Today I would like to tell you: "If your attending doctor will emphasize to you the importance of diet and exercise in fighting cancer in addition to prescribing medicine, congratulations!
If you want to defeat cancer, in addition to the necessary scientific treatment, eating, moving, sleeping, and good mood are closely related to postoperative recovery.
Don't underestimate protein, some breast cancer patients have poor anti-cancer effects, or poor quality of life after cancer, which may be related to not supplementing protein!
Human antibodies, including immunoglobulins, white blood cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, etc., can help us defend against the invasion of foreign microorganisms and other harmful substances. If the body is deficient in protein, it will affect the normal function of these antibodies, which in turn will lead to a decrease in the body's immunity.
01 7 Manifestations Suggest You: Lack of Protein [1-9]!
1. Poor hair quality, falling out a lot, growing slowly
Protein is the main component of hair accounting for 60%~95%, mainly keratin. When protein is deficient, hair not only grows slowly, but also becomes discolored, brittle, and easy to fall out. Therefore, breast cancer sisters should eat more protein-rich foods to supplement nutrition after chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
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2. Dry skin with many wrinkles
The skin contains a lot of proteins, such as collagen, which we are familiar with. Collagen density and tissue decrease, which can easily lead to dry skin, poor elasticity, and wrinkles.
3. Wound healing is slow, and the risk of infection increases
Wound healing requires the involvement of proteins, and protein deficiency can lead to disorders in capillary formation, fibroblast proliferation, proteoglycan synthesis, collagen synthesis and wound remodeling.
4. Muscle relaxation and weakened physical strength
Protein is the main component of muscle, and sufficient protein can ensure the body's muscle content.
5. Low mood
Protein is an important component of neurotransmitters that affect brain function and mental health.
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6. Excessive appetite
Adequate protein can reduce hunger, and digestion takes a long time to bring a longer feeling of fullness.
7. Body edema
Sufficient protein in the body can act as a buffer, maintain the osmotic pressure and acid-base balance of body fluids, and if there is a severe lack of protein, it will cause edema in the body.
02 10 Foods: High-Quality Protein for Breast Cancer Patients [1-9]!
Questions
How much protein to eat?
response
The 2023 edition of the Dietary Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents recommends:
■ The recommended daily protein intake for men and women aged 18-64 in mainland China is 65 grams and 55 grams respectively;
■ Protein requirements are slightly higher in seniors over 65 years of age, with the recommended daily protein intake for older men and women being 72 grams and 62 grams, respectively [10].
Questions
What proteins are suitable for breast cancer patients?
response
Here are 10 kinds of high-quality protein suitable for breast cancer patients.
(1) Eggs: the protein content is about 13%, and the amino acid composition is very close to the needs of the human body, which can usually be used as a reference protein for amino acid evaluation;
(2) Milk: the protein content is only 3%, but the proportion of essential amino acids contained in it meets the needs of the human body and is convenient to drink;
(3) Fish: The protein content is about 15%-22%, containing various essential amino acids for the human body, especially leucine and lysine;
(4) Shrimp: protein content is about 16%-23%;
(5) Chicken: the protein content is about 20%;
(6) Duck meat: the protein content is about 16%;
(7) Lean beef: the protein content is generally more than 20%;
(8) Lean mutton: the protein content is about 20%;
(9) Lean pork: protein content of about 20%;
(10) Beans and soy products: The protein content is 30%-40% [11]. Click here to learn more about can breast cancer patients drink soy milk?"What happens to breast cancer sisters who drink a glass of soy milk every day?".
03 Precautions for protein supplementation
1. High protein does not equal high quality protein
Whether protein is high-quality depends not only on its content, but also on the degree of digestion and absorption of protein and the degree of utilization by the human body. For example, the protein content of milk is not high, only about 3%, but it is a high-quality protein, and the protein content of rice and wheat is about 8%-10%, but it is not a high-quality protein.
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2. Protein is not as much as possible
Excessive protein intake can damage health, such as increasing the burden on the liver and kidneys, increasing the risk of obesity, and increasing uric acid to induce gout.
Find a friend for help
After my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, she couldn't eat meat now because of the loss of appetite in treatment, what should I do if I don't have enough protein?
On the one hand, you can eat less and more frequent meals with onions, ginger and garlic to remove the smell, and on the other hand, you can eat more foods rich in protein, vitamin B12, iron and zinc:
■ Protein-rich foods: milk and dairy products, eggs, beans and soy products, nuts, etc.;
■ Foods rich in vitamin B12: whole grains, egg yolks, whole milk powder, etc.;
■ Iron-rich foods: eggs, black fungus, seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, walnuts, etc.;
■ Zinc-rich foods: oysters, shiitake mushrooms, mushrooms, corn, peanuts, etc.
Additional supplements can also be made with protein powder, dietary supplements, etc., under the guidance of a doctor.
04 Epilogue
Once again, it is important to supplement protein, but balanced nutrition suggests that breast cancer sisters should not only supplement more protein, but also mix meat and vegetables to diversify their foods.
Warm reminder: The purpose of this article is to convey disease knowledge, and it is not used as a recommendation for diagnosis and treatment plans and medical basis.
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Editor in charge: Mijian Mutual Aid Jun
Bibliography:
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[2] Wu Xiaolin, Xu Ping, Zhang Yali et al.Research progress in hair metabolomics and proteomics of human characteristics[J].Chinese Journal of Biotechnology,2022,38(10):3638-3647.DOI:10.13345/j.cjb.220526
Skin Science Bulletin,2023,40(5):533-538
Genomics and Applied Biology,2012,31(06):640-643.
[5] Li Yan.Study on the relationship between protein intake and depressive symptoms in adults[D].Qingdao University,2020.DOI:10.27262/d.cnki.gqdau.2020.000241
[6] Grech, Amanda et al. “Macronutrient (im)balance drives energy intake in an obesogenic food environment: An ecological analysis.” Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) vol. 30,11 (2022): 2156-2166. doi:10.1002/oby.23578
[7] Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou.Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia 2nd Edition [M].People's Medical Publishing House,2019
[8]https://www.cnsoc.org/knowledge/9520102019.html
[9] Yang Yuexin.China Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 2[M].Peking University Medical Press,2019
[10] Dietary Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents 2023 Edition
[11] White Paper on Dietary Nutrition of Chinese Cancer Patients (2020-2021).