What happens during cancer treatment and chemotherapy?

The period of recovery from cancer can be extremely draining and stressful. The use of several drugs and radiation can harm your body even while treating cancer. When medications are used to kill the harmful, cancer-causing cells, it also ends up killing the healthy cells in the body. It can cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the body which are responsible for fighting enemy viruses. As a result, the immunity of the body depletes and makes the body more prone to harmful viruses. It reduces the body’s capability to fight against infections. This also depends on the type of treatment used for a person, the number of drugs used on them and their body’s ability to fight them. Hence, it is important to boost the immune system during chemotherapy.

But this condition can be controlled by inculcating healthy habits and improving one’s lifestyle. Better lifestyle practices such as consuming fresh, healthy and nutritious foods to boost the immune system during chemotherapy, sleeping well, consuming supplements to boost immunity and doing physical activities or exercise during cancer treatment or chemotherapy can help a person improve their immunity hence, creating a protective environment for their body. 

Boost immune system during Cancer

Eat Right

A lack of nutritious food consumption can weaken the body further and make it more susceptible to viruses hence, it is important to get the right amount of nutrition to make your body stronger. A healthy, balanced diet is the key to meeting your body’s every need. A balanced diet must include protein-rich foods, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins etc. There are a few superfoods that help in boosting the level of nutrients in your body and are to digest and consume. Let us look at some foods to boost the immune system during chemotherapy.

• Smoothies freshly made at home with fruits and/or vegetables of your choice can help you deal with the loss of appetite. Vegetable juices like carrot or beetroot juice are packed with good nutrients. When packed with the goodness of fruits and vegetables, it can help you with your nutrition and vitamins and keep you full. Vitamin C enriched fruits like dragon fruits, kiwis also help in improving immunity. Even though it has a neutral taste, avocados are filled with healthy nutrients and calories. It helps in reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.
• Whole foods like various millets like foxtail, bajra, jowar, pulses with skin are beneficial for health.
• Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale etc are packed with vitamins that help in building immunity and sulforaphane is proven to improve brain health.
• Dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, are easy to consume and are packed with ample amounts of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and proteins. Seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds are a good source of healthy fats and Omega 6 and are good for snacking or enhancing your other meals like salads or sandwiches.

Movement: Light exercise, yoga, and pranayama

Movement is important while taking cancer treatment. Exercise while chemotherapy or any other cancer treatment can help you clear your mind as well as make your body flexible. Exercise can greatly help in reducing stress too. Yoga practices and pranayamas (breathing exercises) can help in releasing fresh oxygen into your body and provide you relief. Some doctors also recommend lifting weights to strengthen your body. Working out during chemotherapy can help you release hormones that affect a person’s immunity. Taking a doctor’s advice and taking gradual steps is important to avoid any kind of negative impact on the body.

Sleep and recovery 

Having a good night’s sleep is essential for your body to rest and prepare itself for releasing an essential protein that strengthens the body’s defense against viruses. Lack of sleep can hinder the body’s mechanisms and trigger a stress response. Taking short naps during the day is good for the body. 

Manage stress

While the treatment of cancer could be highly stressful, it might be difficult to manage stress. Stress hormones can interfere with the body’s immune system as well as the digestive system and create an imbalance. Hence, it is important to manage stress.Working out during chemotherapy can also help in reducing stress. Exercise, yoga, or breathing techniques (pranayamas) could help get stress under control. Other than these, mindful practices such as meditation, massages, reading good books, or listening to good music can help. One can always opt for professional help in such situations since it is important to manage stress.

Supplements

Supplements recommended by doctors or nutritionists can fill in your nutrition gaps in case of deficiencies. Well, it is not vital to rely on supplements but sometimes some essential vitamins can only be acquired with good quality supplements. 

•  Vitamin D is the most important supplement for improving immunity because it plays an important role in cell development.
• Mushroom products made of reishi, maitake, shiitake, Coriolus, etc are proven to have anti-cancer properties that stop certain types of cancer from growing.
• Multivitamins, curcumin, liposomal c, Green tea extract  etc.
• Medicinal herbs and plant parts like giloy, juice made of papaya leaves, wheatgrass and herbs such as tulsi helps to boost immunity during chemotherapy.

Remember, while supplements play an important role in addressing your nutritional needs during Cancer treatment, they should not be taken without consulting your doctor and an onco nutrition expert like Awaana Health. We know that dealing with the treatment of cancer can get overwhelming, the Cancer Recovery programs at Awaana Health are designed to support Cancer patients throughout their Cancer treatment helping patients and loved ones navigate all dimensions of the healing journey in a 360 degree perspective. Our goal is to improve effectiveness of treatment using non-clinical therapies that aid recovery, reduce chances of relapse and improve overall quality of life. We work hand in hand with your treatment and use clinical nutrition, mental counseling, yoga therapy and movement along with a dedicated team of professionals who are there to guide and support the patient and the caregiver both.