A person diagnosed with cancer is always worried about how his life will change now. In addition to the upcoming treatment, there are some restrictions and contraindications.
Don’t be afraid that now your whole life will consist of complete prohibitions. In general, during treatment and after the onset of remission, you can lead a normal life, do your favorite things, and eat the food you like. But it is important to follow some recommendations, because success in the fight against the disease may depend on it.
What foods are contraindicated for cancer?
The principles of healthy eating are the same for healthy people and cancer patients. Products that contribute to the development of cancer and generally worsen health include red (lamb, pork, beef) and processed (salted, smoked, grilled, barbecue, bacon) meat, sausages and frankfurters, fast food, foods with added sugars, primarily line of confectionery and sweet soda.
This does not mean that one chocolate bar or one burger will immediately worsen a cancer patient's condition. We're talking about regular use. It is important what part of the diet consists of certain foods. Everything “harmful”, of course, must be limited. But sometimes you can treat yourself.
Some chemotherapy drugs cause nausea, constipation, loss of appetite, lead to changes in the sense of taste, and damage to the mucous membranes. In such cases, a special diet is needed. You will find relevant recommendations in our article “Side effects of chemotherapy”.
Another possible side effect of chemotherapy drugs is leukopenia, a decrease in the level of white blood cells in the blood. Because of this, immune defense is weakened and the risk of developing infections, including foodborne ones, increases. The following products are prohibited for a patient with leukopenia:
- Undercooked meat. It is worth purchasing a special food thermometer to check the readiness of foods.
- Dried and uncooked smoked sausages, meat.
- Unpasteurized milk and any products made from it (cheeses, yoghurts).
- Raw fish sushi.
- Unwashed fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Soft-boiled eggs, products made from raw eggs (for example, homemade mayonnaise).
Propolis with milk
Propolis with milk has long been used for the treatment and prevention of pancreatitis. For preparation you need 1 glass of milk (250 ml) and a teaspoon of propolis. Grind propolis in any convenient way. Boil the milk and pour in the crushed propolis, mixing it thoroughly in a glass. Strain the infusion through doubled gauze. Let the drink sit for about 10 minutes until a waxy layer forms on the surface. Remove the top layer and the drink is ready to drink.
The drink should be drunk warm, before bed. Propolis with milk relieves inflammatory processes in the pancreas, increases appetite, normalizes metabolism, and also has a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.
Recommended foods for cancer
The body of a cancer patient struggles with a dangerous disease and experiences additional stress due to treatment. In order to restore resources in time, it needs a sufficient amount of proteins and other nutrients and calories. At the same time, the food should be healthy.
Foods with the highest protein and calorie content include: beans, chicken, meat, yogurt, fish, eggs. They are especially important for cancer patients who have lost a lot of weight or suffer from anorexia.
Some patients, on the contrary, are overweight and obese. They are advised to eat more vegetables and fruits, choose lean meat, limit as much as possible high-fat foods (butter, mayonnaise, desserts, fried foods), and salt.
For each oncology patient, the diet is selected individually. It is important to take into account not only the needs of the body, but also the person’s personal preferences - food should be tasty. Euroonko has its own restaurant and employs professional chefs.
How much water can a cancer patient drink?
Many cancer patients are at increased risk of dehydration due to vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and certain medications used in cancer treatment. To prevent this condition, it is recommended to drink 2¬-2.5 liters of water daily (consult your doctor - fluid needs are individual and depend on a number of factors).
It's better to drink plain water. You can add a slice of lemon to add flavor. You can drink herbal teas. Tea and coffee should be avoided as they contain caffeine, which acts as a diuretic. Sodas and store-bought juices contain added sugars that are unhealthy.
In some conditions in oncology, on the contrary, it is recommended to limit fluid intake. Such patients receive appropriate recommendations from their attending physician.
Daily norm
In order for goat milk to bring only benefits, it is necessary to adhere to a strict pattern of its use. The daily intake should not exceed one liter per day. Take it on faith that drinking more is not only undesirable, but even harmful. Excess will not do any good. For convenience, you can pour milk into a glass in advance and let it warm up a little. This way you will see for yourself how much you drank during the day. Otherwise, unfortunately, you can significantly harm yourself.
It is better to drink only one mug at a time. Train yourself to act gradually, gradually trying to introduce a new product into your diet. In addition, you don’t have to drink only the milk itself, but cook porridge with it and make various casseroles. You will see how your daily menu will be diversified, you will have a desire to enjoy life, to do something that you never had the strength to do before. Do not delay the moment of your own recovery, because it is in your hands!
Smoking
Everyone probably knows from school that smoking is harmful to health and leads to cancer. But this does not stop smokers: among those who have already been diagnosed with cancer, more than half do not give up their bad habit. This is usually argued by the fact that the worst has already happened, and there is no point in quitting smoking.
Actually, it makes sense. It's never too late to take care of your health. For example, one study found that lung cancer patients who quit smoking immediately after or shortly before their diagnosis lived longer on average. After quitting cigarettes, anticancer drugs begin to work more effectively, the risk of side effects and relapse is reduced, the recovery period after treatment is shortened, overall health improves and more energy appears. We talked about this in detail in the article “If you already have cancer: to smoke or not to smoke?”
How to use
An equally important question is the following: how to drink goat milk? Is it possible to use it thoughtlessly, without analyzing your condition? Of course not. This is completely unacceptable. If serious medical problems are detected, you should seriously think about your own health and prevent prohibited foods from appearing on the table.
Goat milk, although very healthy, still needs the correct dosage. There are certain rules for its consumption, following which you can achieve a speedy recovery and reduce unpleasant symptoms.
Visiting baths and saunas
In the last century, in oncology there was a strict ban on visiting baths and saunas for patients and people who are in remission. It was believed that high temperature provokes the development of cancer and promotes the spread of malignant cells in the body. It is now known that everything is not so simple. Temperatures above 40 degrees increase the sensitivity of tumors to drugs and help destroy them. This principle is even used in modern oncology clinics - for example, during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).
Of course, there is no call to treat cancer with a bath, as some traditional healers suggest. Cancer patients should be treated in specialized oncology clinics, in accordance with current protocols. And after completion of treatment, no one forbids visiting baths, saunas and spas.
Some people are afraid that high temperatures in baths and saunas can cause skin cancer. There is no evidence for this. Only tanning beds that contain ultraviolet rays are dangerous for the skin. High temperatures increase the risk of developing skin cancer only if they cause severe burns.
Tan
Ultraviolet radiation damages DNA and can lead to malignant degeneration of cells. This is one of the most significant risk factors for developing skin cancer and melanoma. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays should be avoided even by healthy people, and for cancer patients they are especially dangerous because many chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy increase skin sensitivity. During treatment, it is important to follow these recommendations:
- Try not to be outside during peak solar activity (between 10.00 and 16.00).
- Cover your body with clothing as much as possible. But remember that overheating and dehydration are dangerous for cancer patients. Choose “breathable” fabrics: linen, bamboo, cotton.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat. This is especially important if you have lost hair as a result of chemotherapy.
- Try to stay in the shade.
- Do not sit for long periods near bodies of water. Water reflects the sun's rays.
- When going outside in hot weather, take a bottle of water.
- Use sunscreen.
Read more about the effects of ultraviolet radiation on the skin in our article “Tanning is a direct cause of skin cancer.”
Alcohol use in cancer patients
Alcohol is one of the risk factors for the development of many cancers. But there is no strict ban on its use for patients in modern oncology.
It is important to remember two points:
- Risks depend on the volume and frequency of alcohol consumption. There are maximum safe doses: for men 28 grams of ethyl alcohol per day (700 ml of beer, 300 ml of wine or 90 ml of vodka), for women half as much. Of course, this is not a reason to drink the entire “norm” every day, especially if a person has cancer. But nothing bad will happen from one glass of wine.
- Many chemotherapy drugs are eliminated from the body through the liver. She also disposes of alcohol. Thus, when drinking alcohol, the organ experiences a double load. Some anticancer drugs affect mucous membranes. Therefore, if a person suffering from cancer wants to drink alcohol, you should first consult with your doctor.
Read the details in the article “Alcohol for cancer” on the Euroonko channel in Yandex Zen.
Is it possible for chronic pancreatitis?
In the phase of long-term remission of pancreatitis, milk is also consumed in diluted form. Drinking pure product is only allowed if it is low-fat (no more than 1% fat), and only in consultation with your doctor. The range of dishes prepared with dairy products is gradually expanding. The diet should contain only pasteurized or sterilized milk, due to the fact that homemade milk purchased on the market does not have a standardized percentage of fat content and also contains dangerous bacteria. The volume of milk per day should not exceed 100-150 ml; you independently distribute this norm into cereals, omelettes or other dishes.
Is it possible to give cancer patients massage?
Oncological disease is not an absolute contraindication to therapeutic massage. It does not contribute to the spread of cancer cells in the body, there is no scientific evidence for this. In general, cancer patients can visit massage therapists; there are only a few small restrictions:
- You must first consult with your doctor.
- Deep massage is contraindicated for cancer patients.
- Avoid visiting dubious massage parlors: use the services of certified massage therapists.
- When performing a massage, it is necessary to take into account the general weakened state of the patient’s body, the effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, as well as all complications and associated pathologies.
- Massage should not be done on parts of the body that are undergoing radiation therapy if there are wounds or other damage to the skin.
- On limbs with lymphedema (swelling as a result of impaired lymph outflow after removal of lymph nodes), you cannot do a classic massage, but you can use a special lymphatic drainage massage to reduce swelling.
Goat milk
Goat's milk contains much more nutrients and beneficial microelements than cow's milk. Useful properties of goat product:
Is it possible to drink kefir if you have pancreatitis?
- strengthening bone tissue;
- increased recovery of strength after illness;
- normalization of metabolism in the body;
- treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases;
- strengthening the immune system;
- treatment and prevention of the respiratory tract.
However, the benefits of drinking goat milk for pancreatic disorders among doctors are divided into 2 opinions:
- goat milk is useful in the fight against pancreatitis, because... has beneficial properties;
- Neither cow's nor goat's milk is recommended for consumption during pancreatitis of any phase.
However, goat milk is considered the most beneficial among all dairy products. Advantages of goat over cow:
- Goat milk contains complete proteins, vitamins and minerals;
- goat milk does not provoke allergies, which is why it has much fewer contraindications;
- Goat milk can neutralize hydrochloric acid in gastric juice. This prevents the occurrence of heartburn, bloating and involuntary belching;
- Goat milk contains lysozyme. This substance accelerates the process of regeneration of damaged pancreatic tissue, thereby relieving the inflammatory process.
It is advisable to consume goat's milk, despite the disagreements of experts, it is still healthier than cow's milk
Why can’t you self-medicate for cancer?
Self-medication for cancer is strictly contraindicated. Cancer is a fatal disease; vitamins, dietary supplements, herbal medicines and other methods of traditional, alternative medicine will not help cope with it. Only doctors in specialized oncology clinics can provide effective assistance. By self-medicating, the patient loses precious time - and the cancer continues to progress. If a malignant tumor is diagnosed in the early stages, it can often be removed and remission achieved. At an advanced stage with metastases, cancer usually cannot be completely removed, but this is not a reason to refuse treatment, because it helps to prolong life and relieve the patient from painful symptoms.
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