Mesothelioma and Diet
Food has important physical, social and emotional significance and whether you are suffering from mesothelioma or are a caregiver for someone diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is beneficial to plan meals with these issues in mind. A balanced diet can help victims of mesothelioma maintain their overall health and improve their quality of life. In addition, diet and nutrition can play an important role in reducing the toxic side effects of some mesothelioma treatments.
A diet and foods recommended for mesothelioma patients include sele ctions from the four food groups :
Protein: Protein is possibly the most important factor in a mesothelioma diet. It helps ensure growth, repairs body tissues damaged by surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation, and helps to maintain a healthy immune system. Most patients require additional protein during and after aggressive treatments to help heal tissues and lower the risk of infection. The prestigious National Cancer institute recommends people with mesothelioma intake foods such as cheese, milk, eggs, yogurt, nuts, peanut butter, fish, meat, and ice cream.
Fats: Fat help store energy so that the body can use it later, and can provide a much needed boost during chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Although fat intake depends on the size and body type of the person, but the National Cancer Institute believes that high calorie foods such as butter, cheese, milk, honey, sugar, dried fruits, and granola can help the body replenish fat stores used during the mesothelioma recovery process.
Vitamins: Vitamins were discovered in the early twentieth century and understanding their power helped advance medicine dramatically. Tiny amounts of these compounds could cure scurvy, rickets and many other potentially fatal conditions. It may become more important when the challenges of being ill or undergoing treatment make eating difficult.
Water: Water is also important because it helps keep people hydrated when chemo and radiation reduce the amount of fluid in tissues.
Diet and nutrition tips for patients fighting the disease:
A consultation with a dietician can help you create a nutritious meal plan that is tailored to your needs.
Focus on liquids and soft foods if you are nauseated or have difficulty swallowing. Blended drinks such as fruit smoothies may be more tolerable than solid foods. Commercially prepared liquid diet supplements are also useful.
To be sure you are getting enough of the nutrients you need, you may want to ask your doctor if nutritional supplements are right for you.
For People exposed to asbestos who stayed cancer-free ate, a group of investigators at the National Cancer Institute and Louisiana State University in the USA find that:
People exposed to asbestos who stayed cancer-free ate, on average, twice as many servings of home-grown or locally grown fruits and vegetables per week as those who developed mesothelioma.
People who remained free of mesothelioma ate about twice as many servings of cruciferous vegetables (turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and broccoli) as those who did not, about three servings a week, compared to zero to two.
People who developed mesothelioma ate more cake, candy, and pie than those who stayed cancer-free.
These preliminary evidences show that the best bet for preventing mesothelioma by diet is to eat the right foods, and your favorite foods, in moderation. Eat plenty of different fruits and vegetables. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health. Sugar seems somehow to accelerate the development of the cancer.
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