After Cancer, a Healthy Lifestyle Is Important
January 2016
After Cancer, a Healthy Lifestyle Is Important
Not smoking. Staying active. Keeping a healthy weight. Eating a well-balanced diet. All these things can prevent certain cancers and make a cancer survivor feel better. For instance, exercise cuts the fatigue that often follows cancer treatment.
Living healthily also helps you live longer. For example, the American Cancer Society says that eating well could help reduce your risk for cancer and its return. Experts advise a diet that includes at least 2½ cups of fruits and vegetables every day.
A missed opportunity
Unfortunately, studies have shown that many cancer survivors are unlikely to exercise, eat right, and maintain a healthy weight. Research in the journal Cancer found that, compared with other cancer survivors, colon and breast cancer survivors were less active. That’s a shame because experts say these survivors could gain the most from activity. And obese breast cancer survivors—another group needing exercise—were even less active than other obese women.
In the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers reported that not even half of cancer survivors met healthy lifestyle goals. But cancer survivors with the healthiest behaviors had the best quality of life.
Moving in a healthy direction
A healthy diet will help you feel stronger, rebuild your body, and cut your risk of getting new cancers. So:
Trim fat by baking or broiling, not frying
Pick low-fat milk and other dairy products
Limit or avoid salt-cured, smoked, and pickled food
Limit alcohol intake to 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. Women who risk a recurrence of breast cancer may want to avoid alcohol.
Exercise cuts your risk for many diseases besides cancer. To get more active:
Wear a pedometer to help you count your steps
Pedal an indoor bike or walk a treadmill while watching TV
Go dancing
Walk or bike instead of driving
Learn more about staying healthy.
Online resources
Updated:
March 21, 2017