Yes, we are what we eat. For many, this expression, which is attributed to the German philosopher and anthropologist Ludwig Feuerbach, may be too trite, but the reality is that the decisions we make in relation to our diet are a determining factor for our general well-being and, most importantly, the time to prevent or treat any disease.
It is not the only factor that can put our health in check – genetic susceptibility, polluting agents and microorganisms are also responsible – but it is the only one over which we can exercise some control.
And that is the fight of the health system, to reduce the rates of malnutrition among patients because this hinders their healing. We see it in cancer patients. In 40% of the cases that are diagnosed, the patient suffers from some type of malnutrition and the figure grows to 80% in the most advanced cases. This not only implies a worsening of their quality of life, it also hinders the success of the treatment and has a very negative impact on their healing.
This is why the Local Audiovisual Network – together with several reference institutions in oncology, nutrition and research such as the Alicia Foundation, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, the Research Institute Sanitària Pere Virgili and the University of Barcelona – has drawn up a guide that includes advice and dietary guidelines for cancer patients.
A document that includes everything from content that helps break myths about diet and cancer to recipes designed to mitigate loss of hunger, nausea or distortion of taste and other side effects that appear with the disease or as a consequence of cancer treatment.
Beyond paying attention to the food we eat, avoiding the consumption of toxic substances such as alcohol or tobacco and, ultimately, reducing everything that does not nourish us, the guide also focuses on the eating habit itself. She recommends doing it several times a day, calmly and, if possible, in company. And doctors insist, the better nourished and accompanied the patient is, the more likely they will be to overcome the disease satisfactorily.
The contents of the project will be broadcast through local radio and television stations in La Xarxa and can be accessed through the website menjardurantelcancer.cat.