This section offers practical lifestyle guidance to reduce cancer risks and improve well-being. This evidence and practical advice has also been summarised in a book entitled Lifestyle after Cancer. Well conducted international evidence leaves no doubt that what we choose to do and don't do to our bodies can influence cancer in a number of ways:

• Reduce the risk of developing cancer

• Help you tolerate cancer treatments

• Speed up recovery after treatments

• Reduce  the chances of cancer returning

The factors which influence the risk of developing cancer and those which influence its relapse are similar. These have been summarised in the sections "What to do more of" and "what to do less of" below. The lifestyle strategies which can reduce risks and help you cope with side effects are listed in the individual heading below. They have been split into strategies to help with risks and side effects during cancer treatments and those which help speed up recovery and help the long term risks and side effects.

Lifestyle factors to reduce cancer development and reduce risk of relapse

What to do more of:

• Eat a healthy diet: 
•     More fibre
•     More antioxidants
•     Sensible phytoestrogen intake
•     More healthy fats
•     Adequate vitamins
•     Adequate trace minerals
•     More fruit, nuts and vegetables
•     More raw food 
•     More organic food
•     Reduce your cholesterol
• Exercise more
• Stop smoking
• Gentle regular sun exposure
• Reduce exposure to environmental chemicals

What to do less of:

• Eat unhealthy foods
•     Avoid carcinogens and processed food
•     Avoid excessive pesticides herbicides
•     Less meat more fish 
•     Less harmful fats
• Gain weight
• Smoke
• Drink excessive alcohol
• Sun burn
• Avoid environmental xenoestrogens (e.g petrol, deoderants)

During treatment:

• Fatigue and tiredness

• Weight loss

• Weight gain

• Hand foot syndrome

• Poor appetite

• Sickness and vomiting

• Diarrhoea 

• Constipation

• Indigestion and heart burn

• Deep/superficial vein thrombosis

• Skin care

• Hair loss

• Sleeping

• Healthy mind

• Psychological well-being

• Post treatment fatigue

• Incontinence  

• Bowel adhesions

• Constipation 

• Rectal damage  

• Breast tenderness  

• Sexual function  

• Hot flushes

• Bone health  

• Second cancers  

• Skin quality and tone

• Brain power  

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Other lifestyle issues:

• Finance

• Travelling and cancer

• Holiday insurance

• Bereavement

• The strain of caring

• Tips to deal with a stoma

• Lifestyle and aromatase inhibitors

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When to consider a lifestyle initiative. Shortly after their diagnosis, patients and their relatives are confronted by a sudden commotion activity usually traveling to the hospital for blood tests, x-rays, scan, biopsies, and treatments. This causes enormous upheaval to the daily routine both socially and at the work place.  Most of your time is taken up adjusting to their new diagnosis, with coping with the side effects of therapy and the difficulties of remembering, where and when they have to be and what to do when they get there! Forcing yourself  into a strategy which you cannot do for practical or physical reasons would be inappropriate or at worse may project a feeling of guilt which is counter productive. Depending on the individual circumstances, at an early point in the treatment pathway, however, the subject could be introduced gradually and sensitively. The timing is paramount, as is ability of the clinician to assess the patient’s receptiveness to considering lifestyle issues at each stage. Too early and the anxieties of the circumstances will be confounded, too late and the benefits of lifestyle will be overlooked.

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Further information The book Lifestyle After Cancer summarises the lifestyle evidence from around the world and provides practical advice for all stages of the cancer journey. Cancerbackup has a help line (0808 800 1234) and a detailed video available in English, Italian, Urdu, Bengali, Gujarati & Hindi explaining Radiotherapy & Chemotherapy. Cancernet.co.uk is a comprehensive cancer information resource written by an experienced team of doctors, health professionals and patients. It contains links and information on:  Specific cancers:  Breast | Prostate | Bowel.   Cancer treatments:  Chemotherapy | Radiotherapy | Hormones | Biological agents | Complementary therapies .  Lifestyle and cancer:  Exercise | Diet | Smoking | Sunbathing | Alcohol. Tips to help with the symptoms and side effects. Financial issues: Traveling | Travel insurance| Links to support groups | Books | Tests for cancer | Clinical trials | What is cancer | How to avoid cancer | Glossary | About us | Disclaimer

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