The Good News:
When people who have cared for themselves like those mentioned from my questionnaire demographic study, are diagnosed with cancer- reporting good diets, exercise and other positive lifestyle attributes, they tend to demonstrate greater host resistance, robustness and resilience in the face of the disease.
Implementing Change:
Remember change does not always involve making a new choice. Over the years, many of my clients have returned to a lost passion – a much loved past-time or hobby that they abandoned due to circumstances of study, marriage etc. Rather than seeking new past-times, returning to these types of familiar but lost activities, can be highly therapeutic.
Goal Setting for Lifestyle Change:
Set simple realistic and achievable goals and review them regularly. If you set goals way ahead of your learning capabilities in this new situation you are often setting yourself up for failure. There are many different ways of setting goals. We all learn in different ways. Our best advice is to be patient, go slowly and make small increments in lifestyle changes.
What to do?
For safe self-help – Here are a few areas for change you might consider…
Stress reduction – How do you rate stress in your life and your management of it? If you think this part of your life needs attention, what can you do about it? I suggest you consider some of these practical options as a part of your lifestyle change:
Meditation – does not cure cancer but for some it can improve your life – especially mindfulness meditation – Highly recommended.
I have met with both of the following teachers who walk the talk and who can transform obscure meditative practices into practical applications – excellent for cancer patients.
- Refer to the work of Jon Kabot-Zin https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/
- Thich Nat Hahn – especially “The Miracle of Mindfulness” and other publications. https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/meditate
Active meditations can be…
- Tai chi – join a group (Covid-19 dependent) on learn online via you tube.
- Chi gong – join a group (Covid-19 dependent) on learn online via you tube.
- Mindful walking in nature
- Stretch, Yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais
- Dance, music and movement
There are many more options you can explore.
Diet & Lifestyle:
Refer to diets for cancer patients page on the menu.
Sleep:
Adequate sleep is essential for everyone – but especially for cancer patients. Lack of sleep disturbs circadian rhythms and our metabolism and therefore our healthy immune function. Conventional cancer treatments, especially dexamethasone and cortisone-based treatments, interfere with sleep patterns therefore you need to ask for help in this area if you are impacted. Avoid self-prescribed herbals to enhance sleep – seek professional advice.
For more Information:
Refer to my booklet – available in eBook:
A Helping Hand eBook – Simple Tools to Enhance your Recovery and Life after Cancer – The Grace Gawler Approach
or for Breast Cancer Patients:
Women of Silence eBook – the Emotional Healing of Breast Cancer (238 pages) or