I know, finding a bright side of cancer treatment sounds so forced, but today I realized that treatment did help me develop some good habits:
- Consistently drinking lots of water - I always drank a lot of water, but keeping track of my intake during chemo (I tried for 90-100oz / day) made me more aware of how much I drink, and I find myself staying even more hydrated than before.
- Wearing gloves to do dishes / clean - In the past I knew I should wear gloves but avoided doing so. During chemo, when my hands and feet were very sensitive and had tiny cuts, I didn't have a choice. Now my hands are better but I can't imagine doing dishes without gloves! These are my favorite dish gloves.
- Moisturizing my hands and feet
- Exercising - I'm a fairly active person, but mostly tended to walk with only occasional cardio. During chemo I tried to sweat as much as possible and got on my exercise bike whenever I could, even for an easy ride. After ending treatment, I now look at working out as a treat and look forward to it. I usually do a short (20-30 minute) cardio workout at least 5 days a week, a quick yoga routine daily (between 5 and 20 minutes) and walk a lot every day (it's rare that I don't hit 10,000 steps). Also, I started looking at movement as a non-negotiable part of the day. I sneak in a workout between meetings or during naptime.
- Thinking of food as medicine - Whether it's broccoli sprouts, green tea, cauliflower, mushrooms, olive oil, or berries, I am excited to eat cancer-fighting food. I try to work more vegetables into my diet and make sure I'm eating a variety.
- Drinking less alcohol - This wasn't intentional, but during chemo I lost interest in drinking, and now I have maybe one drink every two weeks. I don't miss it. If I drink I try to stick with red wine, both because I love it and because it has the most cancer-fighting resveratrol (especially pinot noir).
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