Healthy Behaviors

Treatment for cancer can be very hard on your body. Good nutrition, exercise and other healthy behaviors can help your body heal from the physical harm cancer and its treatment may have caused.

Detailed Information

This information is meant to be a general introduction to this topic. The purpose is to provide a starting point for you to become more informed about important matters that may be affecting your life as a survivor and to provide ideas about steps you can take to learn more. This information is not intended nor should it be interpreted as providing professional medical, legal and financial advice. You should consult a trained professional for more information. Please read the Suggestions and Additional Resources documents for questions to ask and for more resources

Many people, including cancer survivors, can benefit from a healthy lifestyle. Good nutrition, exercise, and other healthy behaviors may help your body heal from physical harm cancer and treatment may have caused.

Activities that promote wellness and health in your life after a cancer diagnosis may be totally different from what you did before cancer. In some cases, you may be less active for a while and more active after treatment. Even with physical limitations, there are still things you can do to maximize your health. It may mean learning new ways to do the things you enjoy. Discuss this with your doctor. He or she can help identify ways to maximize your health and incorporate changes into a self-care plan for healthy living.

What is a self-care plan for healthy living?

A self-care plan for healthy living can help survivors decide on behaviors to help them feel better during cancer treatment and beyond. This is a plan that you can develop with members of your health care team. The plan provides practical ideas for maintaining a healthy lifestyle during your cancer journey.

A self-care plan should include recommendations for the following:

• Physical activity
• Nutritional recommendations
• Stress reduction
• Medical care

Each survivor has unique needs. Always consult with your health care team and discuss your medical history when developing your self-care plan. Your plan may differ from other survivors in a variety of ways including recommended diet and activities. Your plan should include daily activities chosen specifically for you in order to support a healthy lifestyle. A good plan can help improve your quality of life. It may also help lower your risk for illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Many cancer survivors find that they feel better if they incorporate healthy behaviors into their daily routine. It is important to remember that not everyone’s healthy behaviors are going to be the same. Eating right for your health needs and including some exercise that relates to your recovery needs may improve how you feel. It may also reduce your risk for cancer and other major health problems. A good self-care plan may help you avoid these risks. Ask your healthcare team about your particular risk factors so you know what things you should avoid.

Some major risk factors for cancer include:

• Not getting the nutrition your body needs
• Being overweight
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Using tobacco products
• Spending too much time in the sun without protections

Even if you feel fine, you can benefit from incorporating healthy behaviors into your daily routine. Survivors who experience physical changes like weakness or changes in their weight after cancer may be more likely to discuss healthy behaviors with their health care team. However, all survivors can benefit from learning what healthy behaviors are good for them during their survivorship.

Healthy behaviors may be helpful in addressing concerns such as:

• Weakness
• Loss of balance
• Fatigue
• Stiff muscles and joints
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Problems sleeping
• Restlessness

How can a survivor identify the right healthy behaviors?

Discuss any changes in diet or an exercise plan with a member of your health care team before you start. However, you can read about healthy behaviors and bring a list of questions to your next health care appointment. Discuss what you learn from your research to learn whether the information is accurate and if it would be good for your situation. Take the following steps to prepare for your discussion:

• Write down what you eat and drink for a week including any nutritional supplements and herbal products. Find out if you can talk with a nutritionist. Nutritionists can be found through a local hospital or care center. Many cancer centers now have nutritionists who can discuss your food choices with you. This is may be a free service at your care center or local hospital.
• Before developing an exercise plan, discuss what exercises, if any, would be good for you with a member of your health care team. After you understand what exercises are good for your recovery needs, you may want to consult with either a physical therapist or a fitness expert at a local fitness center. Work with your health care team as you decide to increase your activity level.

  A self-care plan may include recommendations for healthy behaviors such as:

• Physical activities
  
  
  • Breathing exercises
  • Walking
  • Hiking
  • Running
  • Cycling
  • Swimming or water aerobics
  • Gardening and outdoor work
  • Playing sports you enjoy
  • Dance or movement classes
• Nutritional recommendations
  
  
  • Eating 5-7 servings daily of fruits and vegetables
  • Eating plenty of fiber
  • Eating the right unsaturated fats – up to 20% of total daily calories
  • Avoiding saturated and trans fats
  • Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day
  • Avoiding salted, pickled or smoked foods
  • Not eating a lot of red meats
  • Avoiding smoking and other tobacco use
  • Drinking little or no alcohol
• Stress reduction activities
  
  
  • Doing things that make you laugh and that you find fun
  • Doing things that make you feel relaxed
  • Taking classes or involvement in hobbies like music or painting
  • Writing in a journal
  • Praying and meditating
  • Attending support groups or counseling
• Medical care
  
  
  • Taking your medications as directed
  • Having regular medical follow-up including screening tests
  • Knowing what symptoms to look for and when to contact a member of your health care team

As you start thinking about how to improve your level of healthy living, it is important to be realistic. Start slowly, and gradually increase your physical activity levels as prescribed by your doctor. For example, a long-term goal may be to walk a mile, but a short-term goal may be to walk a block. Short-term goals can be modified and added to in order to reach your long-term goals.

Healthy behaviors ensure that you are doing as much as you can to improve how well you heal and how you feel on daily basis. If physical problems continue to affect you after you have been following your self-care plan for a while, there may be other treatment options that can be helpful. This does not mean that you should stop using your self-care plan. However, it may mean that you and your health care team will need to consider making some adjustments to your plan.

This document was produced in collaboration with:

Sue L. Frymark R/N/, B.S.
Executive Director: Cancer Care Resources

Works Cited

Lorig, K., Holman,H., Sobel,D., et al. Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions. Colorado: Bull Publishing, 2000

Brown, J., Byers, T., Doyle, C., et al. "Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment: An American Cancer Society Guide for Informed Choices" CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians 53(2003): 266-291

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Suggestions

The suggestions that follow are based on the information presented in the Detailed Information document. They are meant to help you take what you learn and apply the information to your own needs. This information is not intended nor should it be interpreted as providing professional medical, legal and financial advice. You should consult a trained professional for more information. Please read the Additional Resources document for links to more resources.

• What are ways that survivors can incorporate healthy behaviors into their lifestyle?
  
  
  • Talk to your health care team about what diet and exercise plan are best for your recovery needs
  • Establish some long term goals and also set realistic and specific short term goals to include more healthy behaviors in your life
  • Explore the different ways you can manage stress better in your daily life
• Explore the best ways to manage stress in your daily life:

  Some activities that may help manage stress better include:

  • Doing activities such as walks, running, cycling or swimming
  • Getting a massage
  • Practicing breathing and relaxation techniques
  • Practicing yoga or pilates
  • Spending quality time with friends and loved ones
  • Talking with a professional therapist
  • Attending a support group
  • Making time for hobbies and other things you enjoy
  • Asking for help with daily activities such as housework, errands, cooking
  • Writing in a journal
  • Listening to music
  • Reading
  • Watching favorite TV shows or movies

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Additional Resources

The resources listed below provide more detailed information and support services to help you with healthy behaviors. Please read the Detailed Information and Suggestions document for more information and questions to ask.

Online: Complete an intake form through the LIVESTRONG website.
Phone: 1.855.220.7777 (English and Spanish)
Navigators are available for calls Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Central Time). Voicemail is available after hours.

LIVESTRONG offers assistance to anyone affected by cancer, including the person diagnosed, loved ones, caregivers and friends. The program provides information about fertility risks and preservation options, treatment choices, health literacy and matching to clinical trials. Emotional support services, peer-to-peer matching and assistance with financial, employment and insurance issues are also available. To provide these services, LIVESTRONG has partnered with several organizations including Imerman Angels, Navigate Cancer Foundation, Patient Advocate Foundation and EmergingMed.

American Cancer Society (ACS)
www.cancer.org

Email: Submit questions in English or Spanish from the "Contact Us" page.
Phone: 1-800-227-2345
TTY for deaf or hard of hearing callers: 1-866-228-4327

The American Cancer Society (ACS) offers information about many of the challenges of cancer and survivorship. You can search for information by cancer type or by topic. ACS provides a list of support groups in your area. You can join online groups and message boards. Some information on the website is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. ACS specialists can answer questions 24 hours a day by phone or email.

American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR)
www.aicr.org

Email: aicrweb@aicr.org
Phone: 1-800-843-8114
TTY for deaf and hard of hearing callers: 202-855-1000

Since its founding in 1982, the American Institute for Cancer Research has grown into one of the nation's leading charities in the field of diet, physical activity and weight management as it relates to cancer prevention. AICR supports research into the role of diet and physical activity in the prevention and treatment of cancer. It also offers a wide range of cancer prevention education programs.

Smokefree.gov
www.smokefree.gov

Online: Through the website, you can connect to the U.S. National Cancer Institute's instant messaging system.
Phone: 1-800-784-8669
TTY for deaf and hard of hearing callers: 1-800-332-8615

The Smokefree.gov home page offers the "Online Guide to Quitting," which provides information and suggestions to help you stop smoking. Online instant messaging and telephone support are available. The site also provides information and tips for specific age groups and cultural groups, as well as contact information for support services in your state. Some information on the site is available in Spanish.

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