By David Haas
Make sure you have plenty of iron in your diet
This is the second installment in a 3 week series covering nutrition tips for beating out nausea, bruising and hair Loss. Today, we’ll cover bruising.
The treatments that often follow a cancer diagnosis can be just as intimidating as the diagnosis itself. Chemotherapy and radiation, commonly used in the fight against cancer, often have harsh side effects that interfere with everyday life. When used properly, a nutritious diet can help minimize the impact of these side effects.
Chemo, regardless of if it is for breast cancer or mesothelioma, can cause low platelet counts, which can lead to bruising, bleeding and anemia. To help maintain a healthy platelet count, eat an iron-rich diet by choosing foods such as red meats, leafy vegetables and fish. You can also look for iron-enriched breads and pastas that contain at least 20 percent of your daily value for iron. Calcium, while beneficial in many ways, hinders your body's ability to absorb iron. For this reason, you may not want to take calcium and iron supplements at the same time.
While a nutritious diet may not cure cancer, it certainly goes a long way to ease some of the troublesome side effects commonly associated with treatment. Even though the possible reactions can be tough, you can manage them with an appropriate diet. Join us next week when we'll conclude the series by talking about how to prevent hair loss.
About the Author:
Joining the MCA in 2011, David Haas is the Director of Awareness Programs. In addition to researching much of the information available to our site’s visitors, David often blogs about programs available and campaigns underway at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance. David is a fitness enthusiast who frequently runs, climbs, and bikes for enjoyment. He is also very involved in outreach associated with awareness about the dangers of asbestos for many different organizations and groups of people.
Read more: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/david/bio.htm#ixzz2PVMlj2OR
