How can lifestyle changes support my treatment and recovery?
Health Conditions
Cancer
Supporting your health through cancer care
A cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but there are meaningful ways to support your health alongside medical treatment. Lifestyle medicine focuses on everyday factors like nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and connectedness that can support your strength, recovery, and overall well-being. When healthy lifestyle changes become part of your care, progress may look like more energy, greater resilience, improved quality of life, and better overall health before, during, and after treatment.
Proactive care
Cancer is a complex disease influenced by many factors, including genetics, environmental exposures, and overall health. Lifestyle medicine focuses on health behaviors that may influence cancer risk, treatment tolerance, recovery, and long-term health.
Many aspects of cancer health are connected to:
- Chronic inflammation
- Nutrition patterns and dietary quality
- Physical inactivity and loss of muscle mass
- Weight and metabolic health
- Sleep quality and recovery
- Stress and emotional well-being
- Tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful exposures
These factors can influence how the body functions before, during, and after cancer treatment.
Addressing these areas can help support your overall health and resilience as you navigate treatment, recovery, and life beyond cancer.
Questions to ask your care team
Are there nutrition recommendations specific to my diagnosis?
What level of physical activity is safe for me?
How can I manage fatigue, stress, and sleep challenges?
Are there resources or specialists who can help me make sustainable lifestyle changes?
Avoiding Risky Habits to Reduce Cancer Risk
A few simple dietary and lifestyle changes to support overall health.
Best for: People wanting to prevent cancer or support survivorship.
Use with your clinician: Bring questions like, “What other lifestyle changes can I make for risk reduction or to support my recovery?” to your next visit.
Important: Lifestyle medicine complements rather than replaces oncology treatment. Before making major changes to your lifestyle, talk with your clinician about what is safe and appropriate for you.
Breast Cancer Risk Reduction: Awareness to Action
Practical information about modifiable lifestyle factors that may help reduce breast cancer risk.
Best for: People who want to understand their risk factors and take practical steps to support breast health.
Use with your clinician: Bring questions like, “Which breast cancer risk factors can I address, and what screening schedule is right for me?” to your next visit.
Important: Healthy habits may reduce risk but cannot eliminate it. Continue recommended screening and discuss personal and family history with your clinician.
Lifestyle Medicine for Cancer Care Checklist
An overview of incremental behavior changes in each lifestyle medicine pillar that can support cancer risk reduction and survivorship.
Best for: People receiving cancer treatment, living with cancer, or transitioning into survivorship.
Use with your clinician: Bring questions like, “Which lifestyle changes are safe and appropriate during my treatment or recovery?” to your next visit.
Important: Lifestyle medicine complements rather than replaces oncology treatment. Coordinate nutrition, activity, supplements, and other changes with your cancer care team.