Staying healthy after cancer

When cancer treatments are over, you may be anxious to get back to living your life as it was prior to your diagnosis. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, there are a few things you can incorporate into your daily routine to live your best life. Here are our tips to staying healthy after cancer.

Eat a balanced and colorful diet

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are chock full of essential vitamins and minerals that help inhibit the progression of cancer cells. Eat a well-balanced diet that includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to fuel your body with the optimal nutrition, so you can stay strong and healthy. At every meal, make it a habit to include as many colors of the rainbow as you can, ensuring you get all kinds of beneficial nutrients. 

Exercise

Exercising on a regular basis does wonders for both your physical and mental health. For cancer survivors specifically, exercise has been linked to improved quality of life, a decrease in symptoms related to depression and anxiety, a reduction in cancer-related fatigue, minimized side effects related to cancer treatments, improved mood and higher self-esteem.  

Maintain a healthy weight

In terms of maintaining a healthy weight, this applies to those on either side of the scale – both overweight and underweight. Maintaining a healthy weight after cancer treatment has been associated with minimizing the risk of cancer recurrence, as well as improving survival rates. By implementing our first two tips – eating a balanced diet and exercising – this shouldn’t be too difficult for you to achieve and maintain.    

Don’t use tobacco

Tobacco use is as unhealthy as it gets, and the links to cancer are undeniable. If you’re still a tobacco user after surviving cancer, then it’s time to seriously kick the habit once and for all, especially if you want to lessen your chances of cancer recurrence. If quitting has been too difficult a task, consider seeking professional help.

Keep your support system close

Having a support system after cancer is just as important as during cancer. Keep your friends and family close, and seek professional help or support groups to help deal with everything you’ve just endured. It’s been shown that maintaining a solid support system post cancer treatments helps with anxiety, depression, self-esteem and overall increased quality of life. Remember that mental health is just as important as physical health!

While these tips can help you live a healthy life, they won’t guarantee that your cancer won’t return. Consult your medical team to create a game plan to maintain your health after cancer.