A healthy lifestyle is important for any person. If you are also dealing with breast cancer, it is even more important that you take care of your health. Whichever breast cancer treatment method you choose, you also want to focus on your overall health. If you are currently going through breast cancer treatment or are planning to soon, consider these health additions for a more inclusive treatment.
Emotional therapy support
Hearing that you have breast cancer can be very emotional. Now, you are required to visit with numerous physicians and your breast cancer specialist. You have to make treatment decisions that could affect your entire life. All of this can be extremely overwhelming. It is important to also take care of your emotional health. This can be in the form of a counselor or other mental health professional. It can also mean that you have someone you trust to talk with. Sometimes, joining a support group can be helpful, because you are surrounded by others going through the same thing as you are. Although there is no breast cancer cure, there are treatments that can put you into complete remission. Keep this in mind during your recovery process.
Overall health support
You will spend the majority of your time focusing on your breast cancer treatment, whether it is proton therapy for breast cancer or another treatment option. Many times, other health conditions can get pushed aside while you focus on your cancer treatment therapy. While breast cancer care is necessary, you don?t want to see a decline in your health from other medical conditions. Make sure you are keeping up with your yearly physicals and keep up with your vision, dental, and other specialist medical appointments. Just make sure you speak with your breast cancer doctor to ensure your other medical treatments are not interfering with your proton therapy for breast cancer treatment.
Support your energy
It is normal to feel drained during your proton therapy for breast cancer. The emotional effects of cancer combined with your treatments can take the majority of your energy. You will want to support and supplement your energy. Make sure you are eating a healthy diet, exercising when possible, and take over the counter supplements to make up for vitamins that you are deficient in. Again, make sure you discuss any dietary or exercise changes with your breast cancer physician to ensure they are safe with your current treatment method. Your physician might even choose to refer you to a dietary specialist that can help you create a menu plan that will increase your energy levels.
Reduce any stressors in your life
There is no doubt that going through breast cancer treatment is one of the most, if not the most, stressful times in your life. This is a time when you want to remove any other stressors from your life. Although a proton therapy session generally takes 15 to 45 minutes of your day, it is important that you focus on this. If possible, take a medical leave from work. Avoid stressful tasks at home. Avoid drinking and doing drugs. About 18% of men over the age of 18 have had five or more drinks in one day at least once in the past year. It might be tempting to reduce stress with a drink, but it is best to avoid any of these substances.
With treatments like proton therapy, cancers like breast cancer treatment are less invasive than ever. Proton therapy for breast cancer is a type of radiation that stops at a very specific point in the targeted tissue. In breast cancer, this means that no radiation reaches the heart and on average, 50% less radiation to the lung when compared to conventional radiation. While you are going through breast cancer treatment, make sure you are also paying attention to other health conditions, supporting your energy, and monitoring your emotional health.
