While “an apple a day” doesn’t automatically equate to keeping the oncologist away, nutrition is a vital component in helping prevent and fight cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, nearly 600,000 Americans die of cancer each year. Of these deaths, approximately one-third are related to bad eating habits, a lack of physical activity and/or being overweight.
Maintaining a healthy diet is among one of the most important things you can do to prevent cancer in addition to not smoking, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight. (A healthy weight, in the cancer world, is generally defined as having a body mass index below 25.)
What can you do to stay one step ahead of cancer? There are some major do’s and don’ts in terms of nutrition that can drastically impact your likelihood of a cancer diagnosis.
A ‘Super’ way to prevent cancer
The term “superfoods” can encompass different food items with different health benefits, depending on with whom you speak.
In the realm of cancer, it’s important that superfoods are high in antioxidants, good chemicals that essentially confront and neutralize the free radicals in the human body. Free radicals are chemicals that have the potential, in high concentrations, to harm the body. One of those potential harms is the damaging of DNA, which could in turn evolve into cancer and/or other detrimental diseases.
Grapes, blueberries, green leafy vegetables, salmon and acai berries are among the foods that are high in antioxidants and considered cancer superfoods. Detailed information about many of these superfoods can be found through Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nevada’s website.
The sugar (and fat) that’s not so sweet for your health
To decrease your likelihood of cancer, the foods to avoid are items with refined sugars and trans fat. Refined sugar starts as a sugar in its raw form and is dissolved of all suspected contaminants. These sugars are packaged as table, granulated and powdered sugar, among others, and are found in a growing number of everyday foods, including high-sugar breakfast cereals, sweetened beverages, pudding, spaghetti sauce and milk.
It takes a conscious effort to notice and avoid these sugars, but an effective first step in cutting them out is not proactively adding them to meals and snacks. Alternatives like honey or agave are much healthier options.
Another ingredient to avoid is trans fat, which is widely considered to be the worst type of fat you can consume. Trans fat is incredibly high in “bad” cholesterol, increases inflammation and lowers the “good” cholesterol that fights a number of diseases.
Trans fat has come under much public scrutiny in the last few years and drastic measures have been made to reduce the amount of it in our food. According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, food manufacturers have voluntarily reduced the amount of trans fat in food offerings by more than 85 percent since 2003. Amid these improvements, trans fat can still be found in a lot of foods we eat every day. Some examples include popcorn, frozen pizzas, cake frosting and fatty cooking ingredients such as oil, margarine and shortening. The Food and Drug Administration requires all companies, by law, to list their products’ trans fat content on nutrition labels.
The FDA announced in June that companies must phase out trans fats in all foods over the next three years.
Cancer treatment nutrition do’s
There is no blanket diet plan for those battling cancer and all patients should consult their physician(s) for an appropriate nutritional plan. With that, there are some overarching thoughts that nearly all cancer patients should consider.
For a cancer patient undergoing treatment, calories should be considered most important. The nutritional needs of patients who are sick skyrocket in the heart of treatment. Their basic metabolic rate goes up and they need more calories to live. Their immune systems are trying to clear all of the damage that has been made during treatment as well as the underlying cancer itself. Just to maintain their body weight, they have to increase their caloric intake on a daily basis.
For the average Joe or Jane, a hearty bowl of ice cream may not be recommended on a daily basis. But for cancer patients, they should be eating whatever they enjoy as well as whatever helps them to get enough calories.
Another nutritional priority for cancer patients receiving treatment is protein. Protein repairs damaged body tissue, sustains immune systems and helps resist infections. Protein also revitalizes damaged tissue from radiation. When the body does not have enough protein, it turns to muscle to generate the energy it needs, essentially breaking down and weakening the muscular system.
There are plenty of sources of protein out there, but its best to stick with lean options. Fish, poultry, legumes and eggs are all great starting points.
Cancer treatment nutrition no-no’s
Alcohol in excess during cancer treatment is a big no-no. However a glass of red wine, in moderation, while undergoing treatment may actually have health benefits. Early research indicates that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in the skin of most red grapes, can actually combat the formation and/or spreading of cancer.
To replenish depleted nutrients, many unadvised cancer patients instinctively turn to vitamin supplements for support. The only supplement that has been scientifically proven to help cancer patients is a daily multivitamin, according to a 2012 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Multivitamins typically contain the right amount of vitamins and minerals, without being excessive.
Vitamin-specific supplements — which can contain upwards of 10,000 percent of a nutrient’s recommended daily value — may, in some instances, counteract the effects of radiation. Whereas if you maintain a healthy diet, the body will take what it needs from food, so a supplement that has drastically more the daily value of everyday food acts like a nuclear bomb and the body doesn’t know how to respond. Nutritional supplement drinks like Boost or Ensure help patients get the right balance of nutrients without going overboard.
Recipes for throat cancer success
Henderson resident George Linton is all too familiar with cancer diagnoses and the unique dietary challenges that can come with them.
Linton’s first cancer battle came in 1986 when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. He and his wife, Judy Best, decided to go vegetarian in an effort to improve his eating habits. Best, who studied at the Gourmet Cookery School of Manhattan and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, prepared vegetarian juices and smoothies for her husband, who had difficulty swallowing rigid and textured foods.
More than 20 years later, in 2007, Linton was diagnosed with head and neck cancer after discovering a lump in his neck.
Linton had 11 of his lymph nodes removed and underwent two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Ultimately, his cancer went into remission. But in 2011, the cancer came creeping back in the form of throat cancer, requiring Linton to undergo further radiation and chemotherapy.
At one point, Linton had to eat through a feeding tube, which was removed after radiation. Linton and Best again faced the familiar challenge of navigating through his swallowing difficulties and cancer treatment. Linton was not only struggling with swallowing his food but he was also getting food stuck in his throat.
At the time of Linton’s latest diagnosis, Best decided to kick her culinary expertise into high gear.
Best created various recipes, shakes and meals that her husband could tolerate given his throat condition. These recipes featured high-moisture and soft ingredients, such as avocado, cottage cheese, and even finer foods like foie gras (Linton’s favorite dish) and exotic, soft vegetables.
These recipes added up over a nine-month span and ultimately amounted to a cookbook titled “Down Easy: A Cookbook For Those With Swallowing Difficulties.” The cookbook features 175 step-by-step recipes, rated on a scale of zero to five in terms of how easy the food can be swallowed.
The recipes use only whole foods as well as natural ingredients. Some of the dishes include cottage cheese-pesto stuffed tomatoes, avocado papaya salad and tomato basil chicken.
The overarching goal of the cookbook is to help cancer patients get the appropriate calories needed post-chemotherapy and radiation.
Best’s scrumptious recipes worked for Linton. Today — thanks in part to his dietary regimen and treatment by the Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada team — he is cancer-free. While his throat and swallowing issues have improved, he continues to make healthy eating decisions and lives an active lifestyle.
George Linton is a true success story in the world of cancer treatment and nutrition. By making healthy decisions, many Southern Nevadans can keep their cancer risks low and avoid a potential diagnosis. And for those diagnosed with cancer, proper nutrition can equate to a longer and healthier life.
To obtain a copy of “Down Easy: A Cookbook For Those With Swallowing Difficulties,” visit amazon.com.