An Anti-Cancer Diet?
Here are some guidelines you can use for planning an anti-cancer diet. You might also want to consider consulting with a registered dietitian. The dietitian can give you more personalized advice on the best diet and nutrition plan for your condition.
• Choose low-fat protein, such as roasted chicken and baked fish, rather than steak, duck, sausages, or other high-fat meats.
• Try to eat five servings of a wide variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
• Avoid or eliminate processed meats linked to cancer. This includes meats such as bacon, bologna, hot dogs, ham, and smoked meats.
• Choose whole-grain products like whole-wheat bread and brown rice, rather than white bread and white rice.
• Cut back or eliminate alcohol. Limit yourself to one to two drinks a day at most.
Exercise After Breast Cancer Surgery
Exercise has long been known to improve self-esteem, elevate mood, and create a sense of personal mastery and well-being. Exercise after breast cancer surgery is no exception. In addition, studies have shown a link between being overweight and breast cancer recurrence. So losing weight through exercise may help you restore your health and improve your outcome.
Fatigue often lingers for some time after surgery. It may even be more pronounced if you’ve also had chemotherapy and radiation. Still, most experts advise some form of regular exercise, even if you start with short walks around the block. Exercise can actually boost your energy. And recent studies suggest that exercise after breast surgery can lower the risk of cancer recurrence.
Ideal Post-Treatment Exercises
1. Talk with your doctor before starting. For the first days and weeks after breast cancer surgery, focus on protecting your incision. Also focus on protecting any other tender areas from bumping and bruising. Avoid carrying children or heavy groceries. Once your doctor gives you clearance to begin exercising, some precautions may apply. Consider seeing a physical therapist experienced with breast cancer. The therapists can help you improve your range of motion, strength, and flexibility in the affected arm and shoulder after surgery.
If you had a lumpectomy to remove a breast lump, or surgery to remove part of your breast (a segmental mastectomy), exercise precautions are usually minimal.
If you had surgery to remove the lymph nodes under your arm, you’re at higher risk of lymphedema (swelling of the arm). This is especially true if you receive radiation. That’s because fluids can’t drain normally from your affected arm. Lymphedema can occur any time after surgery or radiation. You’ll need to protect your arm from injury. You may also need to avoid exercises such as tennis, running, and some styles of yoga that use your arms for some time after surgery.
If you had a mastectomy, you may have more precautions than women who have had a breast-conserving surgery that removes less tissue. Also, if you go on to have breast reconstruction surgery, you may face several surgeries to finish the full reconstruction of your breast and nipple. That may mean you’ll be restricted from exercise for a longer period of time.
2. Choose an exercise you enjoy. The best exercise for you is the one you’ll stay with and enjoy — and one that’s safe, given your type of breast cancer surgery. Start with brisk walking. Or try using a stationary bike so you can sit upright without leaning on your arms. Other exercises that don’t require you to put weight on your arms include tai chi, qigong, or gentle yoga. Later, add more vigorous exercise that uses your arms more. For example, you might try running, swimming, cycling, hiking, more vigorous styles of yoga, and other aerobic exercise.
3. Work up to 30 minutes, five days a week. Progress slowly and safely in the months following surgery. Eventually, you may be able to work up to the American Cancer Society’s general guidelines for cancer prevention — unless your doctor has advised against it based on your age or medical condition.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits After Breast Cancer Surgery was originally published on blackdoctor.org
