Question: How do I create cancer fighting habits for survivorship with nutrition and exercise?
Weather you have recently completed treatment or you are now seeing your oncologist on an annual basis you can help take control of your health with a few tips to create habits for long term survivorship.
When it comes to nutrition try not to become overwhelmed by all the fad diets you hear about or see on the internet or social media. Generally speaking stick to a balanced diet of a variety of vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, lean proteins and whole grains.
A few other considerations are staying hydrated, limiting sodium intake, sugar, and alcohol.
Keeping these principles and implementing a few of these basic tips can help you create some healthy habits throughout your survivorship: Take a few minutes to plan out your meals for the week. This can save time and money during your busy week, Also never go grocery shopping hungry!
Be mindful of what you eat. Enjoy the experience of eating, notice the smells textures and flavors of each meal. Don’t be in a rush. Don’t eat while watching television. Take note of portion sizes, nutrition labels, and avoid processed foods and foods high in unhealthy fats.
Along with making healthy nutritional choices implementing a consistent exercise routine is an important part of survivorship. Exercise can be put into two basic categories; aerobic and anaerobic. Both are important, however new research is showing that anaerobic exercise has a positive effect on longer life expectancy in all-cause mortality.
A few tips to develop healthy habits; Avoid inactivity; if you find you have been sitting for more than an hour or two stand up do some toe and heel raises, leg curls or shoulder rolls. Get your blood circulating!
Schedule a set time for exercise. Many people do it early in the day to get it done and over with. Whatever time works best in your schedule. The point is to perform some exercise most days of the week. Be mindful of your activity level. It can be as simple as writing on a calendar what type of exercise (aerobic or anaerobic), how much (number of minutes or sets and repetitions), intensity (easy, moderate, or hard). Remember, a short and easy workout is better than no workout at all. Try getting into the habit of reaching four or five days a week of any intensity of activity. Then progress from there.
If you have questions consider joining us for the next Healthy Eating and Activity for Living class. Contact Cancer Exercise Trainer John Malinowski at 805-346-3413 or Registered Dietitian Melanie Logue at 805-346-3403 to be added to the class list.
HEAL classes meet on Zoom the second Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. If you are a cancer survivor interested in participating in our Cancer Rehab Program please contact John.
HAVE A QUESTION? This weekly column produced by Marian Cancer Care invites you to submit your questions to “Your Cancer Answers” at the following email address mariancancercare@dignityhealth.org