Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is treatment to cure various cancers. Chemotherapy drugs are applied which eradicates cancerous cell. Though chemotherapy effective in treating cancer, it is also associated with some side effects including nausea, vomiting, sickness, hair loss, memory loss and many more. So, there are certain guidelines that you need to follow before and during chemotherapy.

• Before starting chemotherapy, collect as much as possible information regarding chemotherapy treatment and drugs your doctor is recommending. Also discuss and get clear yourself about treatment goals. Also ask your doctor about success rate of chemotherapy treatment, why he is recommending chemotherapy and other available options.
• Chemotherapy treatment is associated with side effects. Ask your doctor about possible side effects and risks associate with treatment, their effects and treatment. Also discuss with your doctor about using herbal and natural remedies to help with side effects, measures to support immune system during chemotherapy and methods to tackle fatigue associate with chemotherapy.
• Ask you doctor whether the chemotherapy treatment will affect fertility. If it affects, ask him about the opportunities for harvesting eggs/freezing sperm.
• Prepare your body for the chemical onslaught during chemotherapy by taking a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement at least a month before, during and after, chemotherapy. Take healthy diet, cuffing sodium and animal fats including dairy food, increasing potassium and magnesium foods. Eat small amounts of nourishing food rather than one or two large meals a day. Try to avoid saturated and spicy food.
• Before commencing chemotherapy, consult a holistic practitioner/ medical herbalist to have a settled regime
• During chemotherapy, drink up to three liters of filtered water a day. Also take your anti-sickness medication regularly to prevent nausea. Avoid alcohol consumption during chemotherapy.
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. But at the same time, antioxidant supplements will protect the cancer cells during chemo. However, try to protect your white immune cells. A good multivitamin and mineral supplement is advisable and should be continued
• During chemotherapy treatment, do walk around and take simple exercise, even though you probably won’t want to. As least do deep breathing exercises every day for at least 20 minutes. Yoga and Tai chi have great benefits even when it’s the first time you do them. Do go out in the fresh air everyday.
• Take a simple detox after chemotherapy treatment for at least three days to clean up your system. However keep in mind that the chemical effects of the chemotherapy treatment will be expected to go on for 6 to 8 weeks after the last dose.
• During chemotherapy treatment, try to stimulate both body and mind. You can use light massage, reflexology, healing. It is proved that visualization, yoga and meditation help to boost the immune system and also have a significant impact on long-term survival.