As you’ve probably heard by now from our last 2 posts…the Know Cancer Forum is a little over 2 years old now and is populated with fabulous little tidbits of information and inspiration! This is post #3 in the series here on our cancer blog – where we are sharing some of what’s been said when we let you guys "Tawk amongst Ya'selves". :) Once more a LOUD KC SHOUT OUT to everyone who shares here on Know Cancer!!! Together we are changing the way we collectively & individually deal with cancer.
Check out some more posts and discussions that went on in the KC Forum…
Life After Cancer Treatment
LauraSavageau
Cancer survivors seem to have lots of information and support during their illness, however once treatment stopped they enter into a new world with new questions and feelings.
What was your experience like after cancer treatment?
22YRHLSURVIVOR
I have been a cancer survivor for a little over twenty two years. I have been lucky to be part of one of the oldest Camp Programs for Kids with Cancer (I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma @ 13 yo) Camp Good Days and Special Times. I have shared sometime with thoes people who were around my age who went through cancer treatments. I began having non-related health issues at the age of 29 and kind of moved away from the Programs of Camp Good Days onto other things. I have pretty much kept my upbeat attitute, but I have not taken the opportunity to help others get through their challenges with cancer. I had made a promise to myself that I would make a more concerted effort to help thoes with cancer as 2010 began. About three months ago I was asked to chaperone a trip to Orlando and Tampa with people from Camp Good Days. I will be in Florida tommorrow afternoon and I hope that this is the start of a new relationship with a program that has helped me get through an Illness at a crucial time in my life.
I will also look at volunteering at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, as well as the Local Gilda's Club. If I can help one person better cope with their cancer it will surely be a great year for me.
bigphez
We gather so much strength in giving back. Going through cancer treatment, whether you are a patient, a caregiver or friend teaches you new and wonderful ways to tackle life and passing along your experiences and staying in touch with the things in your life that make you who you are help everyone you come in contact with. Writing on this forum and meeting some of the incredible, truly amazing people on this site continually reminds me of how important each of us are and how we can all make a difference!
Evasion
I would say I had a hard time dealing with my life after treatment. I went through a long stage of depression. Initially I had the "I survived, attitude, oh being on top of the world, I can do anything" which then turned into doing things I had never done, and shouldn't have done.
I began to take the "live life to the fullest" example a little toooo far. I was used to having people flock around me for 9 months, and when it was over, I missed the attention and tried to find it in other ways.
It took me a long time to realize and hit a point that I could look back and realize it was depression. I just realize that their are a lot of Cancer survivors out there that are not treated psychologically for what they endure, and they need to be.
I also found myself wanting to get away from all of the people who knew me as "the cancer survivor" so that I could start a life out of the shadow of it.
Just my own story. Not everyone is the same of course.
Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well!!! – Nutrition, diet, exercise, meditation, yoga
Joshua1
Nutrition, diet, exercise, meditation, yoga, etc. Let's talk about the full spectrum of healthy living…let's help each other to keep improving our overall quality of life. Living healthy is a journey not a destination!
Joshua1
There are even people who have overcome cancer through watching funny movies and laughing all the time. Making sure they did not let negative energy in :)
TheKnowme
I've been doing kung fu for a while now, and find that it really helps to clear the mind. Lots of breathing and meditation involved. Oh, and drinking tea is also amazingly good for you :)
KatFieler
On June 18th the breast cancer recovery classes "Moving On" and "Zumba with Kat Fieler" will host Integrative Nutrition and Wellness Counselor Tracy Neely, for a hands on class on nutrition. We often bring in experts in the field for free educational seminars and this is one of them.
THIS EVENT IS FREE OF CHARGE AND OPEN TO EVERYONE.
Ms. Neely will share recipes and demonstrate how to make some of them. We'll sample and learn, and you will have ample time to talk to Ms. Neely about your own nutritional goals and concerns.
DATE and TIME: Thursday, June 18th, 6:30pm
LOCATION: University Unitarian Universalist Society , 11648 McCulloch Rd Orlando, FL 32817
AmandaP
EXERCISE
I posted this in another part of the forum but I figured I would repost it here since it also fits here:
You have to do fun exercise! I hate "exercise" SO much and I am an athletics coach/instructor! lol BUT I am a private roller skating instructor and an Independent Roller Derby Coach! My girls and I always joke that Roller Derby is the sport for people that hated gym class in school! lol Most leagues are for women but there are a few men's teams out there too. You don't have to be a good skater to start, heck you don't even have to know how to skate in most leagues! We teach you EVERYTHING you need to know! I have students and players at every age from 18-67 years old and every body type! It's funny but it's the one sport that stocky and big girls actually have the advantage as blockers! It's not your Mama's derby either… it is a REAL SPORT with rules now! No hokey alligator pits and bashing opponents with metal chairs! We are serious, competitive athletes that love our sport! Even the non-competitive "rec leagues" play a good game without the theatrics of roller derby past. …there's over 200 leagues in the USA alone now so there's a great chance that the rink near you has a league, and if they don't, START ONE! All flat track roller derby leagues are pretty much run by the skaters for the skaters as completely volunteer organizations! It's also pretty rare to find old school banked track roller derby anymore… those leagues are just too expensive and time consuming to run. Most leagues are FLAT TRACK now so we can play on any flat surface that's big enough! Feel free to message me for more info if you think you might be interested or wanna just learn more! I'll even help you find a league near you if you want! All leagues allow anyone to come out and check out a few practices to see if it's something you'd like before you do it. But TRUST ME it's amazing! SO much fun and a FANTASTIC workout! I have some great pics on my myspace too:
If you aren't feeling that but like to skate or think you might like to skate then do that! Roller skating is one of the best low impact, full body AND cardio workouts you can find! Just ask a doctor! Seriously!
Another thing that a lot of my girls do a lot at home to keep in top shape is yoga and pilates. I even got a yoga tutorial for my Nintendo DS! Even Nintendo Wii has a lot of great exercise options (including yoga), it's a little pricey but worth it! I know a lot of cancer survivors that use it… even in their hospital rooms WHILE they are going through treatment! There's a lot of options there and you can start out slow and really work your way up. It's great for people that maybe are a little limited in what they can do and just like roller derby, it also stimulates your brain… which is why exercise is so dull to so many people… it's unstimulating, meaning BORING!
Another suggestion right now would be a new favorite of my girls… you know how a lot of people do those dance workouts since dance is great way to tone up, loose weight and get cardio exercise? Well a great alternative is those new instructional DVDs, Videos, and even classes for exotic dancing, chair dancing and pole dancing! A little cheeky yes but like roller derby it's great cardio and all around exercise, mentally stimulating, can help you loose some of your inhibitions and come out of your shell a bit AND you can use it at home in the bedroom too! It'll be cheap to start since your husband will happily buy you the DVD or class! lol
The key to exercise is to make it fun! Otherwise you'll start, do it a few days, and then stop doing it. Don't be shy either! Try new things! Just because it's roller derby or a cheeky little chair dance don't let your modesty or shyness stop you! Get out of your shell! You just had cancer, you should know better then to put things off or not try new things, right?
…and if the stuff above doesn't suit you, swim. If you are in a 4 season area like me get a membership to a gym with a pool or the YMCA. Swimming is a great FULL BODY workout and wonderful cardio.
All of the above sure sounds better then a spinning class (though outdoor bike riding is a great idea!)or aerobics though, right?
Joshua1
Great suggestions Amanda! I've been a skater and a roller blader since I was a sprout! Played hockey for many years and I love me a good skate :) Also, great suggestions with the video's and Nintendo Wii…especially when you are in the hospital or home-bound going through treatment. These are really good ways to keep your mind and body nourished! All very important in terms of healing and living healthy…and kicking the Big C to the curb! Overall really cool stuff Miss Amanda P!!
22YRHLSURVIVOR
I know for sure two thing helped me throught my Treatments laughter, and the ability to remain optimistic. I truly believe if you have those two thing you can pretty much get through just about everything life throws at you.
A warped sense of humor is a great way to keep your chin up. It keeps people guessing…
Joshua1
Such a brilliant statement! Those 2 attributes (humor and optimism) alone, with no other treatments have healed cancer. There are people out there who have beat cancer by doing nothing other than watching funny movies and not allowing negative emotions in. Our bodies have natural healing mechanism's built into them. As a paradox, disease usually arises from our own discontent within ourselves and our bodies. So by healing our state of mind is to heal our whole self. Everything revolves within our state of mind…with in our state of "being."
stephaniepizzo
So yesterday I biked 26 miles, wow! What an accomplishment and it feels amazing. I strongly recommend bike riding for the nature enthusiast and those who feel like the gym just doesn't cut it. 26 miles, woo!
LauraSavageau
"disease usually arises from our own discontent within ourselves and our bodies. So by healing our state of mind is to heal our whole self"
– what a great statement flying sorcerer….we create our own reality so we must create the environment of which we want to inhabit. :) I think so many of us don't realize how our minds can cause a lot of the body's ailments.
darshanrawat
1. What you should aim for daily is:
– Carbohydrates intake: 60% of your diet
– Protein intake: 25% of your diet
– Fat intake 15% of your diet
– Cholesterol intake: 300 mg
– Sodium intake: 1000 to 3000 mg
– Fiber intake: 25-30 mg
2. As we grow older, our metabolism slows down gradually, our activity declines, and there is a tendency to eat more.
3. Serious and quick dieting may harm rather than help you. It may interfere with hormonal regulation, blood sugar regulation, and lead to unhealthy preoccupation with food, binge eating, and weight obsession.
4. The benefits of exercise are numerous. Some are enumerated as follows: it will make you lose weight, lower your blood lousy type of cholesterol, increase the healthy type of cholesterol, improve your blood sugar metabolism, reduce your risk of heart disease, lower you blood pressure and heart rate, improve your lean muscle mass, and improve your muscle tone, endurance, and range of motion.
5. One gram of protein or one gram of sugar, each provides 4 calories, whereas one gram of fat provides 9 calories.
6. Never starve yourself then binge eat. Try to spread your food intake throughout the day. Have multiple small frequent snacks in the midmornings and afternoons. Take any leftover food when you dine out for a later treat. Eat low-fat food whenever it is possible.
7. Eat lots of onions and garlic. These are very healthy nutrients that are good for your heart and blood pressure. They are also natural antibiotics and improve your immunity. Mild cooking of garlic for less than a minute may get rid of its smell yet preserves its benefits.
8. Try to avoid beer as it contains very high percentage of empty calories and sugar. Wine is not bad for the heart but grape and cranberry juices are the healthiest. 9- Try to add ginger on your cooking. It is also good for immunity and acts as a smooth muscle relaxant. Smooth muscle is located in your sphincters, gut, and vessels.
9. Try to use fresh vegetables rather than frozen ones. Some vitamins’ effects may change with that. The same applies on meat, juice, and fruits.
10. Fish is the best meat you can eat. It contains large amounts of polyunsaturated fats. These are the healthy type of fats that protect from heart disease. It is recommended you eat the skin of fish also as it contains too many fresh minerals.
11. It is also recommended to eat all vegetables and fruits with their skin, except for common sense ones like bananas and oranges. These will provide you with good quantity of fiber. Fiber forms stool bulk and is necessary to prevent colon cancer.
12. Remember, do not become obsessed with over-eating, think instead you are underexercising. So exercise, exercise, and exercise.
