Physical Well-being
Break Free from Tobacco Use
by Maher Karam-Hage, MD, and Paul Cinciripini, PhD
People recently diagnosed with cancer are trying to adjust to their new reality. They are either working to understand their illness or coping with their treatment and the unwanted side effects of surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Moreover, the daily stressors of life are magnified by loss of income due to inability to work, disruption of family relationships, changes in daily routines, and added strain to existing interpersonal conflicts.
Women, Cancer, & Sexuality
by Ralph and Barbara Alterowitz
After cancer, women often feel they have lost a significant part of themselves and their sexuality. Mourning is natural. Women need to learn ways to cope with this loss. But when mourning locks you in, when you let it act as a kind of emotional quicksand, it compounds the tragedy of loss. Many women feel that their cancer has not just changed their sense of self, but has damaged it.
Yoga May Help with Fatigue-related Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors
A common side effect of cancer treatment is fatigue: approximately one-third of cancer patients experience persistent fatigue. According to a new research study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, yoga may help breast cancer survivors deal with fatigue.
Tips for Preventing Infections during Chemotherapy
People with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy are more likely to get infections through everyday activities with their family and friends or from healthcare settings. One out of every 10 people with cancer who receives chemotherapy gets an infection that requires a hospital visit.
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
by Carol A. Enderlin, PhD, RN, and Martha Kuhlmann, MSN, FNP, PMHCNS
Sleep is an important way that our bodies restore our energy “charge” to keep us going. Seldom is sleep more important than when facing cancer. But sleep is so finely tuned to how we feel physically and mentally that it may be challenging when we need it the most. Understanding how sleep works can give insight into ways to improve sleep while coping with cancer.
Tips to Better Cope with Cancer Treatment
by Susan Bauer-Wu, PhD, RN
You may wonder why you would want to be more aware of your body at a time when you’re not feeling well. But tuning in is an entry into accepting your body as it is right now. By tuning in, you may recognize that what you’re feeling may not be significantly different from how you felt hours, days, or even weeks before, so you may be less likely to panic when you feel discomfort.
Seven Tips to Successfully Quit Smoking in the New Year
This holiday season, countless Americans will make the New Year’s resolution to quit smoking in 2012. While quitting smoking is extremely difficult—six out of 10 smokers require multiple quit attempts to stop smoking—preparing a quit-smoking plan can greatly improve a person's chance for success. The following are proven tips and resources from the American Lung Association that have helped thousands of people give up smoking for good.
Getting Up From Your Desk Can Put the “Breaks” on Cancer
As many as 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 cases of colon cancer occurring in the U.S. every year are linked to a lack of physical activity, according to estimates presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research annual conference. The estimate underscores the critical role that both activity and inactivity play in the development of specific cancers.
