Cancer Diet: Feasting on the Four Food Groups
A Mesothelioma Patient's Guide to Nutrition
By Maggie Kay
At some point during our childhood we have all been
told to eat our vegetables. Forcing down tasteless green beans and
brussels sprouts were supposed to make us taller and stronger. Well,
so it is for mesothelioma patients.
Diet is often an overlooked subject for cancer patients,
but eating the right nutritional foods for strength and energy is
just as important as taking the proper medication.
Mesothelioma patients undergoing treatment must follow
a special cancer diet devised by their nutritionists. Cancer diets
involve eating the correct amounts of protein and calories as well
as drinking the right amount of water to keep the ailing body replenished
and energized. The body needs plenty of nourishment when it is going
through chemotherapy or even when the patient is taking certain medications.
Doctors and nutritionists may also recommend a special
cancer diet because many mesothelioma patients tend to lose their
appetites due to worry over their condition. Also, those who are undergoing
treatment may choose not to eat because of the unpleasant side effects
they may experience.
Chemotherapy, for example, and even some particular
medications may cause an imbalance of nutrients that must be corrected
in order to keep the body as strong as possible and to keep the patient
from losing an excessive amount of weight.
Other side effects of mesothelioma treatment include
nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, a change in the sense of smell or taste,
and/or constipation.
Below are some of the important nutrients patients
are encouraged to include in their mesothelioma diet:
- Protein is important for any cancer patient because it helps repair
tissue damaged by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Protein also
helps maintain a strong and healthy immune system, lowering a mesothelioma
patient's risk of infection after aggressive cancer treatments.
The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing protein in a
cancer diet with cheese, milk, ice cream, yoghurt, eggs, nuts, peanut
butter, meats and fish.
- Fats are an essential part of the cancer diet because they supply
the body with the necessary energy it needs while undergoing treatment.
The amount of fats (meaning the number of calories) a cancer diet
should consist of is dependent on a mesothelioma patient's age and
body size. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing caloric
intake with such foods as butter, milk, cheese, honey, sugar, granola
and dried fruits.
- Water is another essential element of the cancer diet. Without
a substantial amount of water, the body will dehydrate. It is important
that anyone undergoing cancer treatment receive enough water to
keep their bodies hydrated and replenished.
The details of every patient's mesothelioma diet will
vary. Some patients will need to incorporate more fat into their diets,
while others may need more protein. It is important that patients
devise a cancer diet under the guidance of their doctor and nutritionist
to ensure that they receive the proper amount of nutrients to improve
their quality of life.
Maggie Kay is a freelance writer from Montreal
and is the head researcher and content manager of Mesothelioma
Attorney Advice Center
Women's health
is in much more precarious situation after the menopause.
Signs like hair
loss are insignificant when it comes to issues like abnormalities
in the breasts.
The book was developed after working with over 500
cancer patients and organizing 3 international symposiums on the subject.
The information contained in BCN is both scientifically backed with
references and clinically proven in the hospital with patients. This
information helps cancer patients to improve quality and quantity
of life.
BCN had become a home study continuing education course
for registered nurses. BCN 2001 version will contain a 72-minute audio
CD version in response to the requests from tired cancer patients
who said they needed and audio version of the book to get started.
