Archive for category Nutrition

I recently wrote an article for our newsletter about  nutrition and mesothlioma.  It spoke about the importance of eating well for people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other cancers.  And the challenges of proper nutrition when faced with the loss of appetite and nausea caused by the disease itself or side effects from treatment.  Below is some of the information from the article you may find helpful.

The goal is to eat a healthy, balanced diet in order to feel better and remain stronger.  A mesothelioma diet may differ from a suggested diet for a non-meso patient, which can be confusing.  Rather than focusing on large portions of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with moderate amounts of meats and dairy products and limited fats, sugar, and salt; the mesothelioma diet recommends a higher calorie and protein intake.

Here are some diet tips for you to consider.  Ask your medical professionals about the right diet for you.

• Drink plenty of fluids – drinking between meals rather than with meals can help you avoid feeling full
• Focus on eating high calorie and high protein foods (nuts, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, milk shakes, etc.) – use butter, margarine, creams, and gravies to boost calories
• Try adding protein powders to drinks
• Liquids and soft foods may be better tolerated than solids, especially if you are nauseous
• Snack frequently throughout the day or whenever you feel you can
• Vary your mealtime routine
• Try new foods and/or recipes (your tastes may change during treatment)
• Use plastic utensils if food tastes metallic
• Eat with friends and family, with the television or the radio on, which can stimulate your appetite
• Let others prepare your food to save energy and avoid cooking odors
• If possible, engage in light exercise one hour prior to meals to stimulate appetite
• Use food supplements, such as liquid drinks and powder
• Ask your doctor if you need a nutritional supplement, such as a multivitamin or another supplement
• Plan ahead:  stock pantry and freezer, keep foods that need little or no preparation handy, cook in advance and freeze meals, and/or ask for help with shopping/cooking

If you have nutritional questions or need assistance planning your diet, talk to a dietician.  They can work with your specific symptoms and needs to individualize a plan for good nutrition.

You can also share your personal tips and recipes on the MesoRC discussion board!

Could there be a connection between eating habits and mesothelioma? Not everyone who is exposed to asbestos develops the disease, so there must be differences in lifestyles that account for this disparity. Almost twenty years ago, researchers from the National Cancer Institute and Louisiana State University conducted studies on whether diet could prevent cancer.

Their findings were incredible. After locating fifty-eight people with mesothelioma and fifty-eight people with similar asbestos exposure and use of tobacco (but had escaped the disease), the researchers attempted to find a connection between the prevalence of mesothelioma and eating habits. Using popular snacks, sweets, different seafoods, meats and vegetables, the researchers found interesting results. People who had developed mesothelioma ate more cake, candy, and pie than those who were cancer-free. In contrast, the participants who were free of mesothelioma ate about twice as many servings of vegetables or fruit. The one element of a diet that increased the risk of cancer more than anything else was sugar. Those who participated and developed mesothelioma were eight times more likely to have eaten dessert every day compared to those who did not. It seems that sugar somehow accelerates the progress of cancer.