As a continuation of my previous writings on cancer, there are some positive stories I know of which I will share, because this is a subject that has affected me and several others immensely, one that I intend to write about in depth.
A close and bubbly friend of mine who had grown dreadlocks for nine years suddenly shaved her head. she had been diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy.
Rather than wait to lose hair, which is one of the side effects of chemotherapy, she chose to go bold. Luckily for her, on completion of the treatment, she was declared cancer free and was able to grow back her hair.
Chemotherapy is the use of any drug to treat cancer however to most people, the word chemotherapy means drugs used for cancer treatment. It’s often shortened to “chemo.”Surgery and radiation therapy remove, kill, or damage cancer cells in a certain area but chemo can work throughout the whole body.
This means chemo can kill cancer cells that have spread (metastasized) to parts of the body far away from the original (primary) tumor.
If your doctor has recommended chemotherapy to treat your cancer, it’s important to understand the goals of treatment when making treatment decisions. There are three main goals for chemotherapy (chemo) in cancer treatment:Cure, Control and Palliation
If possible, chemo is used to cure cancer, meaning that the cancer is destroyed – it goes away and doesn’t come back.Most doctors don’t use the word “cure” except as a possibility or intention. So, when giving treatment that has a chance of curing a person’s cancer, the doctor may describe it as treatment with curative intent.
There are no guarantees, and although cure may be the goal, it doesn't always work out that way. It often takes many years to know if a person's cancer is really cured.
If a cure is not possible, the goal may be to Control the disease. Chemo is used to shrink tumors or stop cancer from growing and spreading. This can help the person with cancer feel better and live longer.
In many cases, cancer doesn’t completely go away but is controlled and managed as a chronic disease, much like heart disease or diabetes. In other cases, cancer may even seem to have gone away for a while, but it's expected to come back. Then chemo can be given again.
Chemo can also be used to ease symptoms caused by cancer. This is called palliative chemotherapy or palliation.When the cancer is at an advanced stage, meaning it's not under control and has spread from where it started to other parts of the body, the goal may be to improve the quality of life or help the person feel better. For instance, chemo may be used to help shrink a tumor that's causing pain
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Foods to include in your diet as a cancer patient include Vegetables like Tomatoes, carrots, peas, pumpkin and turnips for vitamins and fiber, parsley (especially good for prostate cancer patients). Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage contain plant chemicals that can convert bad estrogen into good estrogen, and hence reduce cancer risk as well as the risk of a relapse.
Asparagus and Brussel sprouts for their rich antioxidants. Bitter gourd for lowering blood sugar levels and Green leafy vegetables for calcium and iron.
Fruits like Oranges provide vitamin C, Bananas, kiwi, peaches, mangoes, pears and strawberries for vitamins and fiber, Avocadoes, guava, apricots, figs, prunes, and raisins for energy
Proteins such as Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, tauhu and taukwa, Dairy products, nuts, dried beans, dhals and chickpeas, Fish and soy foods (especially good for prostate cancer patients)
Carbohydrates to include Rice, noodles, chapatti, wholegrain bread and pasta,Wholegrain crackers, oats, corn, potatoes, beans, and dairy products, Honey, consumed in moderation for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which may help in preventing infections.
A cancer patient should avoid the following foods; Deep fried, grilled, barbequed, baked meats since subjecting animal protein to high heat creates carcinogenic byproducts called heterocyclic amines, Excessive intake of salt, sugar, and oily foods, Red meat and processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages, Preserved foods like pickles, jams, KiamChye (salted mustard green), and century eggs as they contain nitrites which are carcinogenic, Minimise alcohol.
Additionally, cancer patients should avoid excessive intake of vitamin supplements, as they act as antioxidants and can interfere with chemotherapy when taken in large doses.
Diet plays a very big role in the treatment of cancer and some patients are said to recover if they completely overhaul their diets and stick to a strict regimen of green juice, fruits, vegetables, and pink / Himalayan salt. Next week I will write about the controversial but highly effective cancer treatment.
