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Fighting the Fatigue of Chemo

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Cancer has a terrible effect on the body. It can be totally debilitating at its worst, but what makes it even more difficult to stomach is the fact that chemotherapy – the very thing that will hopefully make you better – initially makes you feel much worse, mainly because it causes you to feel extremely fatigued all of the time.

Thankfully, there are a number of fairly simple things you can do to fight the fatigue of chemo. Here are some of them:

Consume Enough Calories.  Whether you’re overweight, underweight or exactly the weight you should be, when you’re going through chemo, you need to eat enough calories to at least maintain the status quo. This can be tough because you may not feel like eating, but now more than ever, your body needs to be fully nourished with healthy foods.

Ideally, you should always have some healthy snacks on hand wherever you go, and you should eat as many healthy meals as you can stomach. If you feel too sick to cook, get a friend or family member to help you out. They will be only too happy to help you stay nourished as you fight your illness.

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Take Supplements. If you really aren’t able to get enough good food into you during chemo, and even if you are, consider taking a good multivitamin, and perhaps an omega three supplement, to ensure that your body gets the nutrients it needs to help your body fight the trauma of cancer and recover from chemo.     

Control Stress, Anxiety and negativity.  Of course, it’s easier said than done, but keeping your stress levels under control and staying positive will help you a lot. It has been found that stress and anxiety cause the immune system to function less well and this could have a real impact on your energy levels, and general health during chemo, so do whatever you can to feel at peace, whether that’s talking to a mesothelioma asbestos lawyer about your case, taking up yoga, meditating or spending fun times with friends.  You might even want to consider seeing a counselor to help you through this difficult time.

Control Nausea. If chemotherapy is making you nauseous, talk to your doctor about getting the right medication straight away. Nausea can dehydrate you and zap you of nutrients, making you feel very ill and very fatigued if left uncontrolled. It isn’t always easy to find the right combination of medications that will work for you, but it’s definitely worth persevering until you do if you want to feel even a little better.

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Look After Your Blood.  Chemotherapy can often cause anemia – a condition where the body does not make enough blood cells to effectively transport oxygen around the body – so, taking a good iron supplement can make a huge difference, giving your body what it needs to produce red blood cells. Taking B12 to help your body produce enough bone marrow might also be a sensible move, especially if tests show that your levels are low.
 

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