Physical wellness is self-care aimed at relieving difficulties like pain, fatigue, and depression associated with WM through nonpharmacological therapies. It’s a non-curative complementary support, unrelated to prognosis, designed to improve quality of life for you, your family, and caregivers. It’s been well-documented that frail people do not do as well with cancer treatments as those who are physically strong. Physical wellness and optimal nutrition go hand in hand and are both hallmarks of self-help.
The following wellness resources, curated by the IWMF, are focused on nutrition and physical wellness. They can assist you in self-healing, improve your quality of life, and foster health promotion so that treatments can be more effective with fewer side effects.Rationale for Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce Cancer Risk
Rationale for Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce Cancer Risk
Healthy Eating Strategies and Tips
- US Government booklet Eating Hints: Before, during and after Cancer Treatment
- American Cancer Society Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors
- MD Anderson, nutrition basics booklet Nutrition Basics for Patients and Caregivers
- CancerCare video Nutrition and Healthy Eating Tips During and After Cancer Treatment
- Video, IWMF website Fact or Fiction: Nutrition and Cancer Myths, Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD/LDN, CSO
- Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living Wide selection of videos on nutrition for cancer patients on their YouTube channel
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fact Sheet on Healthy Eating
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society One-on One Nutrition Consultations
- Research for Wellness website,many helpful resources for healthy eating for cancer survivors
- Mayo Clinic, Healthy Living Support Group (online discussion group about healthy living and lifestyle changes)
- PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society program that offers free nutrition education and consultation to patients and caregivers
- Consumer Reports 7/8/21 “6 No-Alcohol Cocktails that Fight Inflammation”
Managing Your Weight
Nutritional Supplements
Many people with cancer take nutritional supplements in order to help minimize side effects of treatment or for general wellness. It’s very important to be aware that some of these supplements may interact with your cancer treatments and increase or lessen their effect. Always inform your oncologist of any nutritional supplements that you are taking.
- A few, but not all, food and nutritional supplement interactions are noted on the IWMF website under publications for specific treatments
- Some integrative medicine programs, such as Mayo Clinic, offer supplement consultations by pharmacists who have expertise on popular supplements and how they interact with medicines
- For comprehensive information about common herbs and other nutritional supplements, their uses, potential benefits, possible adverse reactions, and interactions with other herbs or medicines, go to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine, “About Herbs” database
- Information from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health on nutritional supplements
Staying Active for Health and Quality of Life
- Physical activity and cancer fact sheet
- American Institute for Cancer Research: “Exercise Helps Cancer Patients and Survivors, New Research Reviews”
- American Institute for Cancer Research: “Exercise and Cancer: be physically active”
- American College of Sports Medicine, exercise and cancer resources
- Zakim Center for Integrative Medicine and Healthy Living; exercise videos
- IWMF Cardio Flow online class offered weekly, listed in the “Waldenstrom’s Weekly” newsletter: iwmf.com
Options for Flexibility, Balance, and Relaxation
- Qigong, tai chi, and reiki offered at the Zakim Center for Integrative Medicine and Healthy Living, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
- Illustration of “Six Yoga Stretches for Cancer Patients,” Zakim Center for Integrative Medicine and Healthy Living
- Society for Integrative Oncology YouTube channel; “Role of Yoga Across the Cancer Care Continuum: Evidence Informed Practice” (panel of experts)
- IWMF yoga online classes offered weekly, listed in the Waldenstrom’s Weekly newsletter: iwmf.com
Cancer-Related Fatigue
Therapies for Pain Reduction and Relaxation
- Acupuncture fact sheet from National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Acupuncture sessions at Zakim Center for Integrative Medicine and Healthy Living
- Acupuncture overview, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Integrative Medicine
- Massage: Society for Integrative Oncology YouTube video on massage for cancer patients
- Massage services:
Sleep Promotion
- Society for Integrative Oncology YouTube video, Cancer-Related Insomnia