There is no “miracle diet” that can cure cancer. However, specialists have no doubts that if it is properly composed, it is a factor that may affect the effects of therapy. What’s more – up to 40 percent. patients die not from the cancer itself, but from the destruction of the organism. Therefore, it is worth taking particular care of a balanced menu.
Weight loss
One of the main reasons why cancer diets are so important is that people often lose weight unintentionally. Moreover, it happens that this is the first symptom that something is wrong with the body. Unfortunately, in many cases, even before diagnosis, patients are rather than worried that they have finally managed to lose the few extra pounds they have been unable to cope with for years. However, it is important to remember that weight loss not caused by diet or exercise should always be a concern and prompt you to see a doctor. Acting quickly when this early symptom shows up can give a better therapeutic prognosis.
Why do cancer patients lose weight? There are many reasons. They are often physical changes that stop the digestive system from functioning properly. For example, a massive tumor in the large intestine can cause constipation, resulting in malaise and a decrease in appetite.
Lack of appetite and nausea can also appear as a symptom of cancer that affects other organs. The same applies to taste disturbances, difficulty swallowing and mouth ulcers. All of the above symptoms usually lead to a reduction in food intake and, consequently, weight loss.
Finally, even if the patient has an appetite and eats normally, changes in his immune system can cause metabolic disturbances in which nutrients are not properly absorbed. Even though such a person eats normally, they begin to lose weight.
Additionally, depressive symptoms may appear, aggravating apathy and reluctance to eat.
A weakened body may not be able to respond effectively to the therapy given. Meanwhile, a cancer patient has a slightly higher energy requirement than a healthy person. Approximately 30% * of cancer patients die due to a sharp weight loss and wasting of the body during cancer. The main reason for this seems to be the lack of an optimized diet.
Therefore, it is so important that the patient, immediately after the diagnosis, implement a properly balanced diet.
Oncological diet, or what?
Cancer patients often ask their doctor how they should change their diet – what products to buy, how to prepare them. The answer may not be obvious as it simply sounds “healthy”. Weight loss in cancer is usually the result of not providing the body with the right amount of nutrients, so the basic thing that patients must take care of is a balanced diet. It should contain proteins, fats, complex sugars as well as vitamins and minerals.
It is worth giving up hardened vegetable fats. Replace regular cereal products with whole grains, and include a portion of vegetables and fruit with each meal. You should also remember to eat smaller meals, but more often. As a result, the digestive system works more efficiently and absorbs nutrients better, and the body has a constant supply of the substances it needs.
This is how every health-conscious person should eat, not only cancer patients. However, in their case it is of particular importance. Therefore, if the patient had developed appropriate eating habits before the diagnosis, it is enough if he / she balances the diet according to his or her health condition.
When the patient has no appetite for any of the above-mentioned reasons, traditional meals can be replaced with specialized liquid nutritional preparations of the Nutridrink * type, specially designed for the sick. Cocktails are composed in such a way that a small volume contains all the ingredients needed by the body for proper functioning. They can be used as a dietary supplement or completely replace all meals. Thanks to this, you can enrich the diet with additional protein, energy and other nutrients.
Chemotherapy diet
Usually, the use of cytostatic drugs lowers the appetite. If you are struggling with side effects from treatment, tell your doctor, as in some cases they may be avoided or milder.
It is also worth remembering that cytostatics, like all other drugs, can interact, so you should not take any drugs without consulting a specialist. You should also limit the consumption of citrus and acidic fruit juices.
Chemotherapy can additionally make you intolerant to certain products – for example, lactose. In such cases, it is also worth considering the use of specialized, nutritional liquid preparations after consulting a doctor.
Special situations
In some types of cancer, it is recommended to eliminate certain foods from the diet. For example, in liver or pancreatic cancer, eating large amounts of raw vegetables, which are usually recommended for a healthy diet, can be harmful. Therefore, each patient should ask the doctor in detail if any products are particularly inadvisable in his case.
* K. Krzemieniecki., Treatment of neoplastic cachexia – a blessing for the sick and a curse for the National Health Fund? A critical analysis of the phenomenon of cancer cachexia therapy in Poland, Współczesna Onkologia (2008) vol. 12; 1 (38-42); Krystyna de Walden Gałuszko, Fundamentals of palliative care in Poland, PZWL, 2007
* Nutridrink is a dietary food for special medical purposes for the dietary management of disease-related malnutrition. Use under medical supervision.