5 things you can do to keep healthy after breast cancer.

5 things you can do to keep healthy after breast cancer.

Over 20,000 Australians, primarily women, receive a breast cancer diagnosis each year. The positive news is that 92 out of every 100 women survive for five years or longer after receiving their diagnosis, whether you are one of them or you know someone who is.

However, life-changing side effects like pain and exhaustion that can linger for years after cancer treatment often surprise women. And even after patients cross the coveted five-year survival milestone, many continue to fear that their cancer may return.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, what steps can you take to increase your chances of leading a longer, healthier life?

1.Continue to be active

Reduce your sitting and increase your movement. Ideally, this entails building up to and then maintaining a weekly exercise schedule of approximately 150 minutes (two and a half hours). This is combining resistance training—which targets particular muscle groups—with aerobic activity, like walking, at a moderate to intense level that causes you to puff up a little.

Exercise has been linked in observational studies to longer lifespans and a lower risk of cancer recurrence. Additionally, this is corroborated by some preliminary data from clinical trials.

Exercisers and more active women with breast cancer enjoy greater quality of life, increased strength and fitness, and fewer, milder side effects after active therapy.

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2.Maintain a healthy diet

It has been demonstrated that women who eat healthier, which includes eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and fish, live longer after being diagnosed with breast cancer than women who eat a lot of processed or refined foods and red meat.

This is not directly related to the chance of dying from breast cancer; rather, it is primarily caused by the beneficial effects of a healthy diet on lowering the risks of other medical diseases, such as heart disease.

In actuality, heart disease has a greater risk of death for many women than breast cancer, especially for older women or those with early-stage breast cancer. A nutritious diet can support the maintenance of heart health and a healthy body weight.

Increased curiosity has been shown in certain diets (such low in carbohydrates or keto diets) and fasting while receiving cancer therapy. However according to the most recent guidelines, there isn’t enough data to conclude that these are significantly beneficial just yet.

Further investigation is underway in reaction to the results of a 2020 study that revealed a low in calories, low-protein “a fast mimicking diet” in the days before and during chemotherapy improved treatment response. Only one in five of the study’s participants were able to maintain the fasting diet during their whole course of chemotherapy, demonstrating how difficult it was to follow the diet.

3.Sustain a healthy weight

Overweight has also been connected to a worse chance of survival following a diagnosis of breast cancer. However, there are currently no published research demonstrating the opposite: that losing weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer can increase survival. Experiments are being conducted to address this query.

Gaining weight after breast cancer therapy is typical. The reasons behind this are multifaceted, and being overweight can exacerbate some of the treatment’s adverse effects. Our recent study of post-breast cancer women revealed that their physical quality of life and pain levels improved when they were assisted in losing a minor amount of weight (5% of their body weight). They also lessened their chance of developing diabetes and heart disease.

A modest body of research indicates that, in addition to these well-known suggestions, two other behaviors connected to our body clock may have an impact on our health following a diagnosis of breast cancer.

4.Get enough restorative sleep

Sleep disturbances, which are typical in breast cancer patients, can last long after your treatment is over.

Compared to women with breast cancer who seldom or never have trouble falling asleep at night, those who struggle more frequently run a higher chance of passing away from any cause.

Furthermore, how long you sleep matters as much as how well you sleep. There is a 48% higher chance of breast cancer recurrence in those who slept more than nine hours a night as opposed to seven or eight. However, research is still needed to identify the potential causes of this. Does sleeping longer lead to a higher chance of cancer recurrence, or does sleeping longer arise from an illness that is getting worse or returning?

5.Pay attention to when you eat.

Based on preliminary findings, timing of meals is important. The likelihood of breast cancer reoccurring may be decreased by delaying the time between the last meal of the day (dinner or supper) and the first meal of the next (breakfast).

There was a 36% higher chance of breast cancer recurrence in women who reported fasting for less than 13 hours (as opposed to 13 or more hours) following a diagnosis. However, the authors of the study point out that more randomised studies are required to determine whether extending one’s nighttime fast can lower the risk of illness.

Little actions lead to significant transformations

A set of guidelines to lower the risk of developing cancer and the chance that it will return has been developed by the World Cancer Research Fund. However, our research indicates that most women are not following these guidelines following a diagnosis of breast cancer. After breast cancer, behavior change may also be more difficult, mostly as a result of exhaustion and worry.

It might be scary and even frightening to begin exercising following therapy. Starting small is a smart idea. For instance, try increasing your weekly exercise time by 10 to 15 minutes. It is really beneficial to work out with a partner, and there are several fitness regimens available for those who have experienced breast cancer.

One of the most frequent queries regarding exercise following a breast cancer diagnosis is how to prevent lymphoedema, which affects 20% of breast cancer survivors who have had lymph nodes removed and is characterized by swelling and discomfort. Concerns regarding radiation sensitivity and discomfort from exercise are also common. There is specific guidance provided.

You can strive to consume more veggies each week, which is similar to fitness objectives, instead of aiming for a perfect diet.

Exercise early in the day, avoiding foods before bed, and practicing excellent sleep hygiene are some strategies for achieving the required seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep can be difficult if you’ve been thinking about a cancer diagnosis or treatment.