Cancer
What causes cancer?
The exact cause of most cancers are usually unknown however there are some risk factors which can increase the chances of these cells developing. These include:
- Tobacco use
- High exposure to sunlight or radiation
- Obesity
- Hormones- higher levels estrogen, androgens and progestogens or testosterone circulating within the body can increase the risk
- Diet related factors – different types of cancers are associated with different dietary risk factors eg. bowel cancer risk can be increased by higher intakes of red meat. High alcohol consumption
- Age – the older the individual the higher the risk
- Genetics- the disease can be hereditary
- Sedentary lifestyle (being inactive)
- Some medications
While some of these factors we cannot control, there are others that we can modify in a positive way and could make a huge difference in reducing your risk of developing cancer or recurrence.
How can Bites Dietitians help?
Cancer Prevention
There have been links between the consumption of certain foods and food groups e.g. the link between high consumption of red/processed meat and colorectal cancer and although it can be easy to think and feel as though “everything causes cancer” it can be helpful to sit down with a caring expert who can assess any family history you have, lifestyle factors, current dietary patterns and provide strategies or meal plans that are personalised to you and are going to have the most positive impacts on your long term health. For example, if you have a history of bowel cancers in your family and have coeliac disease, consuming a gluten free diet that is higher in fruits and vegetables compared to meat proteins might be beneficial to focus on. Someone who has a family history of breast cancer whose weight is also in the overweight or obese range may benefit from a diet rich in wholegrains and targeted weight loss to reduce cancer promoting cellular signalling. Ie we need to know lots about you before we can make a recommendation that fits for you.
Evidence has found that the risk of aerodigestive cancers is significantly reduced when higher intakes of fruits and non-starchy vegetables are consumed. Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that can reduce the risk of cancer such as vitamin E and C, selenium and folic acid. Experimental data has found links to these nutrients providing anti-tumorigenic effects in different cells. Fruits and vegetables also contain phytochemicals which have been found to have anti-cancer properties which may potentially provide a protective effect against cancer. It’s likely that if you’re wanting to reduce your cancer risk, our dietitians will help you find lots of easy and tasty ways to consume more fruits and vegetables.
Support throughout your cancer journey
Our dietitians can assess your current nutritional status and can create meal plans for you that contain adequate energy and nutrients to support your recovery and manage any treatment related symptoms such as constipation, dry mouth, taste changes, poor appetite, nausea and gastrointestinal upset. How you feel might change drastically depending on the stage of treatment you’re at, type of treatment you’re undergoing and other factors so it’s likely that you and your dietitian will continually adapt your meal plans
as things change for you.
Nutrition For Cancer Survivors
Rebuilding your body and your life following cancer can feel a little overwhelming so our Dietitians are here to help make this time easier and help you regain your strength and health. A very common symptom of cancer is cancer cachexia. Cachexia is significant muscle and functional strength decline as a result of cancer cells requiring lots of energy as they proliferate in the body. This can leave you with a significantly reduced amount of muscle tissue and weakness that can be hard to rebuild. Our dietitians can calculate your nutritional requirements and put together a delicious meal plan that helps you regain your strength and endurance for everyday life.
What improvement can you expect from a tailored dietary prescription?
- Enhanced mood and quality of life
- Increase in energy and less fatigue
- Increased strength and bone density
- Reduced nausea
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Improved appetite
- Reduced constipation
An interesting fact about cancer and diet
Did you know that although your appetite might drop and you don’t feel like eating, getting enough energy, especially in the form of carbohydrates and protein is exceptionally important when your body is trying to fight cancer and undergo treatment. There’s actually no good evidence that supports the theory of “starving cancer cells” but lots of good evidence to say that we need to give our body the nutrients it needs to keep our immune system working well during this time.
How can Bites Exercise Physiologists help?
Cancer prevention
Support throughout your cancer journey
Physical activity has many benefits for general health but more specifically in exerting preventative effects at various stages of cancer. In the initiation phase of tumour formation, exercise can reduce damage to cells through increasing the amount of antioxidant (good) enzymes within the body which attack these cells. Exercise also enhances the DNA repair systems meaning that constantly dividing cells are less likely to turn cancerous.
For Cancer Survivors
Physical activity has many benefits for general health but more specifically in exerting preventative effects at various stages of cancer. In the initiation phase of tumour formation, exercise can reduce damage to cells through increasing the amount of antioxidant (good) enzymes within the body which attack these cells. Exercise also enhances the DNA repair systems meaning that constantly dividing cells are less likely to turn cancerous.
An interesting fact about exercise and Cancer
- Exercise is able to inhibit tumour formation and slow tumour progression through increasing the immune function and response in fighting cancer
- Exercise can lower cancer recurrence and increase survival rate
- Women who undertake 3 hrs of exercise per week have 30-40% reduction in risk of breast cancer
- There is a 40-50% reduction in risk of colon cancer when exercising on a regular basis
What can you expect from following a tailored diet and exercise program?
- Enhanced mood and quality of life
- Increase in energy and less fatigue
- Improvements in sleep quality
- Increased strength and bone density
- Reduced nausea
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Reduction in pain
- Improvements in balance and physical functioning
- Improved appetite
- Reduced constipation
- Improved cardiovascular fitness
Helpful things to bring/remember before your first appointment
- al or any letters from GP or specialist
- List of medications or treatment being undertaken
- Any medical history documents that may assist us
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