Nutrition therapy has become an increasingly well-recognized part of comprehensive cancer care, from nutrient-rich diets that support recovery to understanding how dietary modifications might help reduce chemotherapy-induced side effects.
At Beacon Clinic, we provide cancer patients with a broad range of services, helping them develop personalized treatment plans and providing them with lifestyle support. One area we focus on in our supportive services is nutritional counseling. Giving our patients customized information and advice throughout their treatment can play a vital role in how well a cancer patient responds to cancer therapies. Here are the key reasons why paying particular attention to nutrition during your course of treatment can improve your cancer journey.
Energy Support
Cancer fatigue is one of the common yet demoralizing side effects of cancer. It occurs when certain types of cancer release large amounts of proteins called cytokines, which can cause extreme fatigue in patients. Our support specialists can help you identify this phenomenon and recommend proper nutrition to help patients manage their energy levels better.
One possible recommendation you may receive is to adopt “the Mediterranean diet.” While not a specific regimen of meals, the Mediterranean diet is so-called because it reflects a diet of foods that people in that region of the world have historically consumed. It is high in fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes like lentils and beans, whole grains, cheese, yogurt, fish, and olive oil, and low in red meat and sugar. Other foods that can help with energy levels include probiotics, ginger, and ginseng supplements.
Tissue Maintenance
Ensuring adequate caloric and protein intake is essential for mitigating the risk of tissue catabolism – the breaking down of your body’s healthy tissues, including muscle tissue, so that your body can obtain the energy it needs. Tissue catabolism can lead to fatigue, weakness, loss of muscle mass, muscle pain, and dramatic weight loss. While undergoing your cancer treatment, it is essential for you to maintain metabolic balance by consuming sufficient nutrients to supply your body’s energy needs. This may sound easy, but when treatment can lead to loss of appetite, changes in taste, nausea, and feeling unwell, you may find that eating is not enjoyable or satisfying.
But maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial. It generates better tissue tolerance with treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Nutrition therapy plays an integral role in developing protective tissues to combat disease and preserve physical stamina throughout recovery.
Minimizing Toxicity
Many cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy, can cause toxic effects in the body:
- The toxicity caused by chemotherapy often manifests as nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, fatigue, hair loss, and other digestive changes.
- Radiation therapy typically targets specific tissues or organs and can result in several issues, such as hearing loss and trouble with speech and memory.
- Common symptoms of immunotherapy toxicity include rash, itching, hives, increased inflammation and sensitivity, fatigue, and an increased risk of infections. In rare cases, immunotherapy toxicity can lead to more serious conditions such as pneumonitis.
At Beacon Clinic, we provide ongoing reviews of your treatment performance to identify any early signs of toxicity. We also work with you to counteract these side effects, including dietary counseling. Sometimes, we can help you formulate a diet that helps your body purge toxins.
When different parts of your body are inflamed, your body recruits leukocytes (white blood cells) to the site of inflammation. While inflammation does have a valuable purpose in eliminating pathogens and aiding healing processes, chronic inflammation can be detrimental when it enables cancer to progress. Nutrition therapy can help modify inflammatory pathways by providing appropriate nutrition to support fast healing and help prevent chronic inflammation.
At Beacon Clinic, our nutritionists understand the complex dynamics of cancer treatment, and diet plays a critical role in helping you cope with treatment and heal. Our nutrition support specialists will work with you to develop and modify individualized meal plans to best fit your unique nutritional needs throughout your battle with cancer. Contact Beacon Clinic today to learn more about how nutritional therapy can be implemented in your cancer treatment plan!
