The role of right diet and nutrition cannot be ignored in day to day life and when a person is suffering from colorectal cancer than its role become more important. While you are undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer treatment you need to gain more nutrients through the food rather than supplements you consume.
Role of dietary fat in colorectal cancer
Among the whole set of contributors to colorectal cancer, dietary fat has a great role to play. Consuming high fat food increases the amount of substances that releases bile acids into the digestive tract. The function of bile acid is to breakdown the fats. After getting into colon, a remarkable amount of bile acids gets converted into secondary bile acids. This conversion leads to growth of the tumor especially in the lining cell of colon. `
Role of Antioxidants
Antioxidants function to reinforce the body against any dangerous substances (free radicals). The unexpected consequence of oxygen is free radicals which are known to utilize almost every cell present in the body. During the process of oxidation they destroy the body’s cell. You can compare this process with the rusting of iron. Oxidation also plays a great role in aging, cataracts, infections and heart diseases.
The body cells follow a separate set of natural defensive strategy against the effect of free radicals and could easily repair all damage occurred due to them. Beta-carotene and selenium antioxidants help in bolstering this safeguard but in research one of them has shown their role in controlling the cancer development. Researchers always advocate consuming antioxidants through food like vegetables, fruit etc rather than via supplements.
Minerals and Vitamins
Vitamin D and Calcium- they are highly capable of fighting against colon cancer. Milk, yoghurt, salmon, dark green leafy vegetables, cheese, sardines, salmon etc act as a great source of calcium whereas fortified cow’s milk, chicken livers, egg yolks, salmon and sunlight before 10a.m and after 3p.m act as a perfect source to generate Vitamin D.
Folic Acid
It helps in maintaining the health of RBC, framing new tissues & cells and hence acting as a strong weapon against cancer. Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruit etc contains great amount of folic acid. It is good to add it in your regular diet. Researchers though have not proved the usage of the folic acid supplements as an anti-cancer agent rather it is known to foster the cancer risk.
Your colon and fiber
A conflict is still in process among the researchers whether fiber possesses the protective effects against colorectal cancer but it is proved that it helps to foster the flow of waste product and hence improves overall health. Potential toxic waste gets no time to connect with intestinal cells due to presence of fiber in your diet. It also helps to detoxify the substance that could cause cancer and do not allow these substances to grab by intestine. Prunes, legumes, fresh vegetables, whole grain cereals, brown rice, breads etc are enriched in fiber.
Phytochemicals
Non- nutrient substances (phytochemicals) are known to work wonders while fighting against cancer. The substances like terpenes, flavonoids etc are present in plant foods like soybeans, cabbage, peppers, broccoli, citrus fruits, tomato, berries etc and are non nutrient in nature and helps to fight against cancer.
Follow these instructions
Apart from eating healthy food, remember these points:
Consume more of plant source food
Avoid practicing non-vegetarian diet
Control the high fat foods, especially that comes from animal
Try to maintain a decent weight
Control the intake of alcohol
Remember your colorectal cancer specialist could direct you best so before concluding anything visits him to know what is best for you!
