The environment that you live in has a great impact on your health. Clean air, pure water, bright light in the day, darkness in the night, and plenty of greenery around are some factors which contribute to a healing environment. Unfortunately, the world that we live in is full of chemicals and toxins which can have an adverse impact on our health. While everybody should remove these toxins from their environment, Cancer patients must take extra care and create a healing environment around them away from all such harmful agents.
Cancer Patients and their Environment
Before we look at the good things, let’s take a quick look at the elements that you must remove immediately from your surroundings if you are diagnosed with Cancer. Remove anything that –
- Continuously provokes your immune system
- Disrupts the functioning of your hormones
- Increases stress
- Interferes with your sleep
- Makes your symptoms worse
Removing these elements and adding those which benefit your overall well-being can promote the optimal functioning of your body. Here are some harmful exposures that you should be careful of:
- Air Pollution – room fresheners, vinyl products, chlorine, ammonia, smoking cigarettes, candles with leaded wicks, vehicle pollution, etc.
- Plastic items
- BPA (Bisphenol A)
- Flame retardants
- Pesticides
- Cleaning products
- Radiation exposures
- Water pollution
- Items causing sound pollution, etc.
Exposures that can help you create a healing environment
- Spend some time in nature. It can help reduce stress, blood pressure, cholesterol, maintenance of cells that work to prevent the onset and spread of Cancer . Try visiting a park or beach or woods or any natural area near you on a regular basis.
- Ensure that the food, water, and air you consume do not have contamination in them. Post-diagnosis, your body already has a weakened immune system and might be unable to fight off even a small infection.
- Avoid processed food – stick to organic and whole food, fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Try to store water in clear glass container so that you can see impurities if any. Use a chemical-free water purification system.
- Avoid plastic containers for both food and water.
- Ensure that your house has enough ventilation during the day and gets some sunlight (if possible). This can help kill many germs and bacteria in the house.
- Ensure that your house is lit adequately according to the time of the day. A brightly lit house in the morning can actually help you sleep well at night . Here are some tips:
- Keep the light bright in the morning and gradually decrease it through the day. Evenings should be moderately lit.
- Don’t look at any bright light or screen at least half an hour before going to bed.
- If you work night-shifts, then ensure that your bedroom has heavy curtains to keep is as dark as possible.
- A nice-smelling house uplifts the mood. You might consult an Aromatherapist and use specific scents and fragrances too.
- Keep the volumes of your devices in the audible range. Loud sounds can cause stress in the body.
Inner Healing Environment
Apart from your living space, you also need the love, care, and kindness of your family and loved ones. Communicate with them. When a family member is diagnosed with Cancer, every individual in the family gets affected. Ensure that the environment at home helps heal the patient and the caregivers too. Keep your environment happy, relaxed, and full of Love.
Key Points
- Some exposures are beneficial to overall health and wellness, such as nature, clean air and water, and light at appropriate times.
- Some exposures can be harmful to general health and wellness. These may include many chemical pollutants, chemicals in consumer products, radiation, noise, mold and bacteria.
- This page describes some steps you can take to increase beneficial exposures and minimize those that may be harmful.
References & More Information
- Credit: Beyond Conventional Care Therapies
- ZenOnco.io Integrative Oncology Cancer Care
- Ecosystem Services Team. Health and wellness benefits of spending time in nature. US Department of Agriculture, Viewed October 1, 2018.
- Wu LM, Amidi A et al. The effect of systematic light exposure on sleep in a mixed group of fatigued cancer survivors. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2018 Jan 15;14(1):31-39.
- Jeannine Walston. Healing Now. Healing Environment.
- Høybye MT. Healing environments in cancer treatment and care. Relations of space and practice in hematological cancer treatment. Acta Oncol. 2013 Feb;52(2):440-6. doi: 10.3109/0284186X.2012.741323. Epub 2012 Nov 28.
- Taking Charge of your Health and Well-Being – University of Minnesota. What Can I Do to Create a Healing Environment?
