Cancer treatment may be a roller coaster of ups and downs, replete with obstacles ranging from body to mind. A well-sounding contrarian policy may include an active lifestyle in such conditions, but it is a sure way to guarantee a good quality of life, an excellent mood, and overall positive results of the treatment. , Dr. Vikesh Shah, an immunotherapist in Ahmedabad, believes that staying active during cancer treatment is not only possible but also conducive.
The Reason to Be Concerned About Being Active with Cancer Treatment
The importance of being active with cancer treatment for various reasons includes
Improves Immune Activity: This regular exercise may help improve your immune function and develop a better effectiveness to fight off the cancer cells.
Improves Mood and Mental Health: Exercise can be very helpful in decreasing the symptoms of anxiety and depression, so frequent among cancer patients. Exercising secretes endorphins, which may heighten your mood and make you feel good.
Maintenance of Physical Strength: Treatments can be really exhausting; these eventually lead to general weakness. The after-effect of being active will go a long way in maintaining the strength of muscles, flexibility, and endurance by easily carrying out day-to-day activities.
Improves Sleep Quality: Regular physical activity can help restore sleeping patterns that are disrupted during treatment due to stress, medication, or discomfort associated with disease and treatment.
Promotes a Healthy Weight: Maintaining a healthy weight in and out of treatment is important because obesity and underweight conditions create complications during recovery.
Creating an Exercise Plan That Is Safe
It is of utmost importance to consult with your healthcare team before starting or restarting any exercise program at any time during your treatment of cancer. Your cancer specialist in Ahmedabad will be able to help you determine what activities are safe for you, given the treatment you are receiving, in addition to your health in general.
Go slow: If you are not used to frequent exercises, then take light exercises, which may be walking, stretching, or yoga. Increase the intensity and time of the workout to such an extent that your body may permit.
Listen to your body. Pay attention to how your body responds to certain activities. Stop the movements when there is pain, tiredness, or discomfort. You must be aware of your well-being.
Choose Activities That Are Pleasurable: When a particular exercise is pleasurable to you, you automatically put yourself in a position to be motivated continuously. Whether you dance, swim, or garden, find what exactly makes you happy.
Add Variety: Add to your regimen a mix of aerobic exercises-which include any form of walking or cycling-strength training/light weights/resistance bands, and flexibility exercises, like stretching or yoga, for an overall exercise program.
Set Realistic Goals: Concentrate on realistic goals and short-term successes. Relish small victories that will keep you motivated.
Wholesome Nutrition Matters
The right nutrition makes your body capable of tackling energy and stamina during cancer treatment. As an oncologist in Ahmedabad, I would always advocate for the consumption of a diet rich in wholesome nutrients:
Nutrition Eat a Variety of Foods: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats are all OK to eat. Eating a variety of foods in your diet will help you get the vitamins and minerals that keep you immune.
Stay Hydrated: You may want to drink additional fluids since chemotherapy can cause dehydration.
Small, frequent meals may not trigger nausea, and they will also help in maintaining energy levels throughout the day. Instead of having larger meals, have nutritious snacks such as nuts, yogurt, and smoothies.
Limit Processed Foods: Smaller sweet treats, fizzy drinks, and all the foods prepared through processing could provide very little nutritional value. Replace these as much as possible with whole foods for nutrition.
See a Nutritionist: It is highly recommended that you consult a nutritionist specializing in cancer care who can help design an individualized eating plan tailored to your needs.
Stress Management Techniques
Cancer treatment is not kind to the brain, thereby bringing into view the issue of minimizing stress. Below are some techniques that can be used to manage or minimize stressors:
Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness or meditation will decrease anxiety and improve concentration. Plan some time daily for breathing or guided meditation.
Support Groups: Being with other people who deal with the same problems is psychologically supportive and uplifting. Most hospitals and cancer institutes have support groups for their patients.
Art and Music Therapy: The creative activity alone is often a form of therapy. The expressions here, whether painting, writing, or playing music, serve to help alleviate stress and give one something important to be proud of.
Get Professional Help: If anxiety or depression becomes too much for one to handle, go ahead and seek professional help. He should be a psychologist or counselor experienced in the care of cancer patients.
Exercising with a Physical Therapist
If you have been suffering from a high level of fatigue or physical limitation during the course of your treatment, you might consider utilizing the services of a physical therapist. An experienced physical therapist can provide you with an individualized exercise program to allow you to safely rebuild your strength and mobility in a healthy manner.
Resume Gentle Activities
Furthermore, it would be very useful to incorporate more physical activities into your life in less formal ways, such as short walks around the house or in the yard. Brief walks will keep you mobile without involving too much work from the body.
Light Housekeeping: Light housekeeping, like dusting, straightening up, or light gardening, are forms of mobilization that can continue to make you feel useful.
Social activities involve motion and are of a social nature—for example, going to a class in dancing, joining a walking group, and other community activities.
Conclusion
The treatment of cancer necessarily requires physical activity, nutrition, relief of tension, and psychological support. Everything in life becomes valuable when one has to take every single step on this irritating path. Step ahead to the best cancer specialist in Ahmedabad. To mention one, Dr. Vikesh Shah can guide you through the proper steps to plot a plan according to your particular needs scheduled for your appointment today!
It automatically raises the quality of life and empowers a person by concentrating on one’s well-being and an active attitude while undergoing treatment. One is never alone; it only takes responsible actions toward one’s health. Stay positive and stay active, and your days will get brighter!