Do you have to undergo chemotherapy in an attempt to rid your body of cancerous cells that are attacking your system? Chemotherapy may be the one thing that could potentially save your life, but there are a lot of side effects that may cause you to feel upset, weak, and frustrated. Some of the different things that can happen as a result of chemotherapy include extreme exhaustion, hair loss, and nausea. Although it may be difficult to deal with this, there are things you can do to prevent these side effects from occurring.
1. Wear a Cold Cap During Treatment to Prevent Hair Loss
Some women and men want to prevent hair loss from occurring during chemotherapy. Your hair does not define who you are as a person, but you may feel more comfortable with hair than without it. Wearing a cold cap could help you preserve the hair on your head so that it does not fall out during various treatment sessions.
While wearing the cap, your scalp will reach extremely cold temperatures. These cold temperatures are needed to keep the hair from absorbing the harsh drugs that are administered during chemotherapy treatment. In an attempt to preserve the hair follicles, the freezing treatment may keep most of your hair from falling out. The process of wearing a cold cap is quite simple. You can apply it to your head and strap it on. It may be slightly uncomfortable during the first few minutes as you start to adjust to the coldness on your head, but you may soon forget you are even wearing it.
2. Give Yourself a Quick Boost of Energy With Healthy Smoothies
You may no longer feel very hungry because of your treatment. However, a lack of food could contribute to that exhausted feeling you may experience throughout the day. One way to make sure you are getting a boost of energy without trying to force a bunch of food down your throat is to combine several nutritious ingredients into a blender and turn it into a smoothie.
You can mix one banana with a teaspoon of ginger, a handful of spinach leaves, and a cup of coconut milk. Both bananas and spinach are good at providing a natural energy boost, while the ginger may help control some of the nausea you may be dealing with from time to time. The coconut milk is a good source of essential vitamins as well as iron. Drinking one or two of these smoothies a day may improve the way you feel during such a difficult time.
Undergoing chemotherapy is quite the challenge because of the side effects. However, it may be what you need to do to help fight a horrible disease. In an effort to continue feeling as good as possible while receiving treatment, you can wear cold caps to prevent hair loss and drink smoothies for an energy boost.
