In the life of a person who has learned that he has lung cancer, everything changes - from the regimen to nutrition. Every patient who is faced with oncology is obliged to monitor what he eats and drinks. His body needs maximum energy and strength to fight a serious illness, and their sources are not only medicines, but also food. What is the lung cancer diet?
Principles of diet
They should be told first. The critical moment in any oncological disease is a sharp weight loss. So nutrition should be aimed at maximizing the enrichment of the body with essential vitamins that can help support human life.
Unfortunately, due to lung cancer, the patient's lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism is disturbed. The immune system is also strongly suppressed.
Here's what the lung cancer diet aims for:
- Prevention of body exhaustion.
- Prevention of intoxication.
- Protection of the bone marrow and liver from exhaustion.
- Maintaining homeostasis.
- Activation of cellular respiration.
- Restore metabolism.
- Removing toxins from the body of oncological origin.
- Stimulation of anti-infective and antitumor immunity.
Some rules
It should be noted right away that the diet and menu determine the patient's condition and the stage of the disease. If the tumor is only discovered, and it has not yet had time to develop, then the diet is based on a complete diet.
Caloric content in such cases varies between 3000-3200 kcal/day. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is: 100, 100 and 450 g, respectively. There are no special restrictions, only indigestible and spicy foods are prohibited.
Be sure to consume free liquid (about 2 liters per day). During the period of radiation or chemical therapy, the calorie content should be 4000-4500 kcal / day, energy-intensive foods should be consumed. You need to eat 6-7 times a day, and occasionally have an extra snack in between. The amount of fluid consumed increases to 3 liters.
Forbidden foods
The Lung Cancer Diet includes avoiding the following items:
- Canned food of any origin.
- Strong coffee and tea, alcoholic and carbonated drinks.
- Flour products.
- Food supplements.
- Brushedfig.
- Sugar, as well as confectionery and sweets.
- Milk from preservatives.
- Starch products.
- Fried and greasy food.
- Smoked meats and sausages.
- Butter, margarine and lard.
- Marinades, pickles. Including pickled vegetables, pickled tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
- Preservatives, vinegar.
- Yeast.
- Poultry, meat and fish broths.
- Store sauces.
- Heat-treated and processed cheese.
- Semi-finished products, frozen meat and fish, minced meat.
- Beef.
As you can see, there is a lot to give up. But the list of allowed products is also very voluminous. The fact that the diet for lung cancer allows, we will discuss further.
What can I drink?
Green tea, which contains epigallocatechin gallate, is widely known for its anti-cancer properties, effectively reducing the rate of tumor growth. Therefore, you need to drink it. But abuse is not recommended. Enough 200 ml after each dinner.
Althea root infusion also quenches thirst and improves immunity. To make it, in equal proportions you need to mix this plant, as well as strawberry leaves, blueberries, thyme and plantain. Then 5 tbsp. l. pour this composition with a liter of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, wrap the pan for 1 hour. After that, you can drink.
Drink should be consumed throughout the day. It is prepared simply, so you can do it every day - it is no more difficult than brewing tea, butmore benefits than water.
Also, the lung cancer chemotherapy diet allows periodic consumption of freshly squeezed juices from vegetables, berries and fruits, which will be listed below.
Berries, fruits and vegetables
It is recommended to actively consume apricots, grapefruits, peaches, plums, beets, apples, tangerines, pumpkins and lemons. They are rich sources of lubein, quercetin, ellagic acid, lycopene, and beta-carotene. And these are excellent antioxidants that effectively protect the body during radio- and chemotherapy of lung cancer.
On a diet, you also need to eat berries. The most useful are raspberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, cherries, mulberries, cranberries and currants. These berries neutralize exogenous toxins because they contain antigenic inhibitors. By regularly consuming all of the above, you can reduce the chance of normal cells mutating and increase the destruction of cancer cells.
Indicated for cancer nutrition also involves the inclusion of cruciferous vegetables in the diet. These include turnips, broccoli, radishes, as well as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and white cabbage. These vegetables contain glucosinolate and indole. These substances improve liver function, and also minimize intoxication of the body. They are even said to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the blood vessels.
Greens and herbs
Following a diet after lung cancer radiation therapy, you need to consume natural amino acids, minerals, vitamins and essential nutrients.
All these substances are containedin lettuce, parsley, mustard, parsnips, alfalfa, cumin, spinach, wheat germ, garlic, carrots and onions.
And the leaves are a source of chlorophyll. It is from it that the human body receives natural iron. And it, in turn, reduces the amount of carcinogens contained in tissues and blood and improves the production of antibodies in the body.
By the way, the salad is better to fill with linseed oil. Everyone knows that it also contributes to therapy.
He althy herbs and spices include turmeric, mint, cumin, rosemary, basil, cinnamon, anise, cloves, marjoram and thyme. These supplements reduce the growth rate of malignant tumors and also promote metabolism.
Seeds and nuts
Their use also implies a diet for lung cancer patients. Of particular benefit are walnuts, almonds, and also flaxseed, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds. They are sources of lignans that increase the production of sex hormones. An excellent tool used for the prevention of cancer.
If there is not enough lignans in the body, the cells will undergo mutations faster and more intensively. And this means that more excess enzymes and toxins will appear in the blood. The seeds, in turn, contain proteins, carbohydrates, fats and trace elements that are beneficial for tissues and cells.
What else should I add to my diet?
When following a diet for lung cancer with metastases, it is recommended to diversify your diet with the following foods:
- Japanese andChinese mushrooms. In particular, maitake, cordyceps, reishi and shiitake. They perfectly increase the immunity of a weakened organism, and also reduce swelling and the growth of a malignant neoplasm. Mushrooms also reduce intoxication and aggressiveness of cancer.
- Algae. Kombu, chlorella, wakama, dulce and spirulina contain powerful inhibitors that slow down the rate of tumor growth. They also prevent the division of cancer cells. The greatest benefit is provided to patients diagnosed with a low-grade tumor.
- String beans. In particular, green beans, asparagus, peas, chickpeas, soybeans and lentils. They contain trypsin and chymotrypsin. These substances reduce the growth rate of aggressive cells.
- Pollen, royal jelly, perga, honey, propolis. The use of these natural products helps to improve immunity, as well as reduce the rate of tumor growth.
Keto diet and lung cancer
This topic also cannot be ignored. The point of the ketogenic diet is that up to 90% of the calories in the diet come from fat. There should be a minimum of carbohydrates in the diet. Proteins - the average amount. But the amount of fat consumed should be maximum.
This diet leads to a deficiency of glucose, which is the best "food" for cancer cells. As a result, fat becomes the main source of energy. The brain stops eating glucose and starts consuming ketone bodies.
It is difficult to say how effective this diet is for stage 4 lung cancer, but to fight malignantit helps with brain formations. Numerous studies confirm this. True, you can stick to it for a limited amount of time. At the moment, the safety of its long-term use is questionable.
4 stage
If a person has developed cancer to the last degree, he needs to follow a completely different diet. Diet for stage 4 lung cancer involves eating 5-6 times a day. Fractional nutrition is important, as it allows you to saturate and at the same time not overload the body.
Food should be taken in small portions, be sure to chew thoroughly. Vegetables should be consumed raw, preferably grated, not hard. It is not uncommon for patients in stage 4 cancer to have difficulty swallowing. In this case, vegetable and fruit purees become the way out.
The rest of the products must be cooked either by steaming or by boiling. The diet should include sea fish, vegetables and fruits, dairy products, as well as freshly squeezed juices and herbal teas.
Chemotherapy Diet
Before starting this specific treatment, the patient should follow a more dense diet. This is necessary to strengthen the body. But overeating is not recommended.
The chemo diet is balanced and doubles the calories. It is good if the patient starts to recover immediately after completing the course of procedures.
Because the patient often suffers from nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy,he will benefit from fermented milk products and infusions from ginger root. To quickly remove radiation from the body, you need to eat red caviar.
Sample menu
Diet for stage 3 lung cancer, however, like any other, can be varied. Here is one of the options for a rough menu:
- 1st breakfast: tomato juice and apple.
- 2nd breakfast: boiled buckwheat, a piece of black bread, coleslaw, a few slices of cheese and weak tea.
- Lunch: lean borscht, stewed rabbit, homemade noodles, weak tea.
- Dinner: rosehip broth, steamed or stewed swede, some dried apricots.
- 1-2 hours before bed: a glass of fat-free kefir.
Here is another diet option:
- 1st breakfast: applesauce, orange juice.
- 2nd breakfast: black bread, 1-2 tomatoes, steam omelette, green tea.
- Lunch: black bread, rosehip and apple compote, vegetable tomato soup, chicken stew, fresh salad.
- Dinner: steamed turnip, a handful of nuts, lemon tea.
- 1-2 hours before bed: natural yogurt.
How to prepare meals?
It must be remembered that cancer patients should not eat too hot or hard food. When cooking, it is allowed to slightly sweeten or add s alt to the dish. Such food is digested much faster and better.
In the event that at the time of cooking the products emit a sharp or unpleasant odor, the patient needs to leave the kitchen. A bad smell will easily provoke nausea,after which vomiting occurs, and this is an additional burden on the body.
Speaking of bad smells. To avoid them, the products must first be soaked in water for several hours with regular replacement of the liquid. This applies to everything that has a pungent odor, as well as meat. By the way, since it is boiled, it is also recommended to change the water at least twice during the process.
And one more important point. The patient is urged to start a so-called food diary. It is worth writing down dishes that cause discomfort. Having noticed a negative reaction of the body to a particular food, it must be abandoned so as not to burden yourself once again. By trial and error, a person will be able to create the perfect menu.
