What Are Low Blood Counts?

Many of the chemotherapy drugs temporarily stop cells from dividing, especially the cells that divide quickly. Blood cells; red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are made by the bone marrow. These blood cells divide quickly. Chemotherapy may lead to low blood counts, causing the possibility of a variety of symptoms. The symptoms depend on the type of low blood cell count.

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The Side Effects Of Chemotherapy Drugs

Although hair loss is one of the side effects of chemotherapy that most of us know about, we may not know that alopecia is only temporary. Usually it is not a long term effect and it stops once the treatment is over. After a while, hair will start growing back but its texture and color may be a bit different from what you were used to having before.

True, there are many side effects of chemotherapy and researchers have been doing their best to find ways of preventing them from happening or at least reducing them. In the case of hair loss, prevention is achieved by putting on a cold cap meant to cool the scalp and reduce blood circulation in the area. As a result, the blood will not carry the drug to the hair follicles and this means that one’s hair will be protected from the damage of the drug.

All in all, the side effects of chemotherapy drugs are an obstacle and doctors are still trying to reduce their number. Even if one solution to preventing side effects from appearing is available, the same solution may not work for another drug that leads to the same problem. The same goes for hair loss; the cold cap may have the wanted effect of doing away with alopecia only in the case of certain drugs, but it may not work with some other ones.


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Why Should a Person Who is Going Through Cancer Treatment Try to Exercise?

If you talk to patients, they have endless reasons for why they exercise and how it makes them feel better. More and more, health-care professionals recognize exercise as a very important part of the cancer care plan.

It helps people stay with treatment, feel better about life. It gives them feelings of control and hope. You’re going to be more able to interact with your family and friends better and do the things that are meaningful for you. One of the big things seen is that it radically reduces fatigue both during and after treatment.

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Chemotherapy

"Chemotherapy" has been used for more that fifty years, but many changes have occurred in the types of drugs used, dosage, and frequency. Chemotherapy is sometimes recommended prior to surgery to shrink the tumor to make it more feasible for the surgeon to remove the entire tumor during surgery.

There are more than fifty different chemotherapy drugs and the drugs are used in different proportions and combinations based on the specific cancer diagnostic information. In general, chemotherapy drugs affects the DNA of the cells by interfering with cell duplication. These drugs affect both the cancerous and the healthy cell DNA. The healthy cells that are particularly susceptible to chemotherapeutic drugs are those which multiply quickly, like the skin (including body, facial, and head hair), gastrointestinal tract, and bone marrow.

LifeMel Honey is here for the support of patients suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Let us know how we can help you boost your immune system.


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Is it a Good Idea to Exercise While Undergoing Chemo?

By Chris Freytag, Fitness expert Chris Freytag is the author of Shortcuts to Big Weight Loss and Move to Lose.


Q: "Is it a good idea to exercise while I'm undergoing chemo?"

A: I've received several emails from readers asking me about whether exercise can help with the physical and emotional healing process of recovering from cancer. So I did some research. I have a friend who has been an oncologist for 40 years, as well as several clients and friends who are cancer survivors.

The cancer survivors I spoke with reported that walking was their best form of exercise and therapy. They also said that being surrounded by other people, in a health club or class, helped them to feel strong and alive. Exercising alone can be tough at a time like this, when you need support.

All of them said the first few days after a treatment are very tough but that exercise really helped in the weeks between treatments. Of course, the drugs in your chemotherapy regimen will vary depending on the cancer you're fighting. Steroids may cause some weight gain or osteoporosis. Hormone therapies can also cause weight gain. So I advise gentle exercise for anyone who feels strong enough. However if you're suffering from excessive joint pain or fatigue, then gentle yoga or light stretching may be better for your situation.

And as expected, the advice about consulting your doctor before beginning any new exercise program goes double for those who are in recovery from cancer.

One of my clients who is a proud survivor said she couldn't have made it without the help of a support group. Check out the cancer support groups in your area or online, such as Prevention.com's. People in these groups can offer advice, support, feedback and information. Their support and creative healing ideas can help you get moving and help you work through your fatigue.


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