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Safe Self Care Guide for Cancer Survivors: Awareness, Prevention and Healthier Living

Healthy Skin from the Inside Out

Confronted with chemotherapy, radiation and the many challenges cancer survivors face--healthy skin may appear to be an elusive dream. While all effects of cancer and treatment on your body cannot be avoided, there are steps cancer survivors can take to heal damaged skin from the inside out.

Healthy Skin Begins from Within

What you put in your body is as important as what you put on your skin. Cancer survivors can help their skin heal better by eating foods that not only benefit the skin but their overall health during treatments and beyond.

Eat Whole, Nutritious Foods

By whole foods, we mean foods that are not processed--as much as possible. Whole foods provide better nutrition to your body and contain the least amount of preservatives and other harmful chemicals.

Quick Tip: When eating out, stick to fresh salad bars and food that is grilled or steamed.

Caution When Cooking Veggies

Cooking, processing and preserving foods can deplete your vegetables of the benefits you're looking for. However, this does not necessarily hold true for all vegetables. The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry studies show that boiling and steaming vegetables like carrots, spinach, mushrooms and peppers actually improve their nutritional value.

Quick Tip: When in doubt, steam vegetables and eat fruits raw for most nutritional value.

Eat a Balanced Diet

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is important to vary your diet to include lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. When it comes to selecting your entrees, the American Cancer Society recommends that cancer survivors:

Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day
Choose healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, rather than saturated fats or trans fats
Select proteins that are low in saturated fat, such as fish, lean meats, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes
Opt for healthy sources of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables

This combination of foods will ensure that you're eating plenty of the vitamins and nutrients you need to help make your body strong.

Limit Alcoholic Beverages

Studies have found a link between alcohol intake and the risk of getting a number of cancers:

Mouth Throat Larynx (voice box)
Esophagus (swallowing tube from mouth to stomach)
Liver
Breast

Alcohol use may be linked to colon cancer, too. In people who have already been diagnosed with cancer, alcohol intake could affect the risk for new cancers in these sites. Alcohol intake can also increase levels of estrogens in the blood. In theory this could increase the risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer coming back after treatment, but studies so far have not addressed questions like this.

Quick Tip: Limit your alcoholic intake to an occasional glass of red wine.