I’ve always been a person who gives help, not asks for it. Now I have breast cancer, how do I ask for help?

Look at this the other way round. Relatives and friends often find it hard to know where to start to help someone who is having treatment for breast cancer, or recovering from treatment. Asking for support means that people can feel useful and helpful, and you don’t have to try to be superhuman to cope with everyday life on top of treatment. People do like to help.

Initially you could ask for help with practical things like picking up your children from school, helping to do you’re shopping, cooking a meal for you, or you could ask for company when you have hospital appointments. Then as time goes on and people offer their help, do take it or ask them if they would mind doing something else instead if there is a task you need doing.

Diet

Do I need to be careful about what I eat now I am having treatment?

It is sensible to eat a well-balanced diet because it is better for your general health. For most of us, eating a better balanced diet means having less fatty food, cutting down on our salt intake and eating more fibre in the form of fresh vegetables and cereals. Eating this type of diet is good for everyone, not just for people who have had breast cancer. A balanced diet will make sure that you get the vitamins and minerals you need to help your body to recover from any treatment you have had and to build you up again.

Do I need a special diet now I know I have breast cancer?

Some people choose to follow a particular complementary diet when they have breast cancer and continue with this after their hospital treatment ends. If you wish to try a new eating plan which is very different from your usual diet, make sure you let the hospital doctor know what you are planning. This is because some diets could make certain side effects of treatment, such as diarrhea, rather worse or last longer. It might be better to wait until these are over before changing to a new style of eating.

Will changing my diet help to prevent my cancer from coming back?

There is no research which suggests that changing your diet would do this. Some people claim certain diets have helped to cure their breast cancer but there is no convincing evidence to support these claims. Do speak to your doctors about any diets you are considering because some of them can affect other parts of the body. For example, after the menopause women’s bones become thinner and they are at a higher risk of osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) so a diet without calcium can be harmful to bones.

Drinking Alcohol

What about drinking alcohol if you have breast cancer?

You should avoid having too much alcohol as it is not good for your general health. An occasional short, glass of wine or a beer is unlikely to be harmful. UK guidelines suggest women should not drink more than two units of alcohol a day (one unit is a small glass of wine, a single measure of spirits or half a pint of beer or cider). For men the maximum is three units daily.