Have you recently found out that you have lung cancer? Most people lose confidence and give up hope when doctors diagnose cancer. Being dispirited and dejected will just get your health condition worse. So, what can you do on your side?’
Besides surgery and chemotherapy, there are other things that increase odds of survival. Things that are non-medical and natural, such as social support and lifestyle factors.
1. Find Support
Some studies found that social support can decrease the risk of death by 25 percentage. Don’t clam up and refuse to talk with people around you. Social isolation is surely not what you need. People want to help you. Yet only one person, be it your loved one or your best friend, can’t do it all. Try to find strong support system instead. It may improve prognosis and odds of survival from lung cancer.
2. Take Care of Your Spiritual Life
An active spiritual life plays a big role in survival from lung cancer. There are different ways to do it. Some people join an organized religion. Others commune with nature and practice yoga or some other form of meditation. People with an active spiritual life have a better response to therapy.
3. Beat Depression
Most patients feel grief and sadness as they cope with a cancer diagnosis. Awareness of the depression symptoms is the first step to beating it. You should talk to your doctor if you’re feeling depressed. Even the most severe lung cancers, such as malignant pleural mesothelioma, shouldn’t make you depressed. Yes, it’s easier to say than to do. But, depression will not improve your mesothelioma prognosis at all.
4. Get Rid of the Stigma
The vast majority of people suffering from lung cancer face a societal stigma. People make some comments that can dishonor you. “How long or why did you smoke?” is one of those remarks. Insensitive comments are often stressful for people coping with a cancer therapy. The stigma of cancer makes the things even more stressful. That’s why you should get rid of the stigma and boost your self-esteem.
5. Eat a Healthy Diet
Healthy food will not only make you feel better but also reduce odds of cancer recurring. The cancer-fighting diet includes pears, green tea, salmon, ginger, capers, carrots, and curry. You should also consider eating the berries like blackberries, cranberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Those foods are proven to reduce the risk of developing cancer.
6. Exercise Your Body
Physical activity plays a role in the prevention of lung cancer. Besides, it can improve survival and prognosis in people with this disease. Studies have shown that exercising can improve the life quality for patients with lung cancer. Your best choice is to ask your doctor what type of exercise is best for you.
7. Quit Smoking
You must stop smoking after a diagnosis of lung cancer. Otherwise, it will lower your survival. People who kick this habit have a better response to radiation therapy. They deal better with surgery as well. This is especially true for people with limited-stage small cell and early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
Fight your lung cancer with these tips in mind. They will improve the quality of your life and your prognosis as well.
