by Life Credit Company | May 22, 2016 | Quality of Life & Emotional Support
Music’s impact on our society is vast, and varied. It inspires and energizes crowds, from sports fans to concertgoers. It tells stories in ways that language cannot. And it unifies people across cultures, communicating messages where words are not needed. It also can be an individual source of comfort, an idea that has taken hold for people facing cancer. Singing in a choir, even for just one hour a week, can provide help for cancer patients — on social, emotional and even physical levels, according to new research. Tenovus Cancer Care and Royal College of Music and Imperial College in Wales teamed up to explore a choir’s impact on people dealing with cancer, either directly or through relatives. Investigators tested saliva samples from choir performers for a stress hormone, and found that stress levels were down after singers performed. In addition to negatively impacting one’s outlook, stress has been proven to suppress the immune system, researchers said. While stress relief can’t actually cure a disease, it can certainly alleviate the symptoms and get patients on the right track to health. That’s a lesson Huntsman Cancer Institute is already putting into practice. Beth Hardy is a music therapist at HCI. There, she creates individualized music plans for each patient; she writes songs with some, plays music for others and incorporates it into therapy plans for others. The impact is noticeable. Music’s relaxation power is evident when patients drift off to sleep during sessions. Focusing on a musical activity also distracts patients from the pain they’re experiencing, which can decrease their need for some medications and improve their mood. Hardy has...
by Life Credit Company | May 16, 2016 | Quality of Life & Emotional Support
We can all recall the masterpieces we colored as children: The colors may not have always been inside the lines, and the finished products weren’t always frame-worthy, but it was a relaxing activity that allowed us to explore our creative sides! Recently, adults have been enticed to revisit their carefree childhood days with the rising trend of coloring books geared toward adults. Big-box retailers, bookstores and online sites are selling the books en masse; Crayola even just recently launched its own line of adult coloring books, paired with special crayons and pencils. According to CNN, adult coloring is “all the rage” right now. The trend is not just a money grab, however; there are real benefits to the phenomenon — including for people facing cancer. Just ask patients at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. The facility has started passing out coloring books to patients seeking chemotherapy and other treatments. The center is treating coloring like a standard resource for cancer patients, situating coloring books and art supplies alongside its collection of movies and games traditionally offered to help patients relax during their visits. According to Kathleen Lorain, who leads the center’s art programs, the center has found coloring to be effective at reducing stress. Lorain explained to NewsMedical that creative activities like coloring activate the right side of the brain; on the contrary, stress and worry stimulate the left side. That change allows the left side to “quiet” down, alleviating anxiety, which is common among cancer patients. “Because they’re occupied with thoughts such as ‘what color do I use?’ and ‘how should I color this part?,’ their right brain...
by Life Credit Company | Apr 29, 2016 | Quality of Life & Emotional Support
Many people diet to feel and look their best, but eating right could have another even more important result, according to a new study. Researchers at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center recently found that avoiding a certain type of carbohydrate may reduce the risk for lung cancer. The study is being hailed as an important step forward for understanding cancer risk, and as a strong source of help for cancer patients who are looking to both understand the disease and protect themselves from recurrence. Low-Carb 101 Reducing carbohydrate intake has been associated with a number of health benefits, including weight loss and reduction of sugars. But this is the first time that a large-scale study has shown the impact of a low-carb diet on lung cancer risk. Investigators examined the diets of 2,000 people who were recently diagnosed with lung cancer, comparing them to the diets of 2,400 healthy individuals. What they found was that people who ate a lot of “bad” carbohydrates — those with a high glycemic index — were 49 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not consume such carbs. Interestingly, diets rich in bad carbs seemed to heighten the risk for lung cancer more so in people who had never smoked — the leading risk for lung cancer — than in smokers. One explanation for that phenomenon is that foods with a high glycemic index may elevate blood sugar rates, which could lead to high insulin levels — a factor that has been shown to speed cell growth, including cancer development. Impact of Study Scientists noted that, while further research is...
by Life Credit Company | Apr 27, 2016 | Cancer Treatments & Therapies
For many of us, the stress from a hard day at work quickly disappears when we’re greeted at the front door by our four-legged friends, eagerly wagging their tails. Dogs, cats and other pets have an amazing therapeutic effect, an idea that is being used to provide help for cancer patients. Why animal therapy? We’ve all heard of chemotherapy for cancer patients, but animal-assisted therapy is a concept many people may not be familiar with. The trend centers on the concept that animals can be mood-boosters and, when patients are dealing with a diagnosis as scary as cancer, lifting one’s spirits can promote better physical and mental health. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, animals can be an important source of both distraction and comfort; often, cancer patients are focused on their condition around the clock, but when they instead devote their attention to a visiting animal, they’re given a helpful reprieve from their stress. Also, simply petting an animal has been shown to stimulate your mood. Cynthia Ingram, the Animal Therapy Coordinator at Cancer Treatment Centers of America’s Illinois campus, noted that studies have proven that therapy dogs may lower levels of anxiety and depression. “Therapy dogs can provide for a sense of comfort and overall wellbeing, and present a more home-like atmosphere,” she added. How does it work? Cancer programs across the country are incorporating animal-assisted therapy into their services. In addition to Cancer Treatment Centers, pet programs have also sprung up at places like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Pet Partners is an entire organization devoted to connecting animals with...
by Life Credit Company | Apr 15, 2016 | Quality of Life & Emotional Support
We all love getting care packages in the mail — from tasty treats at the holidays to hometown reminders if we’re living far from loved ones. Imagine the delight your loved one with a cancer diagnosis will receive when a package including items they not only want, but actually need, arrives on the doorstep — free of charge! The CareBox Program is an innovative resource for cancer patients going through cancer treatments. The organization places supplies and essential personal-care items, that are not typically covered by insurance items, right in their hands. How Do CareBox Packages Help Cancer Patients? When cancer patients are undergoing treatment, they need to keep both their bodies and minds strong to fight off the illness. However, that’s often easier said than done. Treatments like chemotherapy can weaken immunes systems. Many cancer patients worry that exposure to someone with a minor cold could be debilitating, or could even prove deadly. Patients need to be both alert and prepared to fend off sickness. Although many prepare for chemotherapy and cancer treatments, the side effects of many cancer treatments, there are many unexpected adjustments that must be made to their daily routines. To help patients meet those challenges, CareBox delivers free care supplies to cancer patients at home to prevent malnutrition, infections & injuries. CareBox Supplies that Offer Comfort to Cancer Patients CareBox is a one-stop shop resource for cancer patients. Patients can sign up on the site and make a list of items from which they could benefit. Common CareBox products and supplies include: Heating pads and neck pillows to help with muscle aches or pains Masks and gloves for personal protection...
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