Friday, September 08, 2006
Did I mention eating?
OK, so I have not been able to indulge my fantasies of meals with all four food groups and wine - yet....eating any kind of fiber or bulk, and large quantities of food, trigger extememly painful cramping and nausea lasting for hours. But I know how vitally important adequate nutrition is not only to optimal function but also to survival.
Eating poses many challenges for most cancer patients at some time during their disease process. We are frequently told to eat whatever appeals to us, even if it is not completely balanced nutrition. My experience is just one of the issues; there is also nausea, vomiting, surgery, bowel obstruction and loss of appetite along the way for many.
So, how do I meld my clinical knowledge of nutritional needs with the reality that my stomach will not cooperate with the concept of a real meal? I am trying to use creativity and prioritization. I know I need protein, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits as well as vitamins and minerals. If I can bring them all together in a form that I can get down without triggering the cramps, then I have a shot at maintaining my strength and nutritional status. My Vita-Mix blender to the rescue!!
My concoction consists of high quality whey protein or Living Fuel protein mix (or 1/2 and 1/2), frozen blueberries, 1/2 banana, a few frozen strawberries, flaked coconut and some seeds - pumpkin or flax. A variation is to use carrots, celery or frozen vegetables or different fruits. I don't have any chocolate protein powder right now or I might add natural peanut or almond butter and a banana along with the coconut and seeds.Sometimes I add goat milk if I have it on hand.
I also drink a mixture of G3 mixed carotenoids and PaleoGreens daily. In addition, as alluded to in a previous posting, I take handfuls of supplements. Periodically, I experiment with soft foods - yogurt, applesauce and some canned fruits seem to be OK.
I take fish oil every day - omega 3 fats, at least 1000mg of EPA and DHA combined. Also, a copper-free multivitamin, vitamin E mixed tocopherols, curcumin, vitamin C, B-vitamins, milk thistle, theanine, CoQ10, allicin, EGCG, vitamin D, quercetin, glutamine, Ambrotose, PhytAloe, ImmunoStart and digestive and proteolytic enzymes. That's not to say I get down all of these every day - some days 1/2 or 2/3 is all I can do. Will my plan work? Stay posted....
Some caveats: not just any old whey protein or fish oils will do. Quality, processing and source are very important. In the case of whey protein, the proteins and immunoglobulins (since it does come from cows milk, it contains good immune-supporting factors) are very fragile and do not survive at high heat. Also, if the milk comes from cows that are raised industrially, with all the antibiotics and hormones that implies, those will be present in the protein powder. The best whey protein on the market, from my research, is Whey Cool .
When it comes to fish oils, it is important that the source of the fish be clean waters; that the fish oil be purified or molecularly distilled; and that the product is certified free from contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticides.Fish oil quality standards do not exist in the United States. To ensure ongoing quality, a product should adhere to the stringent Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) and the European Pharmacopoeia Standard (EPS). These standards guarantee quality products by setting maximum allowances on peroxides, heavy metals, dioxins, furans, and PCBs. Nordic Naturals and Carlson Labs are two companies with the requisite quality and fairly easy to find in a variety of dosage forms and flavors. For those who cannot handle the fish oil liquid or capsules, there is a very palatable orange-flavored pudding product called Coromega.
Link
Eating poses many challenges for most cancer patients at some time during their disease process. We are frequently told to eat whatever appeals to us, even if it is not completely balanced nutrition. My experience is just one of the issues; there is also nausea, vomiting, surgery, bowel obstruction and loss of appetite along the way for many.
So, how do I meld my clinical knowledge of nutritional needs with the reality that my stomach will not cooperate with the concept of a real meal? I am trying to use creativity and prioritization. I know I need protein, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits as well as vitamins and minerals. If I can bring them all together in a form that I can get down without triggering the cramps, then I have a shot at maintaining my strength and nutritional status. My Vita-Mix blender to the rescue!!
My concoction consists of high quality whey protein or Living Fuel protein mix (or 1/2 and 1/2), frozen blueberries, 1/2 banana, a few frozen strawberries, flaked coconut and some seeds - pumpkin or flax. A variation is to use carrots, celery or frozen vegetables or different fruits. I don't have any chocolate protein powder right now or I might add natural peanut or almond butter and a banana along with the coconut and seeds.Sometimes I add goat milk if I have it on hand.I also drink a mixture of G3 mixed carotenoids and PaleoGreens daily. In addition, as alluded to in a previous posting, I take handfuls of supplements. Periodically, I experiment with soft foods - yogurt, applesauce and some canned fruits seem to be OK.
I take fish oil every day - omega 3 fats, at least 1000mg of EPA and DHA combined. Also, a copper-free multivitamin, vitamin E mixed tocopherols, curcumin, vitamin C, B-vitamins, milk thistle, theanine, CoQ10, allicin, EGCG, vitamin D, quercetin, glutamine, Ambrotose, PhytAloe, ImmunoStart and digestive and proteolytic enzymes. That's not to say I get down all of these every day - some days 1/2 or 2/3 is all I can do. Will my plan work? Stay posted....
Some caveats: not just any old whey protein or fish oils will do. Quality, processing and source are very important. In the case of whey protein, the proteins and immunoglobulins (since it does come from cows milk, it contains good immune-supporting factors) are very fragile and do not survive at high heat. Also, if the milk comes from cows that are raised industrially, with all the antibiotics and hormones that implies, those will be present in the protein powder. The best whey protein on the market, from my research, is Whey Cool .
When it comes to fish oils, it is important that the source of the fish be clean waters; that the fish oil be purified or molecularly distilled; and that the product is certified free from contaminants such as heavy metals and pesticides.Fish oil quality standards do not exist in the United States. To ensure ongoing quality, a product should adhere to the stringent Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) and the European Pharmacopoeia Standard (EPS). These standards guarantee quality products by setting maximum allowances on peroxides, heavy metals, dioxins, furans, and PCBs. Nordic Naturals and Carlson Labs are two companies with the requisite quality and fairly easy to find in a variety of dosage forms and flavors. For those who cannot handle the fish oil liquid or capsules, there is a very palatable orange-flavored pudding product called Coromega.
Link
