Contents:
- Medical Video: Eating Well During Prostate Cancer Treatment: ELLICSR Kitchen Asks
- Vitamin, mineral and water needs for cancer patients
- 1. Vitamins
- 2. Mineral
- 3. Water
- Can cancer patients take supplements?
Medical Video: Eating Well During Prostate Cancer Treatment: ELLICSR Kitchen Asks
Vitamins, minerals, and water are important components of macro nutrients such as protein or carbohydrates for cancer patients. These three nutritional components are needed to help provide absorption of food nutrients and improve the patient's immune system during cancer treatment. Then, what are the foods for cancer patients that contain lots of vitamins and minerals?
PLearn more about the importance of good nutritional intake during and after cancer treatment in this article.
Vitamin, mineral and water needs for cancer patients
Food intake right before, during, and after cancer treatment can make patients feel better and stay strong. Because the development of cancer cells and cancer treatment can affect the patient's appetite. In addition, cancer treatment can also affect the body to absorb nutrients from food. That is why fulfilling good nutrition is important for cancer patients.
The following 3 components of food for cancer patients are important to note:
1. Vitamins
Vitamins are natural chemical compounds that are important for your health. Vitamins can be found in foods that you consume everyday. The main source of vitamins comes from fruits and vegetables.
Even so, you can also get vitamins from animal products. Some vitamins are also obtained from the help of sunlight and microorganisms in the intestine.
Vitamins help the body create energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Vitamins are also needed to repair damaged body tissue, maintain the body's immune system, and maintain the strength of bones, eyes, skin, nails, and hair.
So, food for cancer sufferers must be rich in vitamins so that body tissues and cells damaged by cancer cells or treatment can recover quickly
2. Mineral
Minerals are compounds derived from rocks and metals that play an important role in your health. You can get mineral intake from vegetable and animal foods that you consume everyday.
Some minerals are needed by the body in small amounts. But some other minerals are needed in large quantities. Minerals are needed by the body to help metabolize carbohydrates and fats to become energy.
Not only that, minerals also work with vitamins to help improve the function of the immune system. Therefore, vitamins and minerals must be fulfilled so that the results are optimal.
3. Water
Water and fluids are important components in the body, because two thirds of our body consists of water. Water regulates body temperature, brings nutrients to all parts of the body needed, and helps remove dirt.
If the body does not get enough fluid, or if you experience vomiting and diarrhea during cancer treatment, this can cause dehydration. Water is the best choice to help the body maintain adequate amounts of fluid.
Therefore, drink as much water as possible every day. Ask your doctor or nurse to find out how much fluid is needed to prevent dehydration.
Try to avoid drinks that can increase blood glucose levels and can cause increased urination and disrupt fluid balance in the body. Drinks that contain caffeine also have the same effect on increasing blood glucose levels.
Can cancer patients take supplements?
Balanced foods with enough calories and protein are usually able to supply enough vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy body. However, eating a balanced diet during cancer treatment is usually difficult, especially because the side effects of cancer treatment can reduce appetite.
Cancer treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy can take the amount of vitamins and minerals in the body. This will make it difficult for patients to consume micronutrients from food consumed daily. Though micronutrients are food elements that are important for growth and health.
Instead, cancer patients can take supplements. Yes, consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements is often recommended during and after cancer treatment. However, consult a food expert and doctor to find out what multivitamin and mineral supplements are suitable for your body's needs and conditions.
