Dear Friend,
Many of our patients come to the Issels clinics in a poor state of health. Many have lost or gained weight while in chemotherapy or radiation treatment. This newsletter gives some healthful tips to consider as you undergo cancer treatment and may be concerned about your weight.
Remember while you are in treatment, a focus on proper nutrition will help you to regain energy and provide the building blocks for healing that your body needs.
Best Regards,
Ilse Marie Issels
Wife and Collaborator of Dr. Josef Issels, Our Founder
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Cancer Treatment Weight Loss Guidelines
Even if you think you need to lose some pounds, weight loss during cancer treatment is not good for your recovery.
At Issels®, we want you to be as strong as you can during treatment, so we've put together a few guidelines to help you navigate your way through nutrition during treatment.
Why does weight loss make recovery slow and difficult?
- Surgical incisions require protein for repair and new tissue creation.
- Cells killed by chemotherapy need protein for replacement.
- Without the necessary nutrition, your body has to dip into lean muscle mass (in addition to fat stores) to find the necessary building blocks for new tissue.
- Dipping into lean muscle mass reduces stamina and energy.
- The culmination of the above effects can weaken your immune system and postpone treatment.
How much weight loss is too much?
- 1-2% of your body weight in a week.
- 5% in a month.
- 10% over three months.
Maintain independence and take control of your treatment by focusing on good nutrition by following these tips.
- Choose organic food when ever possible, a variety of vegetables and freshly pressed vegetable juices.
- Prefer whole grain carbohydrates to refined ones.
- Reduce sugar intake and avoid refined sugar.
- Choose free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, and wild fish instead of farmed fish.
- Drink lots of fluids, if you do not have a cardiovascular problem, in order to help the kidney flush out the toxins.
- Eat fiber to help with peristalsis.
- Explore delicious recipes specifically for cancer patients.
It is always worth consulting your healthcare specialist and nutritionist to make sure your diet is in line with your current treatment.
Hungry for successful results? Contact Issels® today by phoning 1-888-447-7357 or visit us online at www.Issels.com.