3 Tips to Eating Healthy

1.) Eat plenty of foods that are rich in calcium. People in their early twenties need to be build up stores of calcium in their bodies to prevent osteoporosis in later life. If you don't like milk, try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

2.) If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly. Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are harmful. There is not truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way to lose weight, feel good while doing it, and keep it off is to eat a balanced diet.

3.) Drink lots of water. Your body needs at least eight glasses a day, and if you exercise vigorously, you may need more. To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it handy during late night study sessions.

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3 Tips to Eating Healthy

Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

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Physical Activity and the Cancer Patient

In the past, people being treated for a chronic illness (an illness a person may live with for a long time, such as cancer or diabetes) were often told by their doctor to rest and reduce their physical activity. This may still be true if movement causes severe pain, rapid heart rate, or shortness of breath.

Newer research has shown that exercise is not only safe and possible during cancer treatment, but it can improve physical functioning and quality of life. Too much rest may result in loss of function, strength, and range of motion in the person with a chronic illness. As a result, many cancer care teams are now urging their patients to be as physically active as possible during cancer treatment. Regular exercise is an effective way to counteract the negative effects of inactivity in chronic illness.

• Keep or improve your physical abilities
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  Better balance, lower risk of falls and broken bones
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  Keep muscles from wasting due to inactivity
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  Lower risk of heart disease
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  Less risk of osteoporosis (weak bones that are more likely to break)
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  Better blood flow to legs and lower risk of blood clots
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  Less dependence on others to do normal activities of daily living
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  Improved self-esteem
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  Lower risk of anxiety and depression
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  Less nausea
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  Better ability to keep social contacts
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  Fewer symptoms of fatigue
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  Better weight control
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  Improved quality of life

We still do not know a lot about the effects of exercise and physical activity on recovering from cancer and on the immune system. But regular moderate exercise has been found to have health benefits for the cancer patient. Moderate exercise is defined as activity that takes as much effort as a brisk walk.

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A Few Tips to Cope With Chemo

Everyone’s experience during chemotherapy is different, so WebMD offers a variety of nutrition and food tips to help you deal with unpleasant side effects.

Coping With Side Effects of Chemo

• Keep Food Tasty. Chemo can do a number on your taste buds, making certain foods and drinks taste metallic or unpleasant. Water and meat are the two most common items that become distasteful during chemo, says Cara Anselmo, clinical dietitian at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. If it becomes difficult to drink plain water, try drinking flavored mineral water or add sliced lemon to tap water. If certain meats become difficult to enjoy, try other sources of protein such as eggs, low-fat dairy, beans, and fish.
• Fight Constipation. While some people experience diarrhea with chemo, others deal with constipation. Keeping hydrated is important to help prevent constipation. Including all types of fiber in your diet also can be helpful. If you aren’t accustomed to large amounts of fiber, make sure to increase your fiber slowly. Getting some exercise -- even just a 20-minute walk -- can be a powerful intestinal stimulant.
• Manage Weight Gain. Some cancer patients tend to gain weight during treatment, says Jennifer Koorenny, MS, RD, oncology dietitian for Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She suggests low-fat meals, snacks, and lots of vegetables.
• Improve Your Appetite. Many people undergoing chemo find that their appetites suffer. Since carbohydrates are usually digested well, Erika Connor, RD, clinical dietitian for the Stanford Cancer Center, recommends trying snacks such as hot cereals, toast with peanut butter or other nut butter, or pita bread with hummus. Other foods to consider include yogurt and blended soups.
• Ease Diarrhea. If you are experiencing diarrhea, avoid greasy and fried foods, caffeine, sugary drinks and fruit juices, salad greens, raw produce, and sugar alcohols. Foods that are generally well-tolerated include oatmeal, most fruits without skin, sweet potatoes, and squash.
• Keep a Food and Symptom Diary. Write down what you eat and drink, and record any symptoms you experience daily.  This will help you and your health care team identify what you are eating that may be causing nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. This way, medications and other dietary suggestions can be tried before problems escalate.

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Chemotherapy Cycles and Schedules

Chemotherapy Cycles

Chemo is typically given in cycles, with rest periods between the cycles. A cycle can last 1 or more days. A cycle is typically given every 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks. A typical course may consist of multiple cycles.

Receiving some chemotherapy drugs may take a relatively short period of time, while others may take hours. It all depends on the treatment regimen that your doctor prescribes.

If your chemo is given through an IV, your doctor may suggest an implanted vascular access device (VAD), such as an implanted catheter or port. VADs are surgically placed in a large vein near the heart and can stay in place for long periods of time. A VAD eliminates the need to have smaller catheters repeatedly placed in arm veins.

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Will I Lose My Hair with the Chemotherapy?

Many chemotherapy agents cause hair loss otherwise known as alopecia. Chemotherapy affects the growth of rapidly reproducing cells. The cells that make hair are rapidly reproducing hence, they are affected. Some chemotherapies will cause all the hair to fall out (Taxol, Adriamycin). Some will cause the hair to thin.

Hair loss usually starts to occur within one to three weeks after the initiation of treatment. You will need to discuss the affect your chemotherapy will have on your hair with your MD. Since chemotherapy is such a strong agent, there is little you can do to avoid hair loss altogether. Years ago, ice caps (giant ice wraps around your head), and tourniquets around the scalp were popular. They were not very effective mostly due to the discomfort of wearing them throughout the treatment. Also, it was dangerous for those persons who were at risk of developing scalp or skin metestases. Chemotherapy medications act on fast growing cells for a period longer than most people can wear an ice cap or tourniquet.

You can slow the rate of hair loss by being gentle with your hair. Wash only as needed, do not pull on hair or use rubberbands. Use gentle soaps. Avoid heat generating hair appliances such as blow dryers and hot rollers. Do not color or perm hair during this time. If you are interested in wearing a wig, consider trying them on before you lose your hair. It's nice to match color, style and thickness. Hair loss is one of the most distressing side effects of chemotherapy. It is an outward reminder of what you are going through.

Remember, your hair loss is temporary. Your hair will grow back after treatment is ended. You will notice hair growth usually within a month after your last treatment. Your hair may come back a different shade or texture. Remember too, your hair acts as an insulation to your head. You may notice you feel much colder after you have lost your hair. Hats and scarves can provide the extra insulation you need to keep your head warm.

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Will chemo be my only treatment for cancer?

Sometimes chemo is the only treatment you need. More often, chemo is used along with surgery or radiation therapy or with both. Here's why:

* Chemo may be used to shrink a tumor before surgery or radiation therapy.

* It may be used after surgery or radiation therapy to help kill any remaining cancer cells.

* It may be used with other treatments if your cancer comes back.

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