How I Manage Fatigue as a Cancer Survivor
Therese (Mom)
Fatigue doesn’t always look like being tired—it looks like a body that won’t cooperate, even after a full night’s sleep. As a cancer survivor, this has been my reality for years. I searched endlessly for a miracle fix, but what I’ve learned is much simpler and much harder: managing fatigue starts with how I nourish my body.
No matter how much I exercise or how well I sleep, if I’m not fueling myself with the right foods, I feel terrible. Over time, I discovered that certain foods inflame my body, which only layers more fatigue on top of the fatigue I already live with. Managing it became a process of elimination. I’ve learned,
what I eat today sets the scene for how I feel tomorrow.
For me, an anti-inflammatory diet has been the key. When I deviate, I feel it. We have a local coffee shop that sells a divine jalapeño bagel from “Homeboy Bakeries.” I love a good jalapeño bagel, but I know that if I eat one, I’ll likely pay for it the next day. And sometimes I still give in, because life is too short not to enjoy the things you love.
Most of the time, though, I follow an anti-inflammatory plan created by a registered dietician. The biggest takeaway from that appointment was to avoid refined sugar, processed foods, and red meat, and incorporate more vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins like chicken or fish. I’ve also become surprisingly fond of lentils—complex carbs + plant-based protein. Trader Joe’s has an organic lentil soup that is permanently stocked in my pantry!
When I’m making food choices, I remind myself how good I felt when I ate what worked for my body—even when it was bland—and I ask:
Is that bagel really worth it? Is it worth the joint pain? The slow morning? The struggle to do basic tasks because my body won’t cooperate?
The truth is, managing fatigue isn’t about perfection or deprivation.
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