Table of contents:
- Good food for lung cancer patients
- 1. Coconut water
- 2. Bananas
- 3. Cocoa powder
- 4. Peppermint
- Healthy diet for lung cancer patients
- 1. Eat adequate calories, body weight remains ideal
- 2. Eat smaller meals more frequently
- 3. Avoid certain foods
- 4. Drink lots of water
- Sports recommended for lung cancer patients
- Exercise managing breathing for lung cancer patients
- 1. Try to relax more
- 2. Find a comfortable position when you feel short of breath
- 3. Focus on breathing
- 4. Save energy
When you are trying to recover from lung cancer, you are expected to make healthier lifestyle changes, in addition to avoiding various causes of lung cancer. A healthier lifestyle can be started from adjusting your diet and practicing breathing. There are a variety of dietary options for people with lung cancer, as well as a selection of breathing exercises that are good for during the following treatments.
Good food for lung cancer patients
During the treatment period for lung cancer sufferers, consume more healthy foods and drinks that can help the treatment and recovery process, including:
1. Coconut water
Coconut water is very suitable to help speed up the healing process for lung cancer sufferers. The reason is, coconut water is very low in carbohydrates and sodium, but it is high in potassium.
2. Bananas
Food in the form of fruit this one is also good for people with cancer, including lung cancer. The reason is, bananas contain complex carbohydrates that can restore energy quickly during the treatment period. Not only that, the fiber found in bananas can help you feel fuller for longer.
3. Cocoa powder
Cocoa powder is rich in magnesium, fiber and antioxidants including flavanols and polyphenols. Not only that, by consuming one of these food ingredients, lung cancer sufferers can prevent damage to cells.
Eating these foods can also stimulate the main nervous system, so that blood circulation is better and muscles become more relaxed.
4. Peppermint
By consuming peppermint , the patient can improve digestion and blood circulation. This can help increase the production of good nutrients for cells in the body.
Healthy diet for lung cancer patients
Basically, there are no certain types of food that must be consumed for people with lung cancer. This is because the nutritional needs of each patient may be different.
Usually, this need is determined from other health conditions, lung cancer treatment options and possible side effects, lung cancer stages, to the patient's weight and height.
According to the American Lung Association, things that should be more considered in choosing foods for lung cancer sufferers are:
1. Eat adequate calories, body weight remains ideal
Usually, patients will experience a drastic weight loss. To avoid this, lung cancer sufferers are advised to eat foods that contain enough calories to maintain an ideal body weight. The doctor will also help determine the proper nutritional intake for the patient's health condition.
2. Eat smaller meals more frequently
In addition to determining nutrition in food for lung cancer sufferers, diet also needs to be considered. For example, patients are advised to eat less but more often.
Eating less but more often helps ensure that your body gets the calories, protein and nutrients it needs to offset the side effects of medication, such as nausea.
3. Avoid certain foods
There are also dietary restrictions that should be avoided because they have the potential to exacerbate the side effects of lung cancer treatment. For example, there are some foods that, when given to people with lung cancer, can exacerbate side effects, such as diarrhea or constipation.
Patients are also expected to avoid sugary foods, as they contain very few nutrients. In addition, sweet foods can make you full even though your body is not getting the nutrients it needs.
4. Drink lots of water
In order not to become dehydrated while undergoing cancer treatment, patients are also expected to consume lots of water. However, avoid drinks that contain caffeine such as coffee or tea because they can actually trigger dehydration.
Sports recommended for lung cancer patients
In addition to paying attention to foods that are good for lung cancer sufferers, you also need to pay attention to other activities that can be done during the treatment period of this disease.
Even though he is experiencing lung cancer, it does not mean that the patient is not allowed to exercise. In fact, this activity is very important and must be done. It is known that exercise can boost the immune system, strengthen muscles, and prevent drastic weight loss for lung cancer patients.
In fact, with regular exercise, lung cancer patients can get better cancer treatment, experience fewer side effects of treatment, and prevent cancer recurrence in the future.
However, the type of exercise for lung cancer patients must also be considered. This is because lung cancer patients are prone to fatigue, which if this happens can worsen their respiratory conditions.
Therefore, to keep the body moving, lung cancer patients can do light and simple activities such as:
- Gardening.
- Use the stairs instead of taking the escalator or elevator.
- Take a leisurely walk with your pets or relatives.
If you want to keep exercising, cancer patients can do sports such as yoga, tai-chi, swimming and cycling in a relaxed manner. Avoid doing sports that have high intensity because of the risk of causing breathing problems.
Exercise managing breathing for lung cancer patients
In addition to maintaining a diet and sorting out healthy foods for lung cancer sufferers, you also need to understand various ways to deal with the most common symptom of lung cancer, namely shortness of breath. By practicing breathing, the patient can relieve any of the symptoms of this disease. Some of them are:
1. Try to relax more
In addition to paying attention to the type of food to be consumed, lung cancer sufferers also need to pay more attention to the symptoms that may arise, one of which is shortness of breath.
To control these symptoms, you may need to try to be more relaxed or calm when experiencing them. The reason is, when you feel worried and afraid, you will feel afraid more easily.
Try calming yourself down by listening to music, thinking beautiful things, or meditating to make it easier to feel calm. That way, you can deal with this one symptom when it suddenly appears.
2. Find a comfortable position when you feel short of breath
Sometimes, this uncomfortable position can exacerbate the symptoms you may experience when you have lung cancer. Therefore, in addition to trying to stay calm, try to find a position that is more comfortable for you to breathe.
3. Focus on breathing
When you feel out of breath, try to focus on your breathing. Shortness of breath often makes it difficult for you to breathe through your nose, so try to breathe through your mouth.
4. Save energy
If you experience frequent shortness of breath, you may also feel tired a lot. Therefore, avoid doing unnecessary activities, especially activities that require a lot of energy. Better save your energy for more important activities.
Apart from doing these things, try to quit smoking, avoid secondhand smoke, drink lots of drinking, and try various breathing exercises that might be of benefit to you. Do not forget, get plenty of rest, and as mentioned above, choose healthy foods for people with lung cancer.
Trying these exercises will not only calm your mind, but also improve lung function, especially with people who have lung cancer. That way, breathing management exercises can be an activity that can help treat lung cancer naturally.