In this post, we discuss Why Do Cancer Patients Need Nutrition Support?
Why cancer patients need nutritional support?
Cancer is a war of attrition. What this means is either cancer starts eating all the muscles in your body or you bar cancer. And one of the signs that you are not winning is when you start losing your weight typically your muscle mass and this can be reversed with the right kind of diet. More importantly, the quality of the food you eat is more important than the quantity.
Upon diagnosis, 70 percent of cancer patients have already clinical signs of attrition. Up to 80 percent of patients have low levels of being and up to 40 percent by mutual money. And not cancer itself.
How does it work?
Cancer cells produce cytokines these are like signals and these signals tell the body to break down the muscle with increasing muscle mass loss. You would have weakness now difficulty in eating the loss of appetite. And it’s really very hard to reverse. Even with an increase in the number of calories
With weak digestion due to loss of muscle, you start having a loss of appetite and loss of appetite your organs of eliminations becomes sweet too. And this becomes a dangerous cycle that often leads to non-nutrition.
So with malnutrition, you would lose a lot of protein in the form of albumin. You lose a lot of the essential amino acids for repair, for your immune system, and for your overall health. You’ll also start losing essential fatty acids in the form of BPA’s and the HA’s as well as the loss of vitamins and minerals.
The number of patients who die of cancer with good nutritional status? Therefore, wouldn’t it be more logical to nourish the body?
Foods for cachexia
So most of the time we would need 1 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. We would also need high amounts of omega fatty acids. These are what we need in order for us to reverse cachexia.
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are those of 1.5 grams of EPA per day would increase muscle mass provide the much-needed calories. And at the same time decrease the information which is also one of the drivers for cancer growth.
Cancer patients who are not eating well
Therefore, in patients who have cancer or not able to eat well, other options must be considered one of them is either we blend the food. Secondly either put a nasogastric tube/gastrostomy or if they’re just a track isn’t able to process food maybe an I.V. form of nutrition should be considered.
A lot of the cancer patients who come see me have already been taking a lot of supplements in the form of pills powders and capsules. And yet they are not aware that because of this large amount of supplements they are taking, they have forgotten the number of calories that they should be taking in. So eat first before putting bills into your mouth. Make sure you have five to six meals a day concentrate on the higher protein percentage especially in the morning. Make sure to cut the sugar as low as you can.
What to choose?
Now, these are just the general conditions patients already the science of cachexia. Always make sure that you have a high amount of good protein, a good amount of healthy oils. Make sure to choose at least five different colors of fruits and vegetables.
Conclusion
Cancer is a metabolic disease. Nutritional support should be the primary focus of treatment. Secondly, with the right kind of food, cancer can be prevented or even worst.
Some more important information :
Nutritional support for cancer patients
Nutrition for people with cancer
Nutrition Recommendations During and After Treatment
The role of parenteral and enteral/oral nutritional support in patients with cancer
Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Support for Adults
Nutrition in Cancer Care –Patient Version