"New day, new beginning." This is a sentence that the 62-year-old aunt says to herself in the mirror every morning. Life before the storm is always full of sunshine, and she never flinchs in the face of life's difficulties.
But just two months ago, life hit her hard, and a diagnosis of bowel cancer changed her life completely.
In order to reduce the burden on her body, she decided to drink only porridge, but she didn't know that this seemingly "mild" way of eating was actually more ruthless to her body.
1. Misunderstanding of colorectal cancer patients: porridge is the staple food
Every morning, the aunt would get up and make a big pot of porridge, and the steaming pot was filled with the smell of porridge.
She would put the porridge into a small bowl on the dining table, then sit next to it and eat it slowly, bite by bite. She believes that porridge is easy to digest without putting too much burden on her stomach, which is the greatest care for her body.
What she didn't realize, however, was that while porridge was a liquid food that could reduce the burden on the intestines, it could not provide enough nutrients for bowel cancer patients.
Bowel cancer is a disease that has a great impact on the patient's body, with a long treatment cycle and various treatment methods, which has extremely high requirements for the patient's physical condition. As the main source of energy for the human body, food is particularly important for patients with bowel cancer.
Colorectal cancer patients need to take in enough nutrients to maintain the normal functioning of the body and have enough strength to cope with the treatment. However, porridge with a single nutrition cannot meet these needs, but can be counterproductive, causing the patient's physical condition to continue to deteriorate.
2. Doctor's findings: the dangers of malnutrition
A follow-up visit after February highlighted the problem. When the doctor saw the aunt's examination report, he was shocked.
"Why are you doing this?" He frowned and handed his aunt a nutrition report, "Look here, your protein intake is far lower than the normal need, and the trace elements such as iron, zinc, and calcium are also seriously insufficient, how can your body withstand the treatment?" ”
In his opinion, Auntie's "porridge staple" strategy not only failed to reduce the burden on her body, but made her weaker.
Looking at the guilty look on the aunt's face, the doctor felt very regretful. "You're not the first patient to do this, and you won't be the last."
He comforted his aunt, "The diet of colorectal cancer patients needs to be more reasonable and scientific, and it may be difficult for non-professionals to grasp the main points." We need a more rational and systematic way to face your illness......"
3. Scientific explanation: the effect of drinking porridge on patients with bowel cancer
Porridge is essentially made from rice and water, and although it is easy to digest, it has a relatively simple nutrient content and is low in calories.
According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", the elderly should consume 2,100-2,300 calories per day, and 100 grams of porridge can only provide about 44 calories.
Protein is the basic substance of the human body to make up and repair cells, and eating porridge for a long time reduces the intake of protein, but affects the repair and regeneration of intestinal cells.
The bacteria in the gut play an important role in the digestion and absorption of food. Studies have found that a single diet may lead to an imbalance in the intestinal flora, resulting in fewer good bacteria and more harmful bacteria.
A healthy intestinal environment is particularly important for colorectal cancer patients. The availability of a single food may also impair the gut's adaptability to other foods, thereby increasing gut sensitivity.
4. Health advice: the importance of a balanced diet
Nutrition is like a spark of life, and without it, our vitality will gradually weaken. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that at least 5 kinds of grains, 25 grams of vegetable oil, 300 grams of vegetables, 200 grams of fruits, 300 grams of raw milk or dairy products, and appropriate amounts of fish, shrimp, meat, eggs and beans should be consumed every day.
Since patients with bowel cancer may have problems such as chewing, difficulty swallowing, and decreased gastrointestinal function, it is also necessary to consider the physical properties and taste of food.
It is advisable to use lean meat, eggs, milk, tofu and other high-quality protein foods, and pay attention to the intake of rich vitamins and minerals, at the same time, you can also consume grains, legumes and vegetables in moderation to provide sufficient dietary fiber, help intestinal peristalsis, and improve the structure of intestinal flora.
For patients with bowel cancer with special nutritional needs, the physical needs can be met by increasing the number of daily diets or appropriate nutritional supplements.
While maintaining gut health, it is more important to improve the patient's nutritional status and strengthen the immune system through dietary adjustment, so as to better support their treatment.
5. Dietary adjustment recommended by doctors: tailored for colorectal cancer patients
To ensure that people with bowel cancer receive adequate nutritional support, doctors and dietitians often recommend careful dietary modifications.
Bowel cancer patients have different dietary needs than healthy people, and they need foods that support their body's recovery and cope with intense treatment.
For example, high-protein foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs, and soy products not only provide essential amino acids, but also help maintain muscle mass and repair tissues.
In addition, foods rich in B vitamins, such as whole grains, nuts and seeds, can help maintain a healthy nervous system and have a positive effect on depression and fatigue.
At the same time, high-fiber foods, although generally recommended for healthy people, may not be suitable for patients with bowel cancer at certain stages of treatment, because too much fiber may cause gastrointestinal discomfort when the intestines are more sensitive.
Therefore, doctors will adjust the amount of fiber intake according to the patient's specific situation.
For example, during chemotherapy, a low-fiber diet may be recommended to reduce bowel irritation, while during non-treatment periods, fiber intake may be gradually increased to help the gut return to normal function.
In addition, adequate fluid intake is crucial, especially during chemotherapy, and adequate hydration can help alleviate the side effects of treatment, such as nausea and constipation.
People with bowel cancer should avoid sugary drinks and caffeine as much as possible and drink more water and noncaffeine beverages instead to support their overall water balance.
6. Food safety and handling: avoid the risk of infection
Bowel cancer patients may have a suppressed immune system due to the effects of treatment, so food safety is particularly important. This includes choosing fresh and uncontaminated ingredients, as well as ensuring that food is cooked thoroughly during preparation.
Raw or partially cooked foods such as sashimi, raw beef, unwashed raw fruits and vegetables, etc., should be avoided as much as possible, as these foods are more likely to carry pathogens.
When cooking at home, special attention needs to be paid to kitchen hygiene to avoid cross-contamination, such as using the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables.
In addition, cooked and raw food should be stored separately to avoid contact between cooked food and raw food. All foods should be thoroughly reheated before consumption, especially meat and seafood, to ensure that all potential pathogens are killed.
epilogue
In the dietary management of colorectal cancer patients, the role of professional medical teams is indispensable. Not only do they provide dietary advice tailored to individual needs, but they also help patients make timely dietary adjustments in response to changes in their condition.
Many problems during treatment, such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, oral inflammation, etc., can be alleviated by dietary strategies.
In the later stage of recovery and rehabilitation, high-quality diet and nutrition are important factors to improve quality of life, prevent recurrence, and prolong survival.