Gaining Emotional Support During Cancer Is Paramount
Many studies have shown that cancer support groups can help people cope with anxiety and depression. Support groups can also assist people in feeling more hopeful and managing their emotions more effectively. However, sometimes, it's critical to find a support group that feels right.
Also, members of a cancer support group may feel more comfortable sharing feelings and experiences that would be too difficult or awkward to share with family and friends.
In the role of a support group, Dr Kanchan Kaur, Senior Director and Breast Cancer Specialist at Medanta, Gurugram says, “As a doctor, we failed to understand that medicine is a very small part of it but having and gaining emotional support is more necessary for a patient.” The role of the support groups is huge and in the hospital is even more, she adds.
On the nutrition question, Luke Coutinho, Holistic Nutritionist and Lifestyle Medicine Mentor says that many resources are right but not right to follow because different bodies work differently.
Coutinho emphasised on the incomplete knowledge about nutritious diet and says that eating more nutritious food is always a better choice but having a nutritional curriculum in medical schools needs to be revamped. Because it is all based on an old and long studies which have stayed the same over the years but at the same time, the diseases have changed.
He suggested patients to go to experts who have scientific information not sourced from Google or any other random knowledge platform of nutrition. Critical thinking and the correct information are very very important, he adds.
On the question of what we need to do to live a better quality of life with cancer or who can survive cancer. He says that there are four main things people should follow: nutrition, movement (exercise), quality sleep and emotional health.
