“Cachexia,” is a wasting syndrome; about half of all cancer patients eventually suffer progressive end stage weight lost and malnutrition. The National Cancer Institute defines patients as at risk when they’ve lost more than 10 percent of their usual weight. Therefore, a worse prognosis maybe expected for those patients rather than the patients that can hold their normal weight intact.
With the best chance of doing this…. the American Cancer Society urges patients to ask to be assessed by a registered dietitian up front, right at diagnosis. While that’s common at designated cancer centers where dietitians work on – staff, it’s estimated that just one – third of patients have access to cancer nutritionist where they’re being treated.
Desperate patients… often hunt their own nutritional advice on the internet but can’t tell the good from the bad advice. The No.1 Web myth: that sugar feeds tumors cells often confuses people. It’s Not True says Maureen Huhmann…. who chairs the American Dietetic Association’s Oncology nutrition group. In fact, protein packed milkshakes and those smoothies can literally be life savers for some patients.
However, Dr. Keith I. Block M.D., the Medical Scientific Director of the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Treatment in Evanston, Illinois states, malignancy generates the production of low grade inflammatory molecules breakdown lean muscle and can disrupt immune functioning. The heavy consumption of fats, refined flour and sugars that’s found in the traditional standard american diet (SAD) can increase inflammation.
This “chronic” inflammation that contributes to a lack of appetite, more debilitating weight loss and actually promotes the very disease the patient is trying to fight. Optimizing nutrition during and following therapy is unquestionably a vital element in – overcoming the disease. Even relatively small degrees of under – nutrition are associated with a marked increased risk of hospital admissions and death.
However, my belief you should limit your sugar and sugary products that hold no nutritional value (eliminating the sugary processed junk food while protein smoothies and yogurt holds merit.) Lysine an amino acid is important for the replication of new healthy cells warrants additional protein. Typically a cancer patient needs as much as twice the protein of a healthy person and 10 percent more calories for weight control.
Some tumors bring with it greater nutritional threats than others, while gastrointestinal and lung cancer brings with it more weight lost than breast cancer. Quinoa a grain with the same amino acid content as meat, or artic char; a salmon – like protein source but less fat reducing chances of nausea. Also supplements containing anti – inflammatory agents. For example: the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), have been shown to be very beneficial to those suffering with cachexia.
Better known as fish oil products…. these nutritional supplements have been shown to be truly beneficial to malnourished patients. EPA has been shown to interfere with mutliple mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia. While in clinical studies, EPA has been associated with reversal of cachexia and improved survival rates. Lastly the most important item you should consider is keeping any and all toxins out of your “LIVER,” the liver is important to all processes in it’s ability to detox. While most say, that’s virtually impossible, advice given to me says that Milk Thistle works effectively and efficiently!!!