Hello, I have only recently been diagnosed and beside being panicked and very stressed I feel I need to get a plan in place to improve my diet, wellness and fitness in preparation for the treatments I will have to endure. Are there resources within Macmillan for this?
I don't know where to begin.
Hello JoeM
We are sorry to hear that you have recently been diagnosed. So glad though that you have come here to seek some information and support. My name is Rae and I am a Cancer Information Nurse Specialist here at Macmillan Cancer Support.
JoeM, you have not specified what type of cancer that you have been diagnosed with, or the treatment that you are facing, so this will be a very generalised response. Please do feel that you can speak to our nurses on the Support Line for further personalised response if needed.
Firstly, it is normal to feel very panicked and stressed when first diagnosed. There is no right or wrong way to feel, but hopefully putting a plan in place to improve your health going forward will make you feel more in control of what is happening and therefore more able to cope.
I am going to talk about the 3 topics you would like information on, under their headings, and then add in further relevant information later.
Diet: Fuelling our body correctly plays such a pivotal role in how we feel on a daily basis and overall. We have information on a healthy diet. There are also other support places such as Penny Brohn Eating Well With Cancer and the World Cancer Research Fund have a Cancer and Nutrition Helpline and information on their website. There is a lot of information about ultra processed food and how that potentially can be detrimental to our health.
Wellness: This is quite a broad term, but generally includes 6 dimensions, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental. We are talking about nutrition and fitness, and already covered emotions, so here we will talk about mental health, spiritual, social and environmental wellness. All these topics are closely related, and feed into each other. To improve our mental health takes work and time and is not always comfortable. We have a partnership with Big Health which enables you to have access to mental health support through their apps Daylight and Sleepio. Connecting with other people who are going through a similar diagnosis to you can also help. The Cancer Care Map enables you to pop your postcode and diagnosis in the search box and find national and local support relevant to you. We also have our online forums where you can chat to other people in a secure and moderated environment. We also have free counselling available through BUPA.
Spending time in nature can also benefit our mental health, this can include spending time in green spaces, spending time outdoors or being around animals.
Fitness: Keeping active is a great thing to do to prepare yourself for treatment, and even whilst receiving treatment for cancer. We have information on preparing for treatment with prehabilitation.
Other information: JoeM, here is some general information about us and how we can support you.
Have a read through the above information, there is a lot there and we don’t want to overwhelm you. Take your time with it and don’t feel that you must do everything at once. We are here 7 days a week 8am-8pm so please give us a call or use webchat for further information and support. We really want to help you at this time and to move forward through your treatment.
Best wishes
Rae
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
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