Cancer starts when the cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Lung cancer starts to develop in the lungs. Anyone can get lung cancer but most cases of lung cancer are associated with people who smoke. Smoking can damage the lungs. The lungs can naturally repair the damage but the constant exposure to smoke makes the lungs difficult to rectify the damage. Once the damage is done, the cells can behave normally which increases the risk of lung cancer. For preventing lung cancer, it’s important to quit smoking and have a nutritional diet for making your lungs strong and healthy.
So, are you looking for a lung cancer diet? We are going to tell you about the best diet for lung cancer. Read on to find out!
Risk factors for lung cancer
The actual cause of each case of lung cancer is not verified. Although, there are many risk factors which can induce lung cancer and how some of them can cause cells to become cancer. Some of these risk factors can be controlled and others, cant. Risk factors for lung cancer include:
- Smoking: 90℅ of the cases of lung cancer originate from smoking. Your chances of developing lung cancer increase with the number of cigarettes smoked.
- Family history: People with a family history of lung cancer have higher chances of developing lung cancer.
- Radiation therapy: If you’ve gone through any radiation therapy for another type of cancer, you might have increased risk of having lung cancer.
- Exposure to secondhand smoke: Even if you are not a smoker, exposure to a constant secondhand smoke can increase the chances of developing lung cancer.
Can diet reverse the effects of lung cancer?
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths across the world. While smoking is considered as the most common cause of developing lung cancer, diet also has a major role in the development of can’t. A diet rich in healthy food like fruits and vegetables may reduce the incidence of lung cancer by almost 25℅. Although, quitting smoking still remains the favourable factor in the reduction in the chances of lung cancer.
Supplements containing Vitamin A, C and E show no protection against lung cancer. However, beta carotene supplements have happened to be effective in increasing mortality. Although smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer, the diet may be beneficial to a minor degree in reducing the adverse effects of lung cancer.
The right kind of lung cancer diet
There is no diet that can possibly be prescribed as a cure for lung cancer to its patients. Every patient has nutritional needs according to the stage of lung cancer they are undergoing and what kind of treatment plan they are following. Other factors that determine the lung cancer diet can be the current height, weight and if they have other illnesses. It’s always a good idea to ask your doctor before you make changes to your diet.
You can always follow some dietary tips to keep yourself healthy and happy during tough times. The patient with lung cancer should have a diet which includes a variety of soft and semi-soft foods so that there is no irritation of the tender throat. What to avoid? Well, you should avoid acidic and spicy food, for example, citrus fruits like orange, lemon and tomato-based foods and also foods with rough or sharp textures like raw fruits and vegetables or crackers.
The way your meals are cooked can also influence your diet and can make a huge difference. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Eat periodic and smaller meals throughout the day. Do not skip your meals.
- Eat vegetables that are soft and easy to chew and swallow, preferably steamed.
- Go for thicker liquids, you can try milkshakes, healthy smoothies thickened soups with mashed potatoes can be a healthy option.
- Drink a lot of liquids, have them between meals and not with meals.
- Do not eat food which is extremely hot or cold.
- Have a high calorie and high-protein diet to facilitate healing inside your lungs.
- Eat a high-fibre diet to alleviate constipation.
- If your mouth hurts or your stomach is upset, eat bland foods, serve them at room temperature to relieve nausea.
- A bland diet is made up of foods that are smooth, soft, not very spicy and low in fibre. For example, low-fat dairy products, pasta, rice, oatmeal, lean fish and poultry. Having steamed, baked or grilled without additional fat can be desirable.
This is all about the lung cancer diet. There is no specific lung cancer diet. If you want a specified lung cancer diet, you should consider talking to a doctor.
Also read: Intermittent Fasting: Facts Vs Myths
Foods that can fight lung cancer
It can be confusing if certain foods can actually make an immunity towards cancer. There are many different ways in which foods can combat lung cancer and ultimately prevent it.
Factors like cell metabolism, cycle control, inflammation, metastasis, apoptosis and abiogenesis may be affected by what we eat and what nutritional value we intake. So, here are some lung cancer-fighting foods you should know about:
- Pears: Pears and apples contain photochemical called phloretin which is known to have anti-tumour activities.
- Green Tea: Green tea has been found to have a preventative role in the growth of lung cancer.
- Ginger: Ginger might be helpful with chemotherapy-induced nausea and it may also play an important role for the people living with lung cancer.
- Carrots: Carrots are a huge source of photochemical known as chlorogenic acid that can disrupt signalling pathways in lung cancer.
- Red Grape Juice: Resveratrol found in red wine not only lowers the risk of developing lung cancer but may also help the cancer treatments work faster and better.
This was all about lung cancer diet and best diets for lung cancer. You should always consider talking to your doctor when changing your diet if you are suffering from lung cancer. A healthy and balanced diet might help you in preventing lung cancer.
Read Next: Say No To Diseases: 12 Foods That Boost Immunity
