During your treatment, it will sometimes seem difficult to maintain a perfect nutritional(food) balance. Yet even if it does not cure cancer, diet is real support for therapy. What are the foods to favor? Are there foods to be banned?

Do not Neglect a Balanced Diet

Contributing to the general well-being of the patient, food also makes it possible to strengthen his immune defenses, sometimes damaged by treatments. Thus, the doctor must take care, as much as possible, of your food. Think of :

• Eat at least three meals daily;
• Have a varied and balanced diet;
• Don’t eat on the go but take your time;
• Limit foods that are too fatty or too sweet;
• Drink enough during the day.

We know in particular that certain food aversions can lead to weight loss. These phenomena are the cause of significant fatigue, which can undermine the quality of life when they are not themselves the cause of a lack of interest in food. Do not fall into this vicious circle.

Choose Protein-Rich Foods

During your treatment, your appetite will most certainly be disturbed. To better assess the consequences, periodically monitor your weight. If there is a large variation, talk to your doctor. In the event of weight loss, the National League Against Cancer recommends:

• Favor enriched dishes;
• Split food intakes;
• Increase calorie intake by consuming more butter, cream, mayonnaise, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, jam, honey.
• Choose foods rich in protein (eggs, dairy products, meat and fish, cereals), which provide strength and energy while helping you keep your weight.

This last recommendation is particularly linked to the fact that fatigue is often linked to weight loss in terms of muscle mass. By favoring proteins, you allow your muscles to rebuild and thus regain physical activity, which will undoubtedly facilitate better social reintegration. Also, avoid skipping meals and, if so, consider compensating. If this phenomenon tends to repeat itself for lack of appetite, speak to your doctor. He may offer you nutritional supplements, some of which are reimbursed by Social Security.

If, on the contrary, you have gained weight (mainly the following chemotherapy), do not start a diet on your own. Again, medical advice is essential: this is not the time to weaken your body.

Surgery, Radiotherapy, and Chemotherapy

After Surgical Treatment

only certain operations require a special diet because of their location. Thus, in case of intervention in the mouth of the pharynx or esophagus, the absorption of solid food is difficult for several weeks. You will most certainly need to favor a liquid diet, purees, compotes, and minced meat before gradually returning to a normal diet. For anatomical reasons, an ablation or reduction of the stomach will have consequences.

In this pocket, normally stays the food bowl before undergoing various transformations. To avoid creating “digestive congestion,” be sure to favor small fractional meals while avoiding foods that can cause flatulence. Finally, a colostomy – a surgical procedure consisting of creating an artificial opening between the colon and the abdomen (artificial anus) – the diet must take care not to disturb your intestinal transit. Diarrhea or constipation are enemies to avoid!

After Chemotherapy(or Radiotherapy of the Upper Digestive Tract)

swallowing is made difficult. It is therefore asked to favor so-called neutral foods (minced meat, compote, dairy products, pasta, water, or even small pots) and to avoid foods that may further darken the picture, such as excessively acidic foods (lemon, grape fruit). too dry (bread, chicken.), too crunchy (crisps, rice.) drinks that are too hot, too cold or too spicy, as well as alcoholic drinks.

After Radiation Therapy

It is common for patients to experience some dry mouth. To counter this, be sure to drink lots of water, rinse your mouth frequently with a bicarbonate solution prescribed by your doctor. To prevent this dryness from being accompanied by canker sores or irritation, adopt impeccable oral hygiene.

Special case: if your treatment requires corticosteroid therapy (treatment based on cortisone or its derivatives), your diet will be base on a salt-free diet.

Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Constipation

Chemotherapy and some radiation therapies can cause nausea or vomiting. Because these reactions are often the result of hypersensitivity to certain odors, it is best to compose your menus based on dishes that do not have strong odors or too many spices. Little tip: lukewarm or cold meals often cause fewer nausea reactions. Think about it. If you cannot keep what you eat, your doctor will suggest suitable anti-nausea treatments.

Treatment can disrupt your body’s digestive and absorption functions. This has the unfortunate consequence of causing diarrhea or constipation more frequently. To avoid dehydration linked to the first, remember to hydrate yourself regularly. In the case of constipation, good hydration is also an essential pillar. To facilitate your transit, you can (unless contraindicated) opt for foods rich in fiber, green vegetables, or the famous prunes!

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that usually affects the joints and is suffered by 1% of the world population. However, rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the lungs directly and indirectly.

Up to 50% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis show extra-articular changes, such as changes in the heart, lungs, kidneys, blood, and even the nervous system.In this article, we will explain how rheumatoid arthritis can affect the lungs, the symptoms it produces, and its treatment.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-lasting autoimmune inciting disease. It usually occurs at any age, but it is more common in middle age, between 40-50 years, and in women.

It is an autoimmune disease because our body loses tolerance towards our tissues and attacks them as if they were foreign, causing them to deteriorate. This technically translates to the appearance of autoantigens our tissues that are attacked by auto antibodies defenses that attack our cells. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease capable of affecting any organ that expresses autoantigens.

Despite being able to move any organ, the involvement of rheumatoid arthritis predominates in the joints, specifically in its synovial membrane. This is a layer that wraps around the joint and nourishes it since inside the joint. There are no blood vessels that provide nutrients. Due to the attack of our immune system, the synovial membrane becomes chronically inflamed and destroys the cartilage of the joint. If left untreated, it leads to damage to the bone.

Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect the Lungs?

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any structure that makes up the lung: the pleura, airways, blood vessels, respiratory muscles, and the lung itself. The process by which lung involvement occurs is unknown. However, it observed that various factors might intervene, such as:

• The genetic predisposition of the person.
• Immune disorders that occur in the body.
• Environmental factors, such as tobacco.

For example, men ages 50-70 with more active rheumatoid arthritis, and a history of smoking are more likely to develop lung problems.

The pulmonary affectation by rheumatoid arthritis can present in different ways, as we will see next.

Interstitial Lung Disease or PID

The most frequent form of presentation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the lung is interstitial lung disease (EPI). It estimated that in patients with RA, up to 58% might have PID.

The lung in a healthy person is elastic to allow its expansion every time the person inhales air. However, in PID, the lung becomes inflamed and fibrous, causing a loss of elasticity. This causes it not to expand correctly and the patient to not breathe well.

Additionally, PID can damage nearby structures, such as the airways and blood vessels, further worsening the patient’s choking symptoms.

Pulmonary Hypertension

This entity is more frequent than expected and occurs in 30% of patients with RA. It is usually asymptomatic and is a consequence of the evolution of PID.

Under normal conditions, the right side of the heart pumps blood through the lungs, where it collects oxygen. The fluid body returns the left side of the heart, from where it directed to the rest of the body.

Due to PID, the lung becomes increasingly rigid, causing the pulmonary vessels to become obstructed and unable to carry much blood. When this happens, the pressure builds up, causing pulmonary hypertension.

Lung Disease Induced by RA Treatment

Many of the drugs used in RA are associated with lung injury as an adverse effect. This adverse effect, especially, was seen in the use of methotrexate. Which is an immunomodulator and anti-inflammatory. These drugs cause fibrosis of the lungs.

Pleural Disease

The pleura is two layers that surround the lung and separate it from the rest of the tissues. Pleural involvement is a frequent manifestation of lung disease in RA. According to a study on RA and its relationship with the lung carried out in 2008 :

“The occurrence of pleural involvement is expected to be 5%, though only 20% of patients have signs connected to the pleural disease. And 40 to 75% of pleural connection reported in autopsy series.”

This affectation causes the pleura to fill with fluid continuously and have to drain; that is, put a tube that connects the outside with the pleura to remove the liquid.

Rheumatoid Nodules

Small lumps can form in the lungs, known as pulmonary rheumatoid nodules. Lung nodules generally have no signs or symptoms and do not pose a risk of lung cancer.

However, in some cases, cavities can occur within a nodule, which can be superinfected and create communication with other tissues, spreading the infection.

Airway

The air passages through which air enters and leaves, that is, the bronchi, bronchioles, and alveolar sacs, can be affected. They are constantly attacked by the immune system, causing them to thicken and occlude, preventing air passage.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Disease by RA

If you have rheumatoid arthritis and have respiratory symptoms, you need to see your doctor. An example of these symptoms may be shortness of breath that cannot be explained by another cause.

The diagnosis mainly based on imaging tests, clinical signs, respiratory function tests, and biopsy, a piece of the lung analyzed under a microscope.

Treatment of lung involvement involves continuity with rheumatoid arthritis medication. However, if the lung involvement is caused precisely by this medication, it should be removed and replaced with one that does not have lung toxicity.

To date, cancer remains one of the largest causes of death—taking second place to heart disease—in the United States. There are many types of cancers and, thus, risk factors that make a person more likely to develop the disease. To give you an idea of possible causes, here is the list of possible culprits behind the notorious killer.

1. Tobacco Smoking

Tobacco smoking involves products containing natural ingredients such as tobacco leaves. However, there are also other additives like cigarettes that give it flavor. These chemicals are known to contribute to the development of cancer. Some of these chemicals are nicotine, ammonia, Hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, benzene, and lead. Not only do these have cancer-causing properties, but they can also contribute to lung and heart diseases.

2. Prescription Drugs

FDA-approved medication is supposed to be safe when taken orally. What most people don’t know is that some can also contribute to the growth of cancer cells. While there is still research going on, experts have already classified cancer-causing drugs into three categories: hormone therapeutic drugs, diabetes medication, and immunosuppressive therapy. Some examples include fluoxetine, losartan, and Zantac.

Zantac, a drug produced to treat ulcers, minimizes the production of stomach acid. The drug has been taken off the market because of the dangers of taking Zantac. The FDA has recently begun investigating the drug because of the exceedingly high traces of the impurity called N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a probable carcinogen. NDMA can cause cancers in the brain, bladder, breast, colorectal region, lung, ovaries, and more.

Patients who used Zantac and were diagnosed with stomach or esophagus cancer may qualify to file a Zantac cancer lawsuit against the manufacturers. As many patients consulted lawyers to claim compensation, Zantac has been banned in several parts of the world.

3. Diet

While food is supposed to be nourishing, any chemical additives can make food dangerous to your health. Scientists have studied chemical additives to food. It was found that some of them are potentially cancerous. One chemical, acrylamide, can be found both in tobacco and food. Animal studies involving the chemical proved that it could be transformed in the body as glycidamide that can damage DNA and raise cancer risk.

Certain processed foods also contain Nitrosodimethylamine such as beer, cheeses, bacon, and cured meats. According to Drug Injury News, NDMA can cause cancers of the blood, prostate, pancreatic, and thyroid disorders. It’s also found in Zantac that has been removed from the market for its cancer-causing component.

4. Genetics or Family History

Cancers are the result of genetic mutations. One person can be born with it or have it occur after birth. One family can also carry different types of cancers in their genetic pool. Exposure to harmful toxins could alter cells that have been born and turn into cancerous cells. Simultaneously, there’s also a theory that when stem cells become defective, they also produce cancer cells.

Lynch syndrome is one example that poses a risk of getting cancer because those with this ailment cannot repair damages to their DNA. In turn, one can develop certain types of cancers in the body.

5. Excessive Sun Exposure

Outdoor activities are generally good for the health as it allows you to be more active, but too much sun is bad because of harmful UV rays. Artificially made tanning devices are just as bad, if not worse, as they produce UV light. They can cause skin cancers such as squamous cell and basal cell cancers. For these types of cancers, those with fair skin, light eyes, fair and red hair are more at risk. Melanoma, another form of skin cancer is likely to occur with those who have large moles.

6. Bacteria

Specific types of bacteria can also cause cancer. The Helicobacter pylori can lead to ulcers for those with infections in the stomach. It can lead to stomach cancer, which is one of the most common cancer types globally. The bacteria are spread through contaminated food and water. It can also spread through mouth-to-mouth contact.

Another type is the Chlamydia trachomatis, a sexually-transmitted bacteria that can affect the female reproductive organs. Only through a pelvic exam that carriers can find out if they have the symptoms. Human papillomavirus, another STI, can potentially cause cervical cancer.

7. Chemotherapy and Radiation

Cancer treatments help a patient go into remission, but most people are unaware that the patient can also develop second cancer later on because of the same treatments.

Chemotherapy drugs are linked to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Unfortunately, the longer the treatment and the higher the doses of chemotherapy agents make the patient more susceptible to developing these two cancers years later.

It’s also why there are currently cutting-edge cancer treatments that can also help the body without experiencing adverse effects. Nanorobots, stem cells, and even specific viruses and bacteria are now being utilized as alternatives.

8. Asbestos Fibers

If you work with industrial-grade materials, you may be working with asbestos as it accounts for less than 1% of specific products’ raw materials. At that amount, it is safe to use—however, at exceeding percentages, it can potentially cause cancer. Asbestos is made up of heat-resistant flexible fibers. It is used on cement, cloth, and paper. Those who work near asbestos must wear protective gear like masks as it can remain trapped in the body when inhaled or swallowed. This substance can cause mesothelioma, a type of cancer, as well as inflammation and genetic damage that could also lead to cancer.

9. Alcohol

Alcohol drinkers are not only compromising sobriety and safety on the road. Overconsumption of alcohol is also linked to six types of cancer at the mouth, throat, liver, breast, colon/rectum, and esophagus. When the body breaks down alcohol, it becomes acetaldehyde which damages DNA. Cells can go haywire through this anomaly and can become cancerous.

Bottom-line

Cancer growth is related to genetic anomalies to outside forces like over-exposure to UV rays and bacteria. But while some causes of cancers are out of our control, it’s still worth it to exercise, eat healthy foods, and quit vices that can harm the body. Many cancers can develop in anyone. Early detection can help curb the symptoms and better your chances of beating the disease.