I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes five years ago, and I've had to make considerable changes to my lifestyle to maintain my health since I was diagnosed. I started this blog to share my experience of coming to terms with having type 2 diabetes and what I've learned on my personal journey. I share details of the lifestyle changes I've made, including giving up smoking and eating more wholefoods, and my personal experience of using alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine. I also post about new treatments that are becoming available for type 2 diabetes. I hope you find my blog useful and informative.
After being diagnosed with prostate cancer, it's logical that you would want to learn as much as you can about the disease. While your doctor and healthcare team will be able to answer any questions you might have, you might also benefit from some independent research that looks at the issues you're facing from a variety of angles. With that in mind, here are three books to add to your reading list:
1. Diet
Whatever plan your doctor determines to fight your prostate cancer, there are also some things you can do for yourself. Eating well becomes critically important when faced with an illness, and good nutrition can improve your overall health. Healthy Eating: The Prostate Care Cookbook is written by Margaret Rayman, Kay Gibbons and Kay Dilley (in association with the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation). It's simply a cookbook packed full of recipes that are good for you (and good for prostate health).
2. Intimacy
Erectile dysfunction can be a common side effect of prostate cancer surgery, and this is something you should talk about with your doctor. You might find it helpful to read the personal account of someone who has gone through the struggle themselves. Prostate cancer survivor Ralph Alterowitz and his wife Barbara have co-written two books which you might find helpful, The Lovin' Ain't Over: The Couple's Guide to Better Sex after Prostate Disease, and Intimacy With Impotence: The Couple's Guide To Better Sex After Prostate Disease. A personal and practical examination of the issues that might arise can sometimes be more satisfying than simply reading about what can happen in a medical brochure.
3. Humour
You might be one of the many people who has read The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend. After all, the book did sell more than 20 million copies. Sue Townsend wrote numerous sequels before she passed away in 2014, and the final volume, Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years (2009) might be of interest to you. Using wry, warm humour, Townsend details the struggles of her fictional hero as he is diagnosed with prostate cancer (along with his frustration when so many people mispronounce it as "prostrate"). It's a charming book that allows you to find humour in what can be a dark and unsettling time. With the death of Townsend, it's sad that no further volumes will be published, as it would have been interesting to read the funny stories of Adrian Mole in remission from his cancer.
Hopefully, these books will be useful for you, giving you tips (and a few laughs) that can help you in your fight.
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