labels for many products. Many people do not realize that products they use every day contain carcinogens. When buying products, pay careful attention to the ingredients of the product, and even look for warning labels that may say that the product you intend to purchase may cause cancer.

Working to reduce your exposure to radiation is one of the best ways you can prevent cancer. Now, the jury’s still out on whether or not cell-phone usage puts you at a higher risk of things like brain tumors, but there is a direct link between cancer and radiation. So do what you can to avoid radiation.

If you have cancer, you will need help from many people. You should embrace them as part of your healing process. There are many people who you will be around that will be able to help you and empathize with you. These people include chemo specialists, nurses and doctors. This is a journey you cannot make alone, so form the intention of reaching out and accepting these new people into your life.

Someone with cancer is going to want and need their time alone, so you have to know when to back off and to give a person some space. Having pride is important to everyone and sometimes, people do not want you to see them so vulnerable. Respect their request for privacy or you might be pushed away completely.

Cancer doesn’t have to take root in your brain in order to play tricks on your mind, so always remember to keep fantasy and reality separated from one another. You will begin to feel as if you’re sleepwalking and dreaming while you’re awake during your bout with chemo. Keep your mind focused and simply ignore the “weirdness.”

Depression can cause your health to lapse; and thus, can allow the cancer to grow. They may give up completely.

As a cancer survivor, you should be making plans to permanently monitor the long-term effects of the treatment you have completed. Some treatments will put you at a higher risk for cardiovascular issues and even a return of the cancer, so be sure that you speak with your doctor and make plans to monitor the effects of your previous treatments.

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Tell your friends and family about the diagnosis in an open and honest manner. A strong support system is important at this time, so do not try to be tough and end up feeling alone and isolated. Open and honest communication is what will serve all of you best at this time.

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.

Your body and mind are going to react to the many treatments that you are going to go through. You need to stay on top of how you are processing things in your mind so that if things are slipping, you can let your caregiver know as soon as possible.

TIP! If you feel as if you cannot express your true feelings about your disease and the treatment for it to your family, look into a social worker that your treatment center may have for you to talk with. If the center does not have one there, you are sure to find one through the internet in your area.

We all know that carrots are good for your eyesight, but this root vegetable is also essential in fighting against cancer. It’s amazing how simple things from nature can help to prevent such a disease; and with the beta-carotene and falcarinol found in carrots, throat, stomach, lung, bladder and other types of cancers can be prevented.

Try to stay at a healthy weight. Being overweight and inactive can increase your chances of getting cancer. Excess weight has far reaching consequences and losing weight will do much more than lower your cancer risk. It will also lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and premature death.

Watch out for cancer treatment scams. After being diagnosed with cancer, you may feel desperate to try any treatment you can find. However, you should be careful and fully research any treatment method you are considering. If a cancer “cure” sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Discuss and research the treatment with a reputable doctor or government agency before deciding on any treatment.

The life you had before cancer may seem like a distant memory as the battle wages on, but always cling to your past to remind yourself of what you have to look forward to in the future. Keep old pictures and old videos around to remind yourself that cancer is not all there is in life for you. A positive view of the future is good for for your health.

You may have to give up coffee if it combines with your cancer medication to cause diarrhea. The caffeine in coffee can worsen the diarrhea and is not worth the stimulating effects. You should stay away from caffeine in order to relieve the symptoms.

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TIP! As soon as you are diagnosed with cancer, you need to contact your insurance company to see what is covered and what isn’t. Treatment can be extremely expensive, so you will want to know what is covered and what is not.

Check your available surgical options compared to your chemotherapy options and vice versa when fighting cancer. Maybe surgery can help you to get rid of the cancerous tumor, and maybe chemotherapy is your better option. When a doctor suggests one, be sure that you ask about the other. Cover all your bases here.

Remain active, independent and positive during cancer treatments. Being active will help you to maintain your overall health. Remaining independent will prevent you from losing yourself to the disease. Staying positive can ensure that you have the best results in your treatment. Many have found recovery possible by following these steps.

If you are living on your own while going through cancer treatment, think ahead. Prepare larger amounts of food on the days that you feel well enough to cook and put the extras in containers in the freezer for the days that you do not feel much like cooking.

Improving your immune system is going to help your body be able to protect itself against a number of different things. This includes cancer, diseases, and other conditions. Boosting your immune system is going to better prepare your body to fight off any cancer cells that are in your body.

Get regular screenings for things like colon, breast, prostate, cervix and skin cancer. Finding cancer early is the best way to win the battle against it if you were to ever get diagnosed with it. Ask your doctor what intervals are recommended for different ages to make sure that you get the most out of screening.

TIP! If you have cancer, or want to prevent it, throw out anything you use that contains chemicals. There are chemicals in well-known carcinogens such as asbestos that can contribute to the formation of cancers, but many household cleansers, laundry soaps, even deodorants contain chemicals.

Beware that acne is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Many people do not realize this and chalk their acne up to hormones. There are many over-the-counter acne treatments that are effective for you skin. If your acne is very bad, your doctor may be able to prescribe a stronger medication.

You are obviously going to live your life a lot differently when you find out you are dying from cancer. If anything, you’re acting differently because now you’re in survival mode. Even still, you need to make the best possible decisions, and the tips you’ve read in the above article can help you in making them.