Concerns regarding sexual health are quite common among patients who have undergone cancer treatment, but rarely are these concerns addressed by their medical care team. Most patients are shy or embarrassed to bring it up and even made to feel guilty about raising them, while they are trying to fight cancer. We spoke to Dr Prasad Raj Dandekar, consultant radio-oncologist who talked to us about the need for cancer patients to openly discuss their sexual health with their doctor to navigate…
Cancer
We often tell cancer patients to be positive. But they go through a lot of psychological emotions including suicide ideation. It is also important that we are aware of the high rate of suicide among cancer patients. Psycho-oncologist Bincy Mathew sheds light on the signs of suicide and what caregivers and healthcare professionals can do. According to a SEER database analysis, the suicide rate among the cancer population was found to be 60% higher than the general population or with any other…
Ms.Bincy Mathew is a psycho-oncologist, currently working with HCMCT-Manipal Hospitals, New Delhi. She talks about the importance of counselling for cancer patients and their families who are dealing with their psycho-social issues. What is the role of Psycho-oncology or psychosocial oncology in Cancer care? It is not a myth that cancer brings a lot of emotional and psychological burden on patient’s and caregiver's lives. The fact is, most people are not prepared to face such unexpected…
Cancer and its treatment like Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Therapy can weaken your body's immune system and make you vulnerable to food borne diseases. Dr Shital Raval recommends some guidelines to help keep your food safe and prevent infections. Cancer treatment often weakens the person’s immunity. This is called immunosuppression, a situation in which the body's immune system is made less effective usually by drugs. It puts the patient at a higher risk of contracting infections and food-borne…
By maintaining a healthy gut or gastrointestinal tract, you can ward off a host of uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, flatulence and constipation and conditions like bowel cancer, Depression and IBS. Tips from Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju. The importance of gut health Gut health is important. The health of the body starts with the gut to help reduce the risk of conditions like bowel cancer, constipation, etc. The food you consume is broken down to fats, proteins, and simple carbohydrates…
Geetha Paniker, a breast cancer survivor, shares her views on how various forms of creating art, and even photography, can heal both the mind and the body. Art and craft is a source of healing the mind and body. Creative pursuits can be transformed into healing arts, which, in turn, transform you. "He who works with his hands is a laborer; He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman; He who works with his hands, head and heart is an artist." Francis of Assisi The healing powers of…
Among the ways to prevent cancer – eating a healthy, balanced diet could be your starting point. Try to consume all essential nutrients that will help detoxify your body, stimulate the immune system and prevent healthy cells from turning cancerous. Over the last 25 years, research has produced dietary guidelines that have become conventional wisdom when it comes to cancer prevention. There are a number of substances present in our daily diet which are carcinogenic (cancer causing substances)…
Patients with cancer experience a loss of appetite and a change in taste during treatment, especially chemotherapy. Here are some tasty and healthy tips provided by CPAA that can help you cope with treatment better even at higher doses. A balanced diet for a patient must contain carbohydrates (bread, rice), proteins (meat, poultry, dal), fats (oil and butter), vitamins and fiber (fruits and vegetables). A typical daily diet should include 4 servings of cereals (1 bowl of rice/ 2 chapattis/ 1…
Adveka Foundation, one of the first organizations in India to work primarily with caregivers, hands out tips on self-care and emotional management and how to prevent stress and burnout. The growing burden of chronic diseases and health care has given rise to a new community that is rapidly gaining in number and significance: The Caregivers. Caregivers provide support and assistance to individuals suffering from a health issue and those unable to look after themselves. They could either be…
