Blood cancer affects production and function blood cells . Blood is produced in the bone marrow, where most blood cancers originate. The three types of blood cells that mature and develop from bone marrow stem cells are red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Uncontrolled growth of an abnormal type of blood cell interrupts the process of development of normal blood cells in most blood cancers. Blood functions, such as fighting infections and preventing serious bleeding, are limited by the action of mutated blood cells.
Three main types of blood cancer
Blood cancer can usually be divided into three types:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that fights infections. Abnormal lymphocytes become lymphoma cells, which multiply and accumulate in lymph nodes and other tissues. These cancer cells gradually worsen the immune system.
Leukemia
The rapid production of abnormal white blood cells causes a type of leukemia called cancer that is found in the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia can be acute or chronic. Immediate treatment of chronic leukemia is necessary, which progresses more slowly than acute leukemia.
Many patients with acute leukemia have successfully responded to conventional treatments. In chronic leukemia, cells tend to divide slowly due to better treatment with targeted therapies. Participation in a clinical trial offers some patients access to experimental therapies, so it is always good to talk to a doctor and find out whether joining a clinical trial is good or not.
Leukemia is classified as lymphocytic or myelogenous. Lymphocytic leukemia means abnormal growth of cells that develop in the marrow into lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell that play a role in the immune system. Abnormal cell growth that occurs in the bone marrow that later matures into white blood cells is called myelogenous leukemia.
The four main classifications of leukemia are:
- Acute myelogenous leukemia
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Leukemia can occur in both adults and children. Symptoms of leukemia can vary depending on the type and stage, and include headache, enlarged liver and spleen, fever, night sweats and other flu-like symptoms, bone pain, weight loss, pallor, and red spots on the skin. swollen or bleeding tonsils, gums, weakness and fatigue.
Natural leukemia treatment and nutrition
If you are a patient or caregiver of a person with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), you may be wondering: What dietary guidelines should a patient with CML follow? In this article, we give some recommendations, which in many cases are similar to those that should be followed by everyone with a chronic disease, but in others it includes specific advice for people with oncohematological changes. Derived from some symptoms of pathology – although the patient does not always feel them – and from the treatment itself, it is normal to feel tired, worried and with little appetite. Feeding recommendations will always depend on the stage of the pathology, and your hematologist will guide you through the program separately. Nevertheless, a good diet and a healthy routine are key aspects of dealing with the disease, so we give you some guidelines to make it easier for you.
Some of the general dietary tips to follow are the following:
Eat 5 meals a day, making sure they are foods with a high nutritional value. If you are not too hungry, start small, but do not skip meals.
Use cooking techniques, such as steam, oven … Avoid frying food.
Eat moderate fats, especially those of animal origin.
Drink plenty of fluids and, if possible, between meals, not during meals, because you will feel bloated.
Practice good food handling procedures, wash fresh products properly and peel fruits.
Here are some more specific tips if you find yourself in one of the following stages of CML treatment
As we have commented in other articles, the main treatment in cases of CML detected in the chronic phase are tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This presents several side effects compared to other forms of more aggressive cancer treatment, but among them are fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting or hypertension.
Therefore, you should adjust your diet to the doctor’s instructions and taking into account the following tips:
Eat a nutritious but indecent diet. Try to use healthy cooking methods.
Eat healthy fats, such as olive oil.
Eat protein from chicken, turkey or white fish. Avoid red meat and sour foods, alcohol, coffee or spicy foods.
Get used to cooking without or with a little salt in meals, this way you will favor the control of hypertension.
In some cases, with increasingly rare advances in treatment, a patient with CML requires a bone marrow transplant. If this is your case, the following diet tips can help.
After a bone marrow transplant, infections in the intestinal mucosa – one of the main side effects of cancer treatment and known as mucositis – must be prevented from entering the bloodstream, so a diet low in bacteria is recommended. It consists of eating all the food that has been cooked or, if not cooked, to be properly washed and peeled.
You should not eat cheese, milk, eggs, smoked food, undercooked meat, raw fish or bottled water, among other things.
At this point in your treatment, your medical team will best give you some dietary guidelines that suit your physical condition.
If you suffer from mucositis, which is a common problem, it is good to follow these tips:
Maximize dental and oral hygiene by rinsing with saline every 2-4 hours. Avoid rinsing your mouth with alcohol.
Avoid sour, spicy or too hot food.
Follow a diet and increase your intake of fluids and cold foods.
Keep your mouth cool with the help of ice cubes, cold water, ice cream, which can prevent pain and ulcers on the mouth.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma affects the lymphatic system and results in excessive removal of fluid from the body and the formation of immune cells. The two categories of lymphoma are Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Hodgkin’s lymphoma is found in people with lymphoma that is about 12%. Once considered fatal, it has now been turned into a curable condition thanks to rupture research.
Most non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas are B-cell lymphomas, which are able to grow rapidly (high grade) or slowly (low grade). There are 14 types of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The remaining are T-cell lymphomas named after various cancerous white blood cells or lymphocytes.
Symptoms of lymphoma include fever, weight loss, difficulty breathing or chest pain, rash, itchy skin, weakness and fatigue, sweating, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin.
Natural Remedies For Lymphoma
As with most diseases, there are natural remedies for treating lymphoma. Traditional treatments include traditional chemotherapy, radiotherapy and, in the most advanced cases, transplantation. When the treatment is over, there can be three different situations. The first is that the treatment did not work properly, so the doctor will be in charge of determining the next treatment that will follow. Another situation is that the patient partially responds to the treatment and, finally, a positive and complete response to the treatment. However, these natural remedies can also be used to promote the effectiveness of the treatment.
DIET
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain weight, it is true that diet plays a fundamental role in the treatment of all types of diseases. The diet recommended as one of the natural remedies for treating lymphoma should be of good taste and smell in order to avoid any type of nausea that occurs as a result of chemotherapy. Also, to avoid this problem, it is recommended that meals be distributed in small amounts throughout the day. As for the type of food, you should avoid the one that makes it difficult for the body to absorb or that is too dry or irritating.
In short, we must follow a varied and balanced diet, so that we can be rich in antioxidants so that they cleanse our body, which includes foods with a contribution of energy and protein.
HERBAL MEDICINE
Phytotherapy has become one of the natural remedies for the treatment of lymphoma that complements the usual treatments and which must be followed by guidelines set by a doctor or specialist. In this way, we find plants, such as astragaulus, that help us develop the immune system. However, with this type of herbal product, we must keep in mind that they do not include echinacea, because it can facilitate the development of a carcinogenic agent in our body.
On the other hand, there are a number of relaxation techniques that help us reduce the pain caused by lymphoma. These can be illustrations, acupuncture treatments or even relaxing massages. Faced with such situations, the most appropriate behavior would be exercise to improve the body’s strength, and even supplement it with a balanced and varied diet.
SMELLS AND FLAVORS
Chemotherapy produces unpleasant tastes and odors that can become annoying, cause vomiting and leave a bad taste in the mouth. For that reason, you can try to beautify aromas with spices or mild sauces, and scents with different essences that are more pleasant for the patient. Although we will discuss this in more detail below, we assume that ginger also helps reduce these unpleasant consequences.
MOUTH GUIDE
To eliminate ulcers that can appear in the mouth, it is recommended, among other things, to use mouthwash without alcohol or any infusion of chamomile, sage.
STOP SMOKING
If you have cancer, adding carcinogens to your body is always a bad idea, especially if you already have a form of cancer such as lymphoma. Smoking also weakens the immune system and increases the chances of chronic diseases, so you must eliminate that habit.
REDUCE STRESS
Stress hormones can be useful in certain environments, but also dangerous in others, especially if they are constantly present in the body.
Having stress or the presence of stress hormones in your body can deplete your metabolism, reduce energy levels and have more serious consequences. If you can reduce stress with meditation or yoga, it will allow you to eliminate excess cortisol in the body and thus help you heal if you already have lymphoma.
REDUCE ALCOHOL
Excessive alcohol intake weakens the body, but not only that, but alcohol can endanger your immune system and make you more susceptible to chronic diseases and cancer such as lymphoma.
SUNBATHING
Vitamin D from sunlight is by far the best home remedy for treating lymphoma, because you only need a walk outside to soak up the benefits of the sun. Vitamin D actively eliminates many of the symptoms of NHL, so although it is not always easy, taking a good dose of the sun can help keep cancer at bay.
JOD
It is known that iodine directly attacks cancer cells, so taking iodine supplements is suitable for all types of cancer. You can also increase your iodine intake by adding iodine-rich foods such as yogurt, beans, cheese and potatoes.
And speaking of food, let’s see now which foods can also help us in the treatment of lymphoma.
THE BEST FOOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHOMA
In this situation, changes in our body are detected when consuming a number of foods, so below we leave you the best food for the treatment of lymphoma. It is best to consult with your specialist about the diet that is indicated for your case and in that way put all situations and consequences on the table.
REISHI MUSHROOMS
Reishi mushrooms are one of the best foods for treating lymphoma. Just pouring five drops into a glass of water and drinking it is enough to prevent the appearance of lymphoma in our body, according to a series of studies on that. Also, it not only helps in prevention, but significantly slows down the spread of lymphoma in our body.
PARSLEY
If we put boiled primrose in a liter of water, we will help our body to refuse the development of epithelium and, in that way, the body will be protected from lymphomas and their spread. You can consume this infusion during the day.
GREEN TEA
Due to its anticancer properties, which are produced by catechins and epicatechins, green tea is one of the best foods for more effective treatment of existing lymphoma, in addition to providing many other properties to our body. A cup of green tea a day is recommended to strengthen our defenses.
GINGER
One of the roots that have recently been introduced into our diet and make up one of the most commonly consumed roots today is ginger. Taking ginger tea has been confirmed as one of the best foods for treating lymphoma. The best thing is that this infusion lasts for us during the day, and even when it gets cold. This root helps us to control the nausea caused by chemotherapy, as well as to strengthen the immune system of our body.
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
As always, “good” cholesterol is on this list of home remedies. Eating omega-3 fatty acids, which are present in some types of fish, can help protect you from many conditions that can lead to lymphoma. In addition, a boosted immune system and the antioxidant behavior of certain omega-3 acids will help you stay cancer-free.
OLIVE LEAF
Lymphomas are basically tumors, and one of the best herbal extracts for tumor removal is olive leaf extract. Although herbal supplements are not the most commonly found, polyphenols and flavonoids in olive leaf extract are extremely important in defending your body against cancer.
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole grains are effective in fighting lymphoma. They contain abundant amounts of minerals, vitamins and other antioxidants that strengthen the immune system. For example, whole grains contain selenium, an essential vitamin that supports the immune system and general bodily functions, helping to produce blood cells. Adding whole grains such as spelled, bulgur, millet, oatmeal, wheat, wild rice, brown rice and barley to your diet will help you deal with lymphoma.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Like whole grains, vegetables and fruits contain a host of antioxidants that can protect your immune system from free radicals caused by diseases such as lymphoma. For example, most fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants such as vitamins A and vitamin C . They also contain fiber that can satisfy your appetite and eliminate unwanted waste from the body. For best results, eat oranges, apples, spinach, mustard, greens, grapefruit, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, broccoli, kale, carrots and green leafy vegetables.
HEALTHY FATS
Healthy fats, such as those in fish and nuts, are useful for patients with lymphoma. Monounsaturated fats provide nutrients for building and maintaining cells in the body. Polyunsaturated fats are important for the growth, development and function of the brain. They also contain nutrients such as omega-3, which can regulate the cardiovascular system. Therefore, you can include healthy cooking oils in your regular diet, such as olive oil and canola oil. Examples of foods with healthy fats include sardines, walnuts, almonds, herring, seafood, macadamia nuts, mackerel, tuna, lake trout, flaxseed and salmon.
WATER
Consuming adequate amounts of water is important for patients with lymphomas, and it is advisable to drink at least six glasses of water a day. Water cleanses your body of toxins and acts as a solvent, chemically combining, transporting and breaking down proteins, salts, carbohydrates, fats and other substances. For best results, make sure the water is filtered and free of contaminants.
Myeloma
Plasma cell cancer is myeloma. White blood cells known as plasma cells in the body produce antibodies against diseases and infections. Myeloma cell proliferation affects the normal production and function of red and white blood cells. Renal damage can be caused by an abnormally large amount of these dysfunctional antibodies in the bloodstream.
Myeloma cells are known to produce a substance that can cause bone destruction, resulting in a fracture or pain. The soft tissues in the bones are the marrow, in which myeloma cells are formed. In the body, myeloma cells travel through the bloodstream and sometimes accumulate in other bones. This disease is generally called multiple myeloma, because it often occurs in many places in the spinal cord.
Symptoms and signs of myeloma include anemia (decreased number of red blood cells), kidney damage (kidney failure), weight loss hypercalcaemia (excessive calcium in the blood), susceptibility to infections, osteoporosis, bone pain, swelling or fracture of the bones, and high protein levels. blood and / or urine. Myeloma is more common in men who are exposed to radiation, work in the oil industries, are over 50 years old and are obese.
The following options are available for the treatment of myeloma: chemotherapy, immunomodulators (drugs that target specific areas of the immune system) and drugs for the treatment of anemia, radiation therapy, stem cell transplantation and participation in the study. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor and find out if a clinical assessment is the right option to follow when you are diagnosed with myeloma.
Natural treatment of multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a common bone cancer that affects the plasma cells in the bone marrow responsible for producing antibodies. Myeloma cells multiply to generate excess plasma cells and possibly an excessive number of abnormal proteins in the blood. The resulting health problems can affect the bones, kidneys and immune system. There are several natural treatments for multiple myeloma that can be used in conjunction with various medical treatments.
Relaxation techniques
Many relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga help reduce stress. This can help alleviate the symptoms of multiple myeloma and the side effects of more common treatments. Massage therapy can also be used to relax and alleviate anxiety.
Acupuncture
Chemotherapy and cancer surgery can cause pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Studies show that acupuncture can help reduce these side effects. Insomnia and muscle aches are often symptoms of multiple myeloma that can be relieved with acupuncture.
Aromatherapy
The use of essential oils is most often associated with relieving stress and improving mood. When taken internally, some essential oils such as grapefruit and lemon may have the ability to boost the immune system.
Herbal therapy
Many plants promote the ability to help with immunity. Studies are underway to investigate turmeric, for its positive effects on multiple myeloma. Some sources believe that it can stop the spread of cancer by activating apoptosis or programmed cell death within cancer cells.
Warning
People with multiple myeloma should not consume melatonin due to its effect on immunity. Care must be taken to prevent hypercalcaemia when using calcium. Do not use essential oils or herbs without information about their effects and contraindications with your healthcare provider, as they may have side effects with some prescription drugs. Not all essential oils are safe for internal use.
