After a diagnosis of chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (and indeed, cancer in general), mindset and lifestyle can make a crucial difference in outcomes.
Dr. Sid Ganguly, Deputy Director of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Medical Center, tells SurvivorNet that, although diet, exercise, and a positive attitude can never replace the interventional cancer treatment that you and your oncologist decide on, these factors can absolutely help patients tolerate these treatments.
Read MorePositivity, Diet, and Exercise are Key
According to Dr. Ganguly, one of the most important aspects of this “eye of the tiger” is a positive attitude. “A good, positive mind increases our interleukins, our immune system,” Dr. Ganguly says, explaining that research has actually proven that depression can result in a decreased immune system and increased chance of infection. During the winter especially, he says, seasonal affective disorder has been associated with increased respiratory illnesses.For any cancer — not just lymphoma — Dr. Ganguly says, it’s important to stay healthy, eat a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a positive mind and positive attitude. Meditation can go a long way, too.
“I’m not saying that lifestyle changes and exercise will stave off the treatment,” Dr. Ganguly emphasizes. “The treatment has to continue simultaneously.”
But when the time does come for treatment, people who have established positive mindsets and healthy lifestyles will “have a better chance of coming out of the treatment with less complications and probably will be able to tolerate it better.”
In other words, treatment outcomes are closely tied with overall health and wellbeing.
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