Tag Archives: Cancer Patients

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Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients

September 4, 2016
Alternative cancer treatments

Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients can effectively be done by offering alternative cancer treatments

Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients: Panic attacks and cancer

Every time we are faced with any life threatening situation, we become depressed, fearful and our anxiety level goes up. This is common with people because it is inbuilt. The problem often becomes more complicated when we fail to be calm and panic in the process. Like for instance, the news about cancer infection can be very lethal on the part of the patient especially when they were not prepared of the possibilities of being cancerous. The luck of preparedness is the major cause of the greatest portion of fear and anxiety. Besides this, the fear of treatment, frequent visit to the doctor’s clinic and tests might also cause apprehension. Because of the impact attributed to these feelings, we want to discuss the best ways of managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients in the present generation.

According the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury’s care, it’s normal to feel afraid and scared when you’re sick. Like for instance people may be afraid of hysterical pain, dying, or the aftermath of death, including what might happen to loved ones. These same feelings may be experienced by family members and friends as well. It is therefore very important that we are aware of what signs that will indicate the presence of such fears and anxieties. The following are some of the signs and symptoms of fear and anxiety

  • Portraying anxious facial expression
  • Hysterical worry
  • Difficulties in solving problems and focusing thoughts
  • Muscle tension
  • Quivering or trembling
  • Restlessness, may feel keyed up or on edge
  • Dehydrated mouth
  • Irritability or angry outbursts

Doctor Akoury recommends that when an individual is showing majority of these signs daily, and they are causing interference with their lives, then at this point a mental health evaluation could be helpful. Under these circumstances you can be very instrumental in advising the patients by observing the following.

Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients: What to do

  • Polite encouragement to share the experience.
  • Share feelings and fears that you or the anxious person may be having.
  • Listen carefully to each other’s feelings. Offer support, but don’t deny or discount feelings.
  • Remember that it’s OK to feel sad and frustrated.
  • Get help through counseling and from support groups.
  • Use meditation, prayer, or other types of spiritual support if it helps.
  • Embrace deep breathing and relaxation exercises. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, focus on each body part and relax it, start with your toes and work up to your head. When relaxed try to think of a pleasant place such as a beach in the morning or a sunny field on a spring day.
  • Talk with a doctor about using anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medicines.

Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients: Do not

  • Make effort to argue with a person whose fears and anxieties are severe instead consult with a doctor on the kind of medications to help.
  • Keep feelings inside.
  • Persuade one who is not willing to open up and talk to do so.
  • Blame yourself or another person for feeling fearful or anxious.

Managing anxiety and fear by cancer patients: Panic attacks and cancer

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Cancer patients relief from inflammation

August 25, 2016
Cancer patients

Feeding on plant foods gives Cancer patients relief from inflammation

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Good healthy nutrition

Eating more of plant food. There is more than you can ever imagine in fresh food products from plants. Did you know that plant foods are the only foods containing anti-inflammatory phytonutrients? Besides that, they are very rich in the antioxidants and fiber your body needs to stay cancer-free. Remember that fiber can also lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a protein in the blood that signals inflammation. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, they recommend that when eating, people should consider filling at least two-thirds of their plate with plant foods. Therefore take this guideline seriously and make one half of your plate non-starchy vegetables and/or fruits of all colors. And never forget to make one-quarter of your plate whole grains or starchy vegetables, like potatoes, corn and peas. These has been established to be one of the greatest cancer patients relief from inflammation.

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Processed foods

Choosing whole, fresh foods and doing your own prep maximizes nutrients and phytonutrients. These nutrients keep us healthy in many ways, while reducing inflammation. Processed foods are lower in nutrients and higher in refined sugars, flours and fats. They’re also usually loaded with artificial ingredients that can increase CRP levels. It is therefore important that you skip highly processed foods, like fast food, packaged and instant foods and steer clear of processed meats, like deli-meats, bacon, sausage, hotdogs and pepperoni. Final avoid taking sodas and sports drinks.

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Balance fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids can help protect your body from chronic inflammation. On the other hand, omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation.

Many people across the globe are trying to include more omega-3 fatty acids in their diet. But, they’re still eating too much omega-6 fatty acids. The key therefore is balance, so you’ll take in more omega-3 and less omega-6. Also eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, halibut, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, pecans and avocado. Use oils high in omega-3, such as olive and canola and limit oils high in omega-6, such as corn, sunflower, peanut and soybean. Ensure that when buying your stock get the information of the ingredients on packaged foods. Limit foods made with refined vegetable oils high in omega-6. You’ll find these oils in most snack foods, cookies, crackers and sweets.

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Limit red meat

Eating too much red meat, like pork, beef, lamb, deer and buffalo, can increase your cancer risks. Try to limit red meat to 18 oz. or less each week to keep your cancer risks low. Doctor Akoury suggests replacing red meat with these high protein foods to help reduce chronic inflammation. You can also choose animal proteins, such as skinless chicken, turkey and fish while replacing animal proteins with plant proteins, such as beans and lentils, at some meals. And better still; choose meat, milk, cheese and eggs from pasture-raised and hormone-free animals.

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Fermented foods

Fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and miso contain probiotics that help reduce inflammation. To get the most health perks, eat at least one small serving of a fermented food each day. Finally at the home of solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) there is much more you can get from the most experienced professionals there. For any cancer about cancer and effects of inflammation, you can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for further deliberations.

Cancer patients relief from inflammation: Good healthy nutrition

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Identifying Distress in People with Cancer

May 2, 2015

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: What is distress?

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer. Distress suffering is not just physical but also emotional and psychological

If you have been in company of any cancer patient you need not to be told o the suffering those cancer patients go through. The suffering is not just physical but also emotional and psychological. These put together brings a lot of distress to patients and if not addressed, treatment becomes very difficult. It is because of this reasons that we want to focus our discussion towards identifying distress in people with cancer. To do this we are going to be speaking to experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care. Distress is a word with many connotations. However for our discussion we are going to use “distress” to describe unpleasant feelings or emotions that may cause problems for you as you cope with cancer disease and its treatment. It is also important to note that distress is also common with the family members and loved ones of people with cancer. Doctor Akoury says that distress is a big hindrance in cancer treatment and can make it harder to deal with all the changes that come with a cancer diagnosis. When we talk about being distressed in normal circumstances it would mean that you are feeling:

  • Unhappy or sad
  • Hopeless
  • Powerless or helpless
  • Afraid and fearful
  • Guilty
  • Anxious
  • Panic
  • Discouraged
  • Depressed
  • Uncertain

The impact of stress can be very complicated when dealing with cancer since it may affect areas of your life other than your feelings. It can affect your thoughts, your behavior, and how you interact with others says doctor Akoury.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: How to know when your distress level is normal or more serious?

Being stressed or distressful can be normal in our daily lives. Actually we all at one time have been stressed while handling our daily activities. The same applies with certain amount of distress when you or a loved one has cancer. These kinds of distress are caused, in part, because of the attitudes and fears people have about cancer. Like for instance, one of the greatest fears people have is that cancer means death or will ultimately lead to death. Nonetheless this idea of cancer leading to death is not true and unfounded. The truth is that today we have millions of people who have had cancer but have survived through the available treatment available in various health facilities.

Of course, people are upset when they learn they have cancer no matter how much progress has been made in treating it. There are many things that suddenly seem uncertain further explaining why identifying distress in people with cancer is very important. The challenges that people have include the worries about changes that will happen to their bodies when attacked by cancer. How their loved ones will cope with this situation and all other things that are likely to happen. The fear of a bleak future dons on them and people often wonder in silence or aloud that “Am I going to die?” and worries as to “why is this happening to me?”

And because cancer is hereditary, once you learn that you or a loved one has cancer, you may no longer feel safe. You may feel afraid, exposed, weak, and vulnerable. Such feelings often last through treatment, and you may feel anxiety and sadness, too. Doctor Akoury says that it’s normal to worry, especially at certain times, such as at the commencement of treatment. A recovering cancer patient acknowledges that, the worst time for him was waiting for that first chemo treatment. “Once it was over, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I was OK. I actually felt better because I was finally doing something about the cancer” says the patient.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: Cancer Surgery

Waiting for surgery is another time of major concern. People often worry about the operation itself, but also about whether the cancer is growing while they wait. Fears about the changes that surgery will cause can be a major source of distress, too. Then there are concerns about work and home life and how they may change. Insurance and financial issues often add to the worries. For some people, one of the hardest times is after cancer treatment. Rather than feeling happy that treatment is over, they feel even greater distress. One patient put it this way: “I’m on my own now and I’m just waiting to see what will happen next.” From that statement you notice that this patient is very distress even though treatment has been concluded.

Seeing the oncologist (cancer doctor) after treatment can feel quite scary. Nearly everyone has some fear the cancer will come back (recur). This is normal, too. “Every time I have aches and pains, I’m convinced it’s the cancer coming back even if it’s a pain in my big toe,” one patient said.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: Everything about cancer is Stressful

Dealing with the side effects of treatment such as tiredness (fatigue), hair loss, weight changes, and how disrupted your life seems is also stressful. In fact, everything about having cancer is stressful. Being upset and worried are part of it, so a certain amount of distress is expected when you find you have cancer. But sometimes distress can go from the expected level to one that interferes with your treatment, makes it hard for you to cope with the illness, and affects all parts of your life.

It’s not a sign of weakness that you become so distressed that it interferes with your ability to do your usual activities. When you visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, our team of experts will explain for you the range of distress from what is considered normal to very high and offer some ideas about how to handle your feelings in ways that will be helpful. The very first thing you need to do in coping with distress is consulting with your doctors and cancer support team. Talking to them about how you feel will make you feel much safer. Their purpose is to help you get better and if they notice something that needs to be addressed, then they will direct you to the help you need. Remember that these people are only here to help you not just for the cancer treatment, but they are also counting on you to tell them how you are doing and what you are feeling. This is one assignment that you are the only one that can do and no one else.

Finally when addressing distress of cancer patients, the scope is not just limited to them but it is also applies to their loved ones. These people are a strong source of support, and their well-being is important, too in the delivery of successful treatment. Therefore if you are a loved one and feel distressed, it’s OK to let the cancer care team knows that you need help. You can also schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for much more professional assistance.

Identifying Distress in People with Cancer: What is distress?

 

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