Melanie Bowen

Staying active while going through treatment for cancer can be a tremendous challenge. Especially when dealing with an aggressive cancer like mesothelioma, treatments can make exercise seem the the last thing a patient wants to do. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery all have side effects that can limit energy and create physical limitations. However, here are five activities that patients can do this summer to jumpstart a low-impact exercise program to help reduce symptoms from treatments.

Nutrition is an important part of preventing and fighting cancer. When cancer patients focus on nutrition, they build their natural defenses and fight disease naturally. Even vitamin C therapy is being considered as a way to fight cancer. Though the treatment is experimental, it shows how advanced the body is in repairing itself with nutrients it needs. Especially with rare cancers like mesothelioma, treatments may be limited so consider how these nutritional changes or inclusions can help to fight cancer.

A chronic illness such as a cancer diagnosis can be a very difficult matter to digest and a heavy burden to swallow. That is why it is important for each cancer patient to maintain a positive relationship with their nurses and other healthcare professionals so that they may feel more comfortable in their situation and optimistic for the future. From mesothelioma to breast cancer, all cancer patients deserve a caring nurse who will understand and address their concerns so that the best possible outcome for health can be attained.

When one is undergoing a cancer treatment, thoughts of confusion, uncertainty, and pressure can be at the forefront of their minds. It can be extremely difficult to find time to relax and ease your mind amidst all the doctor appointments, days where rest is needed or simple thoughts about the future. However, there is hope and a safe alternative to gaining a piece of mind for both body and spirit—that hope lies within Reiki treatment.

Prevailing medical wisdom long held the belief that massage therapy would have more negative effects on cancer patients than positive ones, but many medical professionals are challenging that ruling. The fear surrounding massage therapy for cancer patients stems back to the idea that malignant cancer tumors could spread to other parts of the body due to the superior circulation that massage therapy could provide. Many experts claim that scientific research does not support this position and that people with breast cancer, mesothelioma, and other types of cancers may benefit in several ways from receiving massage therapy.

Without adequate attention to the health of our bodies, minds, and spirits, the time we give to our responsibilities, families, and other obligations is not as good as it could be--we are not as good as we could be. If we wish to maximize every moment and live life with our whole selves, we must first build up our physical, mental, and spiritual bodies through nutrition, exercise, and spiritual care.