PT Health Life – For people with bone cancer, diet is very important, reducing the risk of malnutrition, helping to prevent complications and the risk of death related to cancer, and improving resistance to respond to treatment. cancer treatment…
1. The importance of diet for people with bone cancer
that nutrition plays an important role in caring for cancer patients since the patient is diagnosed with the disease. Cancer is a chronic disease that directly affects the organ of origin and can metastasize to other locations, causing a series of complications, including negative impacts on nutritional status.
Good nutrition is important for people with cancer. Following a healthy diet helps patients during treatment. This can help people with cancer in general and bone cancer in particular be healthier, help maintain a healthy weight, and help fight infections. A good diet helps patients prevent or control some side effects of treatment.
The patient’s body needs energy to fight disease and improve physical condition during periods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatments. Side effects of chemotherapy can make people feel nauseous, cause loss or change in appetite, or even make food taste different.
Some foods the patient once loved may make them feel nauseous. This is also the stage when patients easily lose weight and are malnourished, which is very detrimental. Some cancer treatments can cause weight gain. It is important to still focus on healthy eating to help control weight gain during treatment.
2. Necessary nutrients for people with bone cancer
According to BV K doctors, some general nutritional recommendations for patients undergoing cancer treatment include:
- Maintain ideal weight: For many patients, weight loss should be avoided by consuming enough calories each day. For overweight and obese patients, weight loss is needed.
- Use essential nutrients: including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals and water.
- Exercise actively and appropriately when possible, such as walking every day, even if you do not intend to lose weight because limiting movement (sitting or sleeping too much) can easily cause loss of muscle mass and increase in body fat.
- Follow a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of vegetables and fruits, moderate amounts of whole grains, plant-based protein sources such as nuts and soybeans, and meats such as fish, poultry, and lean meats. or low-fat dairy products.
In addition, the best diet for people with bone cancer depends on a number of factors such as disease stage, tumor location, treatment methods and side effects… But certain ingredients of the diet A good diet does not change.
Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, meats like poultry and fish along with drinking plenty of water are ideal, the nutritionist said. These are foods that research has shown can promote and support good health. Try to avoid sugary drinks and processed foods, which can be high in added sugar and fat. The more whole foods you eat, the more nutrients you get.
The protein
The most important thing is to make sure people with cancer are getting the calories and protein they need to keep their bodies healthy during treatment. Patients and caregivers should consult their treating doctors and nutritionists about a diet appropriate to their health condition and treatment methods.
According to clinical nutritionist Katrina Sommer of OSF HealthCare, when a patient experiences tissue damage, whether due to cancer or treatment, the body will have to work hard to repair itself. Therefore, the body uses nutrients from foods in the diet, especially proteins, for this purpose. If the patient does not eat enough, the body will use up energy and protein. This makes the patient more tired, their muscles begin to weaken, increasing the risk of malnutrition. Because the body consumes a lot of calories and protein during treatment, patients need to eat to support this process.
Protein is especially important for any cancer treatment. Eat some protein at each meal, for example adding eggs or peanut butter to snacks. Eat more plant protein, like nuts and lentils.
The patient’s body needs a balance between calories and protein to function best. Your doctor or clinical nutritionist may ask you to temporarily increase the amount of protein in your diet. If the patient has just had surgery or has a wound, eating lots of protein will help heal quickly.
Some foods that help increase the amount of protein in your diet include eating protein-rich foods such as chicken, fish, pork, beef, lamb, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, nuts or avocados. seeds, soy foods. Add green beans, kidney beans, tofu, boiled eggs, nuts and cooked meat or fish to the salad. Use sterilized bone broth for soups and stews.
Increase anti-inflammatory foods
Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains are essentially all foods that contribute to natural cancer prevention. Research shows a link between eating more plant-based foods and lower cancer rates.
Plants produce chemicals – called phytochemicals – that have many benefits. They have anti-inflammatory effects, can protect cells from damage and prevent cancer from developing.
Fiber, found in plant foods, may help prevent cancer. Some studies have shown that high-fiber diets are associated with a lower risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
However, the link between plant-based diets and lower cancer risk may also be due to weight. People who eat primarily plant-based foods tend to consume fewer calories and are less likely to be overweight, which is a risk factor for some types of cancer.
3. Vegetarian diet and cancer
that vegetarians should eat a variety of foods in their daily diet. It is best to have enough food groups such as protein (plant origin such as beans, peas, mushrooms; dairy products (fresh milk, butter, cheese, yogurt…), fat (various types of pressed oils, oilseeds), starches/sugars (rice, corn, potatoes), vegetables, flowers, fruits, mineral salts.
In cancer prevention and treatment, it is important to have a balanced diet, not to favor a certain diet. Eating a balanced diet means taking advantage of nutritional sources for the body and limiting the harmful effects of eating too much plants or animals.
In fact, a vegan diet requires cutting out all foods that come from animals. This means no meat, fish, eggs or dairy.
Vegetarians use plant-based foods to replace protein, some B vitamins, and calcium in their diet that others get from animal-based foods. Therefore, people with cancer, including bone cancer, must follow a vegetarian diet properly to ensure balanced nutrition.
4. Foods cancer patients need to avoid
The goal of a cancer patient’s diet is to help the body stay healthy and have balanced nutrition to fight cancer and cope with side effects of treatment. Avoid foods with little or no nutritional value, as well as anything that makes the person nauseous or makes it difficult to chew, swallow, or digest.
Patients need to avoid spicy foods, high fats, fast food, fried foods, alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks or caffeine… adjust the consistency of food if it is difficult to chew or swallow. The overall goal of treatment is to maintain the patient’s weight and strength.
Know and adhere to regular dietary restrictions. If the person with bone cancer has diabetes, pay attention to blood sugar levels, because some cancer treatments can affect blood sugar levels. If the patient has heart problems, monitor sodium intake.
Always read food labels to know the ingredients of the food and whether it fits into your diet.
5. Some nutritional guidelines for people with cancer
When treatment begins, it can become difficult to follow a person with bone cancer’s usual diet.
People with cancer can get all the nutrients they need from a balanced diet. If you have difficulty following a balanced diet, your doctor will advise you on vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements appropriate to each patient’s condition.
So when considering taking any dietary supplement, talk to your doctor or clinical nutritionist and pharmacist first.
Food safety
During cancer treatment, the body has difficulty fighting infections. It is more important than ever to make sure that the food you are eating is safe. This will reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and other infections.
Stay hydrated
Stay hydrated (drink enough fluids) during cancer treatment. Patients hydrate their bodies with filtered water, foods such as soup, broth, fruit and vegetable juices, herbal tea, milk…
During treatment, a nutritionist may recommend certain foods to help patients eat more calories, add more protein, or eat more comfortably.
Advice for eating nutritious food
Doctors at K hospital said that symptoms of nausea or vomiting may appear in patients treated with radiation. The severity of nausea and vomiting depends on the area being irradiated. This symptom can affect the patient’s nutritional status due to insufficient energy supply, deficiency of some nutrients due to insufficient compensation for fluid loss due to vomiting. Some patients feel nauseous for a few hours immediately after radiotherapy. If the patient has these symptoms, they should eat lightly before or after radiotherapy.
If the patient is nauseous before radiotherapy, the patient can be instructed to try eating a light meal such as bread and relax as much as possible.
The following suggestions help patients improve their stomach condition during radiotherapy:
- Divide meals into small portions throughout the day. Eat small, frequent meals. For example, you should eat 6 to 8 meals a day instead of 3 main meals. Don’t wait until you feel hungry to eat.
- Encourage patients to eat regularly, eat slowly, and chew thoroughly.
- Avoid spicy, fried, sweet and high-fat foods.
- Drink water or other beverages between meals.
- Do not eat food that is too hot, food temperature should be at room temperature.
- If your stomach is not in good condition, try a liquid diet such as broth or fruit juice or easily digestible foods.
- Practice breathing and relaxation when feeling nauseous.
