Cancer is a global problem and more than one in three people diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives. In this major new book, cancer experts Professor Jane Plant and Professor Mustafa Djamgoz present a clear and scientifically sound 10-step programme to beat cancer. At a time when you may be feeling helpless and confused, this book provides the essential guidance you need to take control of your life and regain your health with targeted advice for specific cancers.
The book is divided into ten steps:
Step 1: Inform Yourself If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, or even if you simply want to do all you can to avoid it, your first step is to understand what cancer is and how you can help your body fight it. The knowledge you gain here will help you to take action to reduce your risk. This chapter contains basic information on the different types of cancer and how it develops.
Step 2: Find Your Balance Our body, brain and mind work together as one astonishingly clever and effective system. In this step the authors explain how our body’s internal balance systems work and how they can be affected not only by our lifestyle choices, but also by our life experiences and mental state.
Step 3: Choose the right conventional therapies for you this chapter covers the available conventional treatments that a cancer patient may undergo, as well as outlining some exciting new developments in cancer treatment.
Step 4: Know which complementary therapies can help explains how complementary therapies ease a patient’s progress through treatment, support your recovery afterwards and help to restore inner balance, as well as showing which therapies to avoid.
Step 5: Eat to beat cancer It is becoming increasingly apparent that what we eat can directly, or indirectly, create conditions in which cancer can flourish, or alternatively provide protection so that cancer does not take hold. This chapter includes a diet plan suggested for anyone with active cancer or with a high risk of developing the disease.
Step 6: Protect Yourself With Exercise - There is now convincing evidence that regular physical activity is associated with a reduction in the overall risk of cancer. This chapter shares tips for getting active again, including exercising after a cancer diagnosis.
Step 7 Be aware of your environment This chapter looks at some of the potentially harmful substances you are likely to encounter in everyday life and the steps you can take to reduce your exposure – and your cancer risk.
Step 8 Manager Stress this step helps to understand more about how stress works, and to find practical ways to identify and manage stress, anxiety and depression that can result from a cancer diagnosis. While the main thrust of this chapter is aimed at people who have had a cancer diagnosis, the information and advice is equally applicable to anyone who wants to take steps to protect themselves against cancer.
Step 9 Broaden Your Awareness Here, the authors aim to broaden readers’ awareness by explaining why doctors, charities and the media may be constrained in the information they provide.
Step 10: Stay on Course adapting to a new lifestyle and remaining as healthy as possible after the period of cancer treatment.