Taking Care of Your Health After an Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis

You have been given the disturbing news that you have ovarian cancer.

After the initial feelings of shock have washed over you and you have realized that you have a lot to cope with you then need to acknowledge the significance of taking care of your health in every way possible. You need to help your body prepare for the journey of healing that is ahead for you.

You need to eat as nutritiously as possible and you must remain physically active.

Good nutrition and making the healthiest of food choices is very important for ladies who are in the process of receiving treatments for cancer. When you are receiving radiation treatments or chemotherapy you may feel sick following your treatments and food may be the last thing on your mind. Some women experience nausea, vomiting and sores in their mouth. Be aware too that food may not taste as good as it did before your started the therapy.

It is important that you remember that good nutrition can strengthen your body. As well eating healthy can keep your energy and stamina up and it can help to keep infections and illnesses at bay. When you are having treatments for cancer you also need to maintain a healthy body weight. This is not the best time to drop pounds as it can contribute to more health issues that you do not need.

Choose foods that are high in protein. Some examples of protein-rich foods that you need to consume as often as possible include fish, lean meat, eggs, poultry, cottage cheese, beans, lentils, peanut butter and yogurt. Foods that are made up of a large percentage of protein are so beneficial because they aid the body in building and repairing tissues.

If eating a normal sized meal or the size of meals that you used to eat is not easy for you then be gentle on yourself and do not force yourself. What you want is to maintain a healthy relationship with food. If you prefer and if it is easier on your stomach then snack throughout the day instead of eating meals per se.

You should keep an ample supply of raw vegetables on hand. This includes carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli and tomatoes, just to name a few. You should do the same with fresh fruit.

Keep enough around that you can munch whenever you are hungry. Some good choices include apples, berries, kiwis and melons. Whole grain crackers and granola bars are other nutritious health selections that are wise for the lady who has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Eating is significant but so is physical fitness. Staying active is something that all ovarian cancer patients must make an effort to do.

You do not have to go to the gym for an hour or two a day but you should do your best to do some form of exercise every day or every second day. Go for walks or go swimming. Exercise keeps your muscles in good working order and it also keeps fatigue at a low level. It also helps to fight anxiety and depression. Always stretch before you exercise.

You might even want to incorporate yoga into your routine to further help yourself mentally and physically as you go through your cancer treatments.

Samantha

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Chiropractic Treatments – Ready to Get a Spinal Adjustment?

If you are looking for a safe and drug free way to improve the functioning of your bones and your muscles then look to chiropractic treatments to help you to feel better and to make it easier to move.

Not only is this alternative healthcare practice drug free but it is also non-surgical and non-invasive in nature. Chiropractic manipulation or adjustment can be thought of as a hands-on approach to treating any number of problems that have to do with the body’s skeleton, muscles and nerves.

Chiropractic is sometimes thought of as being a gentle or mild form of therapy that can be effective when it comes to back pain, shoulder pain, leg pain and pain in the hands or feet. Lower back pain in our society is very common. An estimated 40 percent of those who seek out chiropractic treatment do so to help pain they are experiencing in their lower back region.

Chiropractors are the names of the healthcare professionals who provide chiropractic treatments to patients. Their approach to helping others is a manual one that is very different from other types of alternative health therapies. Chiropractors are highly trained professionals who spend almost as many years in school as medical doctors do. They can diagnose some issues that arise with the neuromusculoskeletal system and they can offer their patients preventative care when it comes to spinal disorders and disorders that relate to the muscles and joints.

They can also provide very practical advice in terms of proper posture, proper body alignment and how to exercise without hurting your body.

Upon a patient’s first visit to a chiropractor a file will be started for him or her and the chiropractor must find out about the individual’s past history. From there an examination will take place. The patient can describe what brought him or her to the chiropractor’s office. He will then develop a comprehensive plan that takes into consideration not just the immediate treatment but also future maintenance. He may also recommend other kinds of non-invasive therapies or treatments that may aid the patient in healing more rapidly.

You may wonder what chiropractic therapy is really all about. What is the principle that the practice is based upon?

The central belief behind chiropractic treatment is that when the spine is in perfect alignment then all of the bones, joints, muscles, nerve endings and tendons can move in the way that nature intended them to. Having a healthy spine can speak volumes for your health and your overall well-being.

On the other hand an unhealthy spine can lead to any number of unfortunate and uncomfortable issues in the body. When the spine does not move as much as it is supposed to this can serve to upset the balance of the whole body.

Having a spinal adjustment can balance the spine properly and can put your body back into the appropriate alignment. Sometimes a person is well aware of a problem in their back but some problems go undetected until they become chronic. Be aware that chiropractic therapy is designed to serve as a complement to Western medicine but is not meant to replace it.

Chiropractors can help those who are experiencing back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, wrist and hand pain, headaches, whiplash, leg or foot pain, sprains and strains, arthritis (in some cases) and repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s).

Becca

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Not a Pepper Eater? – Maybe it’s Time to Start for Your Health!

Peppers come in plenty of varieties. What this means for you is if you try one and do not like it then you can experiment with other kinds.

There are different colors and different tastes. Some peppers are very mild to the taste buds while others are sweeter and still others – think hot peppers or jalapeno peppers – are fiery! Whether you prefer to eat bell peppers cascabel peppers or something hotter, peppers have much to offer in the health arena. Red, green, orange, gold, yellow and even purple, peppers are flavorful and they are nutritiously nourishing!

Garlic, onions and peppers all offer many of the same benefits to the healthy functioning of your body.

Peppers are very beneficial for the respiratory system in particular and can help to combat many breathing issues such as asthma and bronchitis. Hot peppers for instance can fight an array of respiratory illnesses as well as pulmonary disorders. Consuming peppers can allow you to breathe easier in other words.

If you are prone to sinus pain and congestion then peppers can be of help to you. The same can be said if you suffer from postnasal drip or if your nasal passages are often dry and irritated. If that was not enough, eating peppers can reduce the occurrence of headaches.

The ingredient that makes peppers so good for health is called capsaicin. What this ingredient does is it supports the lungs in working to their optimum capacity. If you want to improve the functioning of your lungs then adding more peppers to your daily diet is highly recommended. Those who smoke should eat more peppers and those who encounter second hand smoke on a regular basis should as well.

Other Important Points about Peppers:

If you are watching your weight then you do not have to steer clear of this vegetable.

Peppers are very high in vitamin C and are low in calories which make them ideal veggies for every weight conscious individual. A green bell pepper for example contains more vitamin C than any other type of citrus fruit that weighs approximately the same amount. A red pepper triples that of a green bell pepper when it comes to vitamin C.

As a rule of thumb, the hotter the pepper is the higher vitamin C content it contains. Chile peppers are an example of this.  In days gone by Chile peppers were eaten to prevent the common cold. If a person did develop a head cold despite eating Chile peppers then they could eat more to rid their body of the cold as rapidly as possible.

Eat peppers for the sake of your good health and you will soon notice a difference. Start today!

Samantha

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Whipping Up a Juicy Veggie Delight!

Vegetables are good for our bodies and our minds but sometimes they get kind of … well … boring.

If you are looking for a new, creative and delectable way to eat your veggies regularly then go buy a juicer and start whipping up some concoctions that will not only  feed your cells but will have you bursting with vitality and feeling very proud of yourself. Step up your health game by refusing to be timid and by juicing up your life!

Juicing vegetables is not a new concept but it may be for you. The body actually appreciates what raw vegetables have to offer it because the process of cooking can destroy many of the nutrients that the food contains to start out with.

When you juice vegetables you make consuming the required nutrients more interesting and enjoyable. You also will retain a large portion of the fiber as juicing preserves it. In fact the fiber found in pure vegetable juices supplies your body with an adequate amount to satisfy its needs.

There are plenty of vegetables that respond very well to the juicing process. Examples of these include asparagus, beets, green vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts and cabbage. You can experiment with different vegetable juice recipes to find the ones that are most appealing to your palate.

Asparagus is very rich in an amino acid called asparagine. Unfortunately asparagine is destroyed very easily when it is cooked. That is why asparagus makes a very good choice for a vegetable juice that you create with your own juicer! It is worth knowing that asparagus is also a mild form of a diuretic.

Beets are not a vegetable that appeals to everyone but they are an acquired taste. Beets are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals.  Beets help to improve the quality of the blood and they also enhance and strengthen the gall bladder. Do not make a beet juice drink on its own however as it can be very strong. Instead combine it with other vegetables and then blend yourself up a juice that is not only delicious but also very healthy for your body!

Cabbage in its raw form is rich in vitamins, minerals and sulphur compounds. It is also very good for the health of your colon.

If you decide to blend up a juice with cabbage in it then you should drink it as soon as possible. The reason for this is because the essential elements of it will begin to oxidize very quickly. Like beets cabbage should be blended with other veggie to make a juice. You cannot store cabbage juice therefore only make as much as you can drink at one time. Juice the other vegetables first and then juice the cabbage last.

Broccoli is very nutritious for the body. It is a member of the cruciferous family and is full of nutrients and loaded with protein. Broccoli is a green vegetable you can juice and the same can be said for Brussels sprouts. Both have tremendous health benefits and can taste very yummy in a juice once you get used to the taste.

Green vegetables in particular are very worthwhile for juicing.

Becca

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