4 Tips to Staying Healthy While Receiving Radiation Therapy
Eat a healthy diet to maintain your weight
Radiation therapy is a treatment that can be used for cancer patients to stimulate their immune system and stop the growth of cancer cells. Although radiation therapy often results in weight loss, focus on healthy eating habits during this period!
One way to maintain your body weight while undergoing radiotherapy is consuming more protein-rich foods. Anything such as eggs, beans, or nuts will do. They’ll offer your body sustenance, atop giving you enough energy. This curbs any fatigue that results from a lack of food!
Another way to maintain your weight is generally eating a healthy diet. This should include foods that are high in fiber, low-fat, and rich in protein to keep you full for longer.
In addition, you may want to limit any sodium intake because it can lead to water retention. This can leave you looking bloated and fosters weight gain!
Excess sodium can also cause other problems such as headaches or muscle cramps. Avoid adding salt to your food when cooking, if possible.
Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated
Fluids are the most important consumables that you can drink during your treatment. Stay hydrated to keep your energy levels high and protect your body organs from damage. It can also help to avoid constipation, a common side effect of radiation therapy.
And, if that’s not incentive enough to stay on top of your water intake, it also prevents mouth sores!
You may want to keep some straws in hand for those times when you experience a dry mouth during treatment. Don’t forget about other fluids that count too such as:
- Iced tea
- Coffee
- Milk, or
- Fresh juice
The fluids above are helpful, but water is always the best option. So, make sure you’re getting enough liquids throughout the day. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty because it may be too late by then.
Your food can also help you stay hydrated. Determine how much liquid (in addition to what foods contain) you should take with each meal.
For instance, dairy products such as eggs or cheese can provide calcium. This nutrients has been shown in various studies to reduce bone loss resulting from radiation therapy. Enjoy the nutritious foods when possible!
Exercise with the goal of building up muscle strength and endurance
An excellent way to help your body fight against the effects of radiation is exercising regularly. Physical activity won’t just keep you healthy, but also buffers some adverse side effects of radiation therapy.
Exercise builds up muscles. And, keeping them strong and in shape becomes helpful when dealing with symptoms such as fatigue or muscle loss resulting from radiation therapy. The goal is to build up muscle strength and endurance through different types of exercises.
Some good exercises you can try include:
- Swimming
- Walking
- Biking, or
- Any other activity you enjoy within your physical limitations.
Don’t over-exert yourself with exercise activities. Otherwise, you’ll end up exhausted, something that defeats the whole purpose of exercising in the first place!
Even as you work out your body, it pays to groom the outward look of your body. Clean yourself daily to stay clean. Keep your hair combed and neat and apply oil on your skin for a glow. You also need to keep your nails short and neat.
If you’re a woman, you can visit your favorite salon for manicure and pedicure. This is a great way to improve the look of your nails. What’s more, many modern nail salons have invested in POS systems to improve efficiency and customer experience.
POS systems for nail salons like the one at www.authorityautomation.com/best-nail-salon-pos-system helps ensure that you’re catered for fast and effectively. You won’t stay longer unnecessarily in your salon.
Take breaks from sitting for too long
You need to take breaks from prolonged sitting to help with your body’s circulation. Find a way to get up and walk around every hour or so, even if it’s just for 5 minutes at a time! Set timers on your phone or computer to go off every hour as a reminder of the breaks you need to take.
You can also plan a walking session; ask someone you trust to join you. Walk around your neighborhood for at least 10 minutes before you sit down again. This simple change of pace can help you get more energy and feel better overall!
In Conclusion
There’re many things you can do to keep your body in good shape during radiation therapy. The tips we’ve provided are a good starting point for ideas to help you live healthy.
If there’s anything specific you’d like, let us know. Our team will be happy to provide the guidance or resources you need to get started on the right path. We hope this blog post was helpful!