Your life will be different once you are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Upon diagnosis with prostate cancer, you should make immediate changes to your lifestyle in order to maximise your changes of successful treatment and recovery. These are some changes you can start to implement in your life when living with prostate cancer.
Start or Maintain A Healthy Diet
Studies have proven that making small yet healthy changes in your diet can play a vital role in your life, especially if you are living with prostate cancer. Other than increasing the chances of recovering from the cancer, a balanced diet will also lead you to achieve a healthy and ideal weight which then helps you to lower the risk of developing other serious conditions. A healthy diet typically will have a variety of vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and fruits.
You should consult your doctor to see what diet fits you the best.
Get Regular Physical Activity
Regular exercise is an important component for any healthy lifestyle. Some studies suggest that vigorous exercise can significant lower the chances of prostate cancer recurrence. This is in comparison with the same amount of exercise done at a more leisurely pace. Vigorous exercise should be those that require close to maximum effort, whereby your heart beats rapidly and you sweat.
Research also suggests that strength training can be helpful for patients who are undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for advanced prostate cancer. These patients are at higher risk of loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and weight gain. Strength training can help fight against these outcomes.
However, if you are not able to exercise vigorously, even more moderate exercise can help.
It is important to consult your doctor regarding what type of physical activity suits you the best.
Living With Prostate Cancer with A Good Mental Health
It is hard to constantly stay positive especially if you had just been diagnosed with a cancer. However, your mental health plays an important role in your journey to recovery. Joining a support group, going to a therapy session, or talking to your family members or loved ones, can help you during this challenging time. Everyone copes differently and you might find a different method to deal with this situation. The most important thing is to consider about yourself carefully and decide what’s best for you in this regard.
Follow-Up Care With Your Doctor
Whether you have completed your treatment or are still ongoing, it is very important to go for all of your follow-up appointments. These follow-up appointments allow your doctor to keep track of your condition and allow you to discuss any changes, problems, or concerns that you might be having.
Prostate Cancer Support Groups In Singapore
If you are in Singapore and seeking a prostate cancer support group to join, here are some that you can look into.
- Singapore Cancer Society Walnut Warriors
- SingHealth Cancer Support Groups
- Tan Tock Seng Prostate Cancer Support Group
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This article is informative only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.
