Friday, September 21, 2012

Juice Break

So, no juicing lately.
I am doing a 7-8 week diet that involves severe calorie restriction and limited food choices.  I have a couple of more weeks and then will start back on the juicing path as a way to transition back into a more balanced regime.  I am using some of the powdered mixes to supplement my diet, so I am still getting some of the nutrition I would be getting from the juice.
See you soon!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Nutrition and Cancer

Today I have the privilege of introducing a guest blogger.  She is passionate about educating and helping people to understand the benefits of healthy eating.  Eating healthy can be a challenge, but even more so when battling illness.  I hope you find her information helpful.  Have a great weekend.
Thank you Jillian McKee.


The Secret to Faster Healing: Proper Nutrition for Cancer Patients

When you learn that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, you feel like you've been hit with a ton of bricks. Although enduring through the recovery phase can be depressing and exhausting for both the victim and the family, maintaining a diet full of vitamins and minerals may help to reduce certain symptoms and aid in recovery. There are a number of positives that can come from eating the right foods when battling cancer, and some of those benefits are outlined below.

Why does nutrition matter?

With chemotherapy being the most common form of cancer therapy today, it is important to fuel the body with adequate nutrition since chemotherapy attacks cancer cells as well as other healthy cells. All cells that divide at a fast rate are targeted by this form of treatment, and they can include bone marrow, hair, skin, and more. In fact, chemotherapy might even increase the amount of general pain and fatigue that a cancer patient experiences.

Besides compensating for the negative side effects of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, proper nutrition will increase general health in any human being, including those with cancer. Cancer is an abnormal functioning of the cells in the body, but good nutrition helps all the parts of the body to function the way they should.

What are the benefits of eating right?

There are so many advantages of getting proper nutrition while afflicted with cancer that all of them can't possibly be mentioned. However, the most common benefits of eating an energy-dense diet high in vitamins and minerals are as follows: increase in mood, higher energy levels, enhanced physical strength, maintenance of a healthy body weight, decrease in infection rates, reduced sleepiness, lessened body aches and pains, and a quicker overall healing time.

What types of foods should a cancer patient eat?

A general balanced diet is easy to describe, but things get more complicated when cancer is involved. Eating right is a relative thing, and it depends largely on what type of cancer the individual is suffering from. Foods that may cause excessive gas or bloating should be discarded from the diets of people who have cancers that affect the digestive tract. Fiber-rich foods such as bananas, beans, whole grain breads and pastas, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables should be avoided. On the other hand, nutrition for mesothelioma and other cancers that don't affect the digestive tract usually includes fruits and veggies of all sizes and colors. Again, an appropriate diet will depend on the type of cancer a patient is afflicted with.

As a rule of thumb, all processed foods should be removed from the diet of a cancer patient. Since these types of foods contain higher levels of chemicals used for preservation, taste, and color, the weakened and altered body may not be able to tolerate them. Cancers that affect the liver and kidneys will seriously hamper the ability to filter chemicals and toxins from the body. Other foods that are high in saturated fats, grease, and sodium should not be eaten either. A proper diet for a cancer patient usually includes whole and natural foods only.


**The page the first link in the article goes to seems to be under construction.  The home page of the site is: http://www.oncolink.org/   Katie.