Living Well With Stomach Cancer
Living with stomach cancer or gastric cancer becomes a bigger task for many people as it affects individuals in many ways, like physical, emotional, and practical aspects of life. In this month of November, which is otherwise known as stomach cancer awareness month, everyone should be aware of stomach cancer and lifestyle changes that are to be followed to reduce the rate of stomach cancer. In this blog, we discuss several lifestyle changes, which include proper diet, medications, and avoiding tobacco and smoking, which can reduce the impact of stomach cancer.
"Good Health Is The Best Key For Happiness"
What Is Stomach Cancer?
Stomach cancer does not develop in a single day, it is caused due to the healthier cells, which are replaced by the cancer cells and this takes a longer period of time, nearly years to develop. There are many causes for stomach cancer which include improper dietary habits, exposure to smoking and tobacco, and high smoked diet and fast foods. People usually develop fullness of the stomach, stomach pain, bloating, hesitating to eat food because of the fullness of the stomach, and stomach tightness are some early warning signs for stomach cancer.
On this stomach cancer awareness month, let's know the steps to follow for the individuals living with stomach cancer,
5 Tips To Live Well With Stomach Cancer
1. Choosing The Correct Diet
Choosing the correct diet plays an important role in people with stomach cancer. Following a proper diet can give you better results and prevent the condition from getting worse. It acts as a key factor for the prevention, treatment, and survivorship of stomach cancer. For stomach cancer patients, it's better to avoid the following foods,
- Diet that is highly smoked
- High salt-containing diet and pickled food
- Fast foods and chat items
- High fat-containing diet that takes time to digest.
- Grapefruit or grapefruit juice
- Salted meat and fish
2. Avoiding The Use Of Tobacco
Tobacco use can worsen the condition in the people who are living with stomach cancer and create more complications. The toxic smoke particles can cause further damage to the healthier cells. Usually those who smoke and use tobacco are commonly affected by stomach cancer where it affects the proximal portion of the stomach since it is nearest to the esophagus. Avoiding the use of tobacco and cigarettes not only prevents stomach cancer but also decreases the effects of stomach cancer.
3. Aspirin Use
Selection of proper medication is very important in prevention and management of stomach cancer. Taking proper medication along with a healthy diet can reduce the complications of stomach cancer. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which are otherwise known as NSAIDS such as ibuprofen or naproxen reduce the effect of stomach cancer and other cancers like colon cancers. It reduces the internal bleeding in case of stomach cancer and acts as preventive measures before stomach cancer. As aspirin is the blood thinner, kindly confirm with your doctor if you have bleeding disorders or heart-related issues before starting this medication.
4. Nutrition Management
Nutrition management is very important in the individuals living with stomach cancer because they will feel fullness and tightness in the stomach due to the cancer cells which are developed inside the stomach. So, they cannot eat a normal quantity of diet which causes a lack of nutrients in the diet. Patients with stomach cancer should add nutrients to their daily routine diet, which includes,
- Plant-based diet is highly recommended
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Antioxidant supplements like vitamins A, C, E, and minerals are included.
5. Regular Checkups And Follow Up
Along with medications, dietary and nutritional supplements it's necessary to do regular checkups and follow up with doctors in the patients with stomach cancer. Follow up includes regular physical examination, medical tests and a combination of both. By doing a regular check-up it’s easy to find any severe complications and worsening of present conditions and can be treated earlier before it reaches the progressive stages in the patients living with stomach cancer. Keep tracking your recovery in each and every single visit so that you can analyze the difference between each visit and the steps to follow to reduce the risk of stomach cancer.
10 Helpful Tips To Follow After Surgery
- Eat frequently but consume a small quantity of meals which helps in digestion after surgery.
- Eating solid foods and beverages separately because it prevents nausea and vomiting
- Avoid having a high sugar diet or alcohol as it causes irritation and discomfort to the stomach.
- Avoid eating raw fruits and vegetables.
- Eat well-cooked food and avoid eating highly smoked food items that can irritate the stomach.
- Consume low fiber-containing food like white breads and cereals to avoid indigestion.
- Avoid eating gas-producing foods and aerated drinks, which cause gastritis and irritation.
- Seeking a proper diet chart from the dietitian after surgery.
- Avoid eating foods that contain a high fiber diet which causes indigestion and fullness of the stomach.
- Avoid high salt-containing food and highly salted meat and fish.
Conclusion
It's necessary to add lifestyle modification along with medication in patients with stomach cancer and also in the prevention of stomach cancer. Regular checkup helps in reducing further complications in individuals with stomach cancer. In this stomach cancer awareness month of November, we should enhance the knowledge about stomach cancer and preventive measures that should be followed to decrease the rate of stomach cancer. It's important to create awareness among the people on stomach cancer and early diagnosis, which creates a chance for better cure and treatment.
"Early Detection Leads To A Better Cure."
