A cancer diagnosis doesn’t have to mean a death sentence and spiral into depression. Many types of cancer are very treatable, and there are ways you can cope with the process. Read this article for some helpful tips about dealing with this incredibly difficult time and how to make it just a bit easier.
Insurance is important for every cancer patient to have. Insurance can cover the cost of medical bills, which can become very expensive due to doctor visits and treatments. Seek out many different insurance options, either through your employer, through your state or through local groups that may help those with cancer.
The sun can be a major cancer causing factor for many people. The sun releases ultraviolet rays that enter the earth’s atmosphere. When we step outside, our skin is exposed to these rays, and too much exposure can cause skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. Be sure to protect yourself with sun screen to prevent this.
Anyone over the age of 50 should be receiving at least an annual screening for types of cancer like colon cancer. This is around the time that most people will get colon cancer, so it is very important that you work to catch this in time. Over 90 percent of all people diagnosed with colon cancer are over the age of 50.
When you quit smoking, you reduce your risk of emphysema and lung cancer, and you also reduce the risk for colon cancer. Smoking can contribute to colon cancer because the inhaled smoke transmits carcinogens to your colon and can also cause enlarged colon polyps. These are a few of the many reasons you need to quit smoking.
While laughter may not be able to cure cancer, it can certainly help a little. People call laughter the best medicine for a good reason. Cancer is a very serious illness, but don’t allow an overly-serious ambiance to envelop you permanently. This may inhibit some of the humor and laughter that would normally be spontaneous. Appreciating the humor in life will help you to feel a little better both physically a mentally.
Read the literature on this subject, if a loved one or you, has cancer. Knowledge, understanding and confidence are very important when it comes to beating the tragic disease.
All women over 40 should be receiving at least one mammogram per year in order to catch breast cancer early. Breast cancer wreaks havoc on millions of women, and catching it early is undoubtedly the best way to fight this type of cancer to date. Start annual mammograms after you reach 40.
Switching out coffee for green tea can help you to prevent catching cancer. Coffee will not necessarily increase your risks, but if you need a caffeine boost, green tea is full of EGCG and polyphenols. These substances help prevent cancer in the colon, liver, prostate, breast, and other areas of the body.
Avoiding the doom and gloom associated with cancer will help you to ultimately defeat it. Episodes of your favorite M.D. show can be hazardous to your health. Those images of sick and dying people can really put your mind in a bad place. Avoid them and, as trite as it sounds, find a happier place.
Keeping a journal of what you hear from doctors and/or how you personally plan to fight the disease is a good idea. You can often become confused and especially discouraged when fighting cancer, so having some notes to refer to can help you remember the steps you had planned on taking to beat the disease.
You’re going to be running back and forth to the bathroom a lot as you fight with your cancer, so move into any bedroom that’s closest to a bathroom. Being in close proximity to a bathroom will help to prevent accidents, and you also have quick and direct access to the shower when you need to freshen up.
Never allow for the possible insurance implications to deter you from seeking better help with your cancer. Money should be the last thing on your mind here, and there are multiple hospitals and treatment centers out there that will give you full care despite your particular insurance situation. Find them.
If you find that the medication or treatment you are receiving for cancer is causing stomach complications, the problem might be because of coffee. Stop drinking it. Caffeine is known to worsen this type of side effect, even in small amounts, so eliminate it from your diet. In addition, stay away from any caffeine, which can be found in chocolate and soft drinks.
As mentioned above, a cancer diagnosis, while obviously difficult, doesn’t have to mean the end of your active life. Having read the advice in this article, you should be better prepared to deal with this difficult time and be an active part of your treatment. Go out there and live the life that you have instead of worrying about the one that you don’t have.
