Table of contents:
- Dietary rules for people with colon and rectal (colorectal) cancer
- 1. Eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds
- 2. Stay away from processed and high sugar foods
- 3. Eat little but often
- 4. Just drink water
- Healthy lifestyle for people with colorectal cancer
- What is the lifestyle of patients who have recovered from bowel cancer?
Patients who are declared by doctors to have colorectal cancer (colon or rectum), of course, need to undergo treatment. In addition, they also need to adopt a healthy lifestyle, one of which is eating the right foods for colon and rectal cancer sufferers. If not, colon cancer treatment is not effective and can even cause adverse consequences. Come on, understand this more clearly in the following review.
Dietary rules for people with colon and rectal (colorectal) cancer
Colorectal cancer can be treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and of course, surgical removal of cancer cells. If not done, cancer cells can spread and attack surrounding healthy tissues and organs.
According to the Medline Plus health site, due to this condition, colorectal cancer can also pose a danger of complications including obstruction (blockage of the colon) or other cancers in the body.
Therefore, both cancer treatment and a healthy lifestyle must be applied by patients. That way, the symptoms of colorectal cancer can be relieved and the patient's quality of life will be better.
One of the concerns is the rules and dietary restrictions that are prohibited for people with cancer of the colon and rectum. The reason is, colorectal cancer and its treatment can affect the way the body digests food, fluids, and absorbs nutrients.
Well, the dietary rules for colorectal cancer sufferers that need to be implemented, include:
1. Eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds
Not all foods can be consumed by people with colon and rectal cancer. The doctor will recommend a cancer diet that encourages the patient to eat lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. This food line is rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, carbohydrates and healthy fats.
According to a mouse-based study in the journal Cancer Cell, vitamin A shows benefits for colorectal cancer. This is because the small structure of vitamin A, the retinoid, can prevent blocking the HOXA5 gene, so colon cancer stem cells cannot grow and spread.
To get vitamin A, cancer patients can eat carrots and oranges. In addition, food choices in this cancer diet that can be enjoyed include green vegetables, mangoes, melons, brown rice, quinoa, fish, and lean chicken. The best choices of fats come from nuts, olive oil, and avocado.
To meet the needs of calcium and vitamin D, cancer patients can enjoy greek yogurt without taste. The probiotics in these foods can help nourish the digestive system of people with colon and rectal cancer
2. Stay away from processed and high sugar foods
Dietary restrictions for cancer sufferers must be obeyed. If not, it will cause consequences such as triggering symptoms of colon and rectal cancer.
Patients should avoid foods that are high in sugar and processed foods, such as snacks, smoked / processed meats, and ready-to-eat foods. They should also avoid foods that are high in saturated fat, for example fried foods.
Food restrictions are also sometimes adjusted to health conditions. For example, when cancer symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea recur, the patient needs to avoid foods that are acidic, contain lots of gas, and have a strong odor.
3. Eat little but often
In addition to paying attention to food choices, colon and rectal cancer sufferers must also be able to adjust the timing of meals. They can not eat large portions at once, considering their colon is in trouble.
Not to mention the symptoms of colorectal cancer, such as nausea and vomiting that appear which can also make food consumed in vain.
For this reason, cancer patients should eat small, frequent meals, almost similar to the diet that diabetes patients do.
4. Just drink water
Source: Ask the Scientist
The final cancer diet rule is to drink enough water. Not only to prevent dehydration, fulfilling fluid intake can relieve constipation that is felt by colon cancer patients. In addition, water also keeps cells, organs, and body tissues working normally.
Healthy lifestyle for people with colorectal cancer
In addition to paying attention to food choices and obeying the rules, colon cancer patients must also live a healthy lifestyle to support treatment, including:
- Exercise regularly
Do exercise at least 30 minutes a day to control your ideal body weight and keep your body active. If you have recently had surgery, it is likely that this kind of physical activity can be done after 4-6 weeks later. The safest exercise option for colorectal cancer patients is walking.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke
Do it slowly by reducing the number of cigarettes, not all of a sudden. If you have trouble quitting this habit, consult your doctor further.
- It's best to stop drinking alcohol
It is feared that drinking alcohol increases the risk of colon cancer. In addition, it can also interfere with the effectiveness of the patient's treatment.
- Get enough sleep and control stress
Lack of sleep and stress can lower the immune system. That is why patients should not be sleep deprived. Also control the stress that arises by doing activities that you like.
What is the lifestyle of patients who have recovered from bowel cancer?
Those of you who are declared cured cannot be separated from a healthy lifestyle. The reason is, in some people the risk of colorectal cancer can recur.
The healthy lifestyle adopted by colorectal cancer survivors is not much different from when they were still with cancer. They must choose foods that are healthy and safe for colon and rectal cancer sufferers, stop smoking, and be diligent in exercising.
In addition, this former cancer patient also needs to be screened for cancer regularly. The goal is to detect abnormal colon polyps or malignant tumors in the intestine or rectum that are growing back.
