Foods That Can Be Beneficial to Mesothelioma Patients

Liz — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer that is primarily caused by exposure to a naturally occurring mineral called asbestos. The cancer develops in the mesothelial cells that make up the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen. Like many types of cancer, it is most treatable when caught early. The symptoms of mesothelioma can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years to become noticeable and by the time the cancer is diagnosed, it is usually in advanced stages making it more difficult to treat.

A balanced and healthy diet is essential to help prevent cancer and other health problems. Although malignant mesothelioma is not a type of cancer that can be prevented by good nutrition, mesothelioma patients can certainly benefit from a more balanced and healthy diet in a number of ways. Better nutrition can not only alleviate mesothelioma symptoms and treatment side effects, but also fight the cancer itself.

One of the most common side effects of mesothelioma treatment is nausea. There are a number of dietary changes that can be made to help this problem. Dry grain products like crackers and toast can help calm an upset stomach. Bland foods will also help with nausea, as well as acid reflux problems.

Garlic can be useful for mesothelioma patients as it generates a chemical called allicin. Garlic appears to have the most affect on stomach cancer and prostate cancer in men, but affects have been noted in all types of cancer and on different carcinogens. Animal trials have been performed with positive effects. In one such study, a number of mice with cancer were injected with allicin. The control group (those not injected with the compound) lived an average of two months, while those receiving the injection lived an average of six months or longer.

Fruit is also a must. There are many types of berries mesothelioma patients can fit in into your diet to benefit from the cancer-fighting nutrients they contain, including blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, loganberries, cranberries. Berries contain a number of cancer-fighting phytonutrients like anthocyanins, ellagic acid, pterostilbene and resveratrol. In one study, extracts of six types of berries were tested for their ability to prevent the growth and spread of different types of cancer cells. Amazingly, each different type of berry was found to have an entirely unique combination of phytonutrients, and all six varieties of berry extract were able to kill cancer cells in the laboratory.

Low white blood cell count is another trait found often in cancer patients. This raises the risk of contracting an infection. To avoid this side effect, a number of changes can be made in the foods you eat. It is most important to avoid “bad” bacteria, which is common in foods that are spoiled or not prepared well. Avoid buffets when eating out, wash your hands before preparing meals, avoid raw meats and fish (like sushi), and throw away any foods that are bruised or damaged.

Cancer is a complex medical condition, with many factors playing various roles in development and treatment. However, most patients will undoubtedly benefit from a healthy diet in a number of ways.

This article was generously provided by Richard Moyle of The Mesothelioma Center:

Richard Moyle
National Awareness Coordinator
Mesothelioma Center
Asbestos.com

Not All Fruits & Veggies Are Created Equal

Liz — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:06:00 +0000

Ahhh, Spring has Sprung ! And with Spring, comes fruits and vegetables…. EVERYWHERE !!

With the availability of many gorgeous fruits and vegetables, a lot of us start looking to increase our daily intake of these wonderful natural products. Not just because they taste so good, but because we know they are good for us and most are low in fat and calories.

But, there’s “the other side” of the story to these beautiful creations. And that being that usually all fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides and some of them have a very high level of toxins, which can be dangerous to our health? Yes, there are also toxins in the cleaners we use, the air we breath, but today I just thought I’d focus on fruits and vegetables.

Some of them we can eat in large quantities and be happy about it, but some of them it is better to avoid eating non-organic because they can do more harm than good for our health.

Have in mind that organic produce doesn’t mean pesticide free. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are grown on better soils and have less pesticides level. Well, and these pesticides are less dangerous to our health, but they are still pesticides, maybe only better quality.

So as you can see, it is very important to know which fruits and vegetables are less desirable, (less beneficial to our overall health). If peaches, strawberries, cherries contain a very high level of pesticides, we have to think twice before buying them non-organic. Would you like to add more dangerous toxins to your system? I don’t. There are always other choices: you can buy organic only a smaller amount (if the price is high), you can buy local (if you know that the farm is small and they care about their produce), or you don’t buy at all.

So, to help you to remember why not all fruits and veggies are equal, here is a list of the “dirtiest” and the “cleanest” fruits and vegetables for 2009 based on an Environmental Working Group Survey.

In 2009 these fruits and vegetables you should buy organic:

1. Peaches 100

2. Apples 93

3. Bell Pepper- 83

4. Celery – 82

5. Nectarines – 81

6. Strawberries – 80

7. Cherries – 73

8. Kale – 69

9. Lettuce – 67

10. Grapes – Imported from outside U.S. – 66

11. Carrot – 63

12. Pear – 63

This is a list of fruits and vegetables you don’t have to buy organic:

Onion – 1
Avocado – 1
Sweet corn – 2
Pine Apple – 7
Mango – 9
Asparagus – 10
Sweet peas – 10
Kiwi – 13
Cabbage – 17
Eggplant – 20
Papaya – 20
Watermelon – 26
Broccoli – 28
Tomato – 29
Sweet Potato – 29
Grapefruit – 29
Honeydew Melon – 30

I first learned about this subject from reading my friend, Irina Wardes’ blog. (Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition and Relationship Expert). She graciously granted me permission to use portions of her blog post, so I could pass this information along to others like you. Please go to her wonderful website and blog for tons of more great health information like this!

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Foods That Can Be Beneficial to Mesothelioma Patients

Not All Fruits & Veggies Are Created Equal