Becoming Stronger by Surviving Cancer

I don’t know anyone who hasn’t in some way been impacted by cancer.  In the US nearly one-fourth of all deaths are caused by cancer—and that is a staggering statistic.  I believe awareness is key to anything we face—and learning what we can from what we already know and from each other is key in fighting the battle.

Today, I have a special guest here on Wine-n-Chat her name is Melanie Bowen.  She is a part-time blog contributor for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.  She is sharing with us today, some tips that patients can follow to improve their outlook.  Let’s help her get the message out!  Please help me welcome her to this blog by leaving her a comment at the end—and if you can share this post on Facebook or Twitter. The more we know the more powerful we become.

Becoming Stronger by Surviving Cancer:

A diagnosis of cancer can be a life changing event for the masses. While many types of cancer like mesothelioma or breast cancer can be intimidating, there are several steps patients can take to improve their prognosis.

Toll on the Body

Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled replication of cells inside the body. The human body consists of millions of individual cells. The growth and replication of these cells are controlled by electrical impulses, physical factors, and chemical signals. In some cells, the growth regulation mechanism does not work correctly. This can cause premature cell death or excessive cell replication. If cells reproduce excessively, the immune system will target those cells for elimination. If the immune system is unable to eliminate these cancerous cells, a tumor will grow.

Chemotherapy drugs work by killing rapidly reproducing cells in the human body. While some types of chemotherapy can be localized to the site of the tumor, many treatment methods are systemic. This can cause the death of other types of fast-growing cells in the human body, resulting in hair loss and fatigue.

Toll on the Mind

There are many steps that chemotherapy patients can take to improve their recovery time and well-being. A great first step for many cancer patients is

creating a blog or online journal to chart one's path to recovery. It's important to set goals for one's recovery.

Try sticking to a healthy diet plan, doing light exercises, or finish reading the book you never got the chance to. Start your own personal journey today! Sit in the driver seat on your road to life and map out your desires, wishes, wants and even emotions. The little things make room for larger goals on one’s path to healing. Self motivation is key--you should believe in yourself and inspire yourself everyday.

A great way to keep track of one's thoughts during recovery is by creating that said personal journal or public blog. It's possible to share valuable information with other cancer survivors around the world via the World Wide Web. Take advantage of the array of inspiration waiting to be tapped into. You may find confirmation in things you’ve been doing, while also finding means to cope and heal in ways you’ve never thought to think of before.

It's a good idea to connect with other patients who experiencing the same diagnosis as oneself. Cancer can be an intimidating and scary experience on one's own: by creating a support network, it's possible to speed up one's path to recovery.

Treatment doesn’t stop in the doctors office. Treatment shouldn’t merely heal the body. Take the rest of your healing as a patient into your own hands. Be expressive. Set Goals. And share your story. What you are going through could very well

help a complete stranger.  

 

“Melanie Bowen is an awareness advocate for natural health and holistic therapies for cancer patients. You will often find her highlighting the great benefits of different nutritional, emotional, and physical treatments on those with illness in her efforts to increase attentiveness and responsiveness on like topics-- Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance "