We know that diet and digestion may not be at the forefront of your mind when you are navigating through the journey of cancer treatment. However, many patients and survivors experience digestive concerns during and after treatment of many different types of cancer.
Here we will offer nutrition and food advice and tips to manage digestive side effects relating to cancer or cancer treatment. These side effects will range from person to person but often include diarrhoea, bloating and constipation, ranging in degree from mild to severe.
During cancer treatments, radiation and/or chemotherapy are often used to decrease the size of a tumour and to reduce the spread of cancerous cells in the body. Unfortunately, these treatments can negatively impact on the body’s healthy cells. This includes cells that are in the gastrointestinal tract, mouth, and stomach. Harming these health cells in the digestive areas of the body can cause symptoms of dehydration, diarrhoea, and reduced absorption of nutrients.
When this occurs, it can be beneficial to consume amino acids to support your body in absorbing essential electrolytes and nutrients to protect your digestive health. Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to make proteins. These amino acids and proteins are building blocks of life as they help build and support the function of healthy cells in your body. Consuming amino acids during this time can support your gastrointestinal tract’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. enterade® Advanced Oncology Formula is the only amino acid based, glucose free medical food specially created for the dietary management of side effects of cancer treatment. This unique formula provides amino acids and electrolytes to restore and shield the gastrointestinal tract to keep your body hydrated during cancer treatment.
Many people experience constipation due to dehydration during cancer treatment. To combat constipation during this time, it is important to stick to 3 simple rules. Firstly, try to include 30 minutes of physical activity into each day. Second, drink 8 cups of water or fluids throughout the day. And lastly, increase your fibre intake to approximately 25-35 grams. However, it is not uncommon during this time to experience poor appetite and fatigue during your treatment. If it is difficult for you to eat and move your body during this time, try:
Taking a short 10-minute walk before eating
Sipping hot beverages like a decaffeinated tea around the time you would normally have a bowel movement
Increasing your consumption of fluids by eating frozen fruits, sucking on ice chips or by having soup with your meals
We understand that it may be uncomfortable to discuss your bowel movements and habits with your team of healthcare professionals. Although, it is common to experience diarrhoea during cancer treatment. Diarrhoea can deplete the body of important nutrients and fluids needed to maintain a healthy gut. The number one way to reduce diarrhoea during this time is by avoiding digestive stimulants like caffeine, peppermint, and ginger. Also, it can be helpful to increase your intake of low fibre foods like leafy greens, grains, and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage). It may also be beneficial to consume beverages between meals rather than with your meal.
There are many ways to give yourself the best fighting change of good gut health during and after cancer treatment. If you have not yet started on your cancer treatment journey, it can be valuable to start optimising your gut health now before cancer treatment begins. This can be accomplished through diet and exercise. Regular exercise can reduce inflammation and stress in the body whilst also keeping you fit and strong. While a balanced diet of whole foods, rich fibre and probiotics can promote good gut function.
If you would like more information on your gut health during and after cancer treatment, seek support from qualified dieticians and your healthcare team.
Link to enterade
Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They come together to create the proteins that make up your organs, muscles, skin, etc. When you eat foods that contain proteins your body will digest and break them down into amino acids which will then be sent to carry out different functions throughout your body.
Amino acids have many functions including:
Building muscles
Connective tissue repair
Transporting of nutrients
Boosting immunity
Involvement in certain chemical reactions
Source of energy
In some cases, people can become deficient in amino acids, which can decrease immunity, cause depression, slow growth, and cause digestive issues.
How do amino acids affect your gut?
Gastrointestinal health is very important when it comes to feeling good and keeping your body strong. Many people don’t realize that 60-70% of your immune system is centralized in your GI tract. If your GI tract is unable to work efficiently then that can cause many health problems like a malnutrition, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, food allergies, constipation, gallbladder disease, and other digestive issues. This is where amino acids come in. Your body needs amino acids to fortify your digestive system. Amino acids help to detoxify unhealthy bacteria and tissue in the gut, strengthen the immune system, and repair damaged cells that line the gastrointestinal tract.
How does cancer treatment affect the GI?
Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation are excellent at killing cancer cells but they unfortunately also damage the healthy cells that make up your gut. When this happens, the good cells in your gut called villi become blunted, which affects their ability to absorb nutrients. This can result in unwanted weight loss and dehydration. Treatment can also weaken the barrier between the cells that prevent harmful toxins from entering your bloodstream. When these barriers are damaged, gaps open allowing toxins and bacteria to enter your system leaving you with side effects like diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue.
What should I include in my diet to help restore normal GI function?
One reason why patients go often choose to discontinue treatment is due the severity of the side effects. The treatment should not be worse than the disease, especially when that treatment has the potential to beat cancer.
Below is a list of important amino acid filled foods that may help manage the side effects of cancer treatment:
1) Vegetables- choose leafy, green vegetables like spinach, kale, and arugula.
2) Quinoa- is the most nutritious grain available as it contains the nine essential amino acids that your body needs.
3) Fish- most fish contain essential amino acids. Salmon is high in amino acids and omega 3s. Salmon also has important fatty acids that support heart health among other health benefits.
4) Beans and Legumes- these are great sources of protein and amino acids, especially the amino acid lysine, an important amino acid in the formation of collagen—a vital protein for bones and connective tissues including skin, cartilage, and tendons. The human body cannot make lysine on its own, so it must be eaten in the diet. Other sources of lysine include meat, fish, dairy, and eggs.
Want to get the right amino acids at the right time?
There are specific amino acids that can directly help the GI side effects of cancer treatment Enterade is formulated with 5 specific amino acids to help rebuild the damaged cells in your gut, protect your GI from toxins by tightening the gut barrier while giving total body hydration. All these benefits will help to enhance a healthy immune function so that you can feel better and fight harder against cancer. Enterade contains no sugar and is plant-based medical food.
– 91% of patients saw improvement in nausea
– 74% of patients saw improvement in diarrhoea
– 88% of patients saw improvement in dehydration
– 77% of patients saw improvement in weight loss
Enterade can help you stay on course with your treatment because when you feel better you can fight harder.
by Katie O'Grady
Sources:
Amino Acids & Probiotics = Good Digestion – Healthy Beginnings (hbmag.com) 5 Foods High in Amino Acids (webmd.com) Amino acids: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Essential amino acids: Definition, benefits, and foods (medicalnewstoday.com)