Foods to Avoid for Hypertension

Chemotherapy is a method of treating malignant cancer with drugs that have a toxic effect on the body, thereby inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. Chemistry is an effective, but quite aggressive method of treatment that negatively affects the entire body. To reduce side effects and quickly recover after treatment, patients are advised to follow a special diet.

Nutrition after chemotherapy for cancer

Chemotherapy causes side effects associated with the destruction of drugs not only on cancer cells, but also healthy cells, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract and other organs, and the removal from the body of microelements that ensure the full functionality of all organs and systems.

Tips for nutrition during chemotherapy, as well as after it:

• eating up to 6 times a day, but only in small portions;
• preference is given to easily digestible food with increased nutritional value;
• add foods that the patient prefers to the diet;
• chew food thoroughly;
• the liquid should be consumed 40–60 minutes after meals;
• hot/cold and spicy foods are undesirable;
• You should eat when you feel hungry (with moderate frequency).

A properly selected diet after chemotherapy for cancer patients helps to quickly restore the lack of minerals and vitamins, normalize the functioning of the digestive tract and other systems. The positive effect is also manifested in a decrease in the severity of the adverse reaction to the chemistry. Patients who have had an easier time with chemotherapy also have a positive psychological attitude towards the treatment of a serious illness.

Benefit

The subcutaneous fat layer contains a large amount of nutrients, vitamins and macroelements.

Fatty acids contribute to:

• Proper metabolism;
• Cleansing blood vessels from cholesterol;
• Removing harmful toxins from the liver;
• Improving kidney function;
• Charge the body with energy;
• Prevention of cancer and pulmonary diseases;
• Cleansing the body of radionuclides.

Adequate intake of lard helps improve immunity, proper functioning of the stomach and cardiovascular system. Nutritionists advise eating bacon in the first half of the day.

What food to choose after chemotherapy

Chemotherapy requires preparation, maintenance and recovery of the body. The diet can be recommended by your doctor at each of these stages.

Nutrition during chemotherapy for oncology is divided into three groups based on dietary characteristics.

1. Before chemotherapy.
2. During chemotherapy.
3. After chemotherapy treatment.

The first stage of dietary nutrition may be necessary to prepare the body for the aggressive effects of anticancer drugs. The second stage involves following dietary recommendations to maintain body function and alleviate adverse reactions. After chemotherapy, special nutrition is required to eliminate the effects of treatment, restore the condition of all organs and systems, and remove toxic substances from the body.

Recommended product groups

Eating after chemotherapy involves following a healthy diet. This means choosing energy-dense and balanced foods. At the same time, special attention is paid to diversity. Experts recommend using natural products from all food categories for cooking.

Benefits of foods by food group.

1. Cereals. Must be included in a balanced diet. Grains provide the body with vitamins (group B), carbohydrates and dietary fiber, which improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. Vegetables, herbs and fruits. An integral part of the daily diet for a healthy diet, especially after chemotherapy. Products in this group contain trace elements and essential vitamins, flavonoids and antioxidants that help restore damaged cells and regenerate new ones.
3. Dairy products. Lactic acid products are considered one of the main elements of complete nutrition during chemistry. They contain lacto- and bifidobacteria, which increase the body's resistance, improve the condition and functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the intoxication effect.
4. Protein. Another important group of products. It includes eggs, nuts, beans, white poultry, seafood and fish. Including them in the diet will help saturate the body with microelements, protein and vitamins.
5. Oils and fats. These are not classic foods that are consumed by a healthy person. This group includes products enriched with Omega 3/6 polyunsaturated acids. They have an antitumor effect, reducing the growth of cancer cells, so their use is most important. The group includes: nuts, flaxseed, flax oil, sunflower oil, olive oil and wheat germ oil, black cumin oil, fish oil, etc.

When preparing a diet after cancer chemotherapy, the specialist takes into account not only the patient’s condition after treatment, but also the need for dietary habits in case of possible concomitant diseases.

Example of a daily meal plan and foods to include in your diet

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that those seeking a healthier diet make gradual changes to their diet.

You can start by cutting out junk food every week or gradually eat smaller portions.

This table shows how many servings of different foods you should include per day based on the number of calories (kcal) consumed:

For example, during the day you can eat the following foods:

• Breakfast: Whole grain toast with fruit and a glass of milk or oatmeal with fruit.
• Lunch: grilled chicken with a side dish or a plate of quinoa and a portion of fruit.
• Afternoon snack: fruits, vegetables, cheese, whole grain pasta or bread, fruit and vegetable smoothie.
• Dinner: Whole grain pasta, eggs and vegetables or fruits or nuts with lean meats such as chicken and a few fruit sides.

Is it possible to eat before chemotherapy?

To make it easier for the body to tolerate chemotherapy, it is necessary to prepare the body for the load. In addition to treating existing diseases (if possible), taking prescribed medications and other measures that are indicated by the doctor as the most important, diet should be adjusted.

Diet features are determined individually. In most cases, oncologists advise eliminating “heavy” foods, alcohol and a number of harmful foods 1–2 weeks before chemotherapy. Also, to improve all clinical indicators, it is recommended to eat foods containing large amounts of microelements and vitamins.

A pressing question for cancer patients is whether to eat before chemotherapy or not? On the day of the procedure, you need to have breakfast, but not too much and the food should be easily digestible. The day before chemotherapy and on the day it is performed, it is advisable to take a large amount of water.

Daily Habits

A number of lifestyle changes can help lower blood pressure and improve heart health, including:

• to give up smoking
• achieving or maintaining a moderate weight
• Finding stress management strategies, such as meditation or journaling

If possible, you should also exercise. Some may need to start small and then gradually work their way up to more vigorous activities.

You can also ask your doctor about taking medications for hypertension.

Nutrition during chemotherapy treatment

It is most important to support the body during chemotherapy. During this period, the patient may completely refuse to eat due to lack of appetite, stomach pain, intestinal dysfunction, deterioration of general condition and other side effects. A properly selected diet will help restore strength, normalize the gastrointestinal tract, alleviate the psycho-emotional state and reduce the severity of the adverse reaction.

Recommended products during chemotherapy:

• poultry, eggs, seafood, legumes, fish;
• flour products, cereal porridges;
• cheese, kefir, butter and cottage cheese;
• berries, herbs, fruits and vegetables;
• honey, sweeteners.

The presence of concomitant diseases that may have restrictions on the consumption of any products should be taken into account.

It is not advisable to use during chemistry:

• fast foods and semi-finished products;
• smoked meats;
• marinades;
• hot and highly spicy dishes;
• grilled meat;
• canned food

To increase appetite, it is recommended to eat: parsley, ginger, dill or cumin. The food consumed should be of a soft consistency to avoid injury to the stomach, the formation of fermentation and stagnation in the stomach.

Increases or decreases blood pressure

Fat increases blood pressure. This is a salty product and even a small amount of the product can cause an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure from 10 to 40 mmHg.

If a person leads a sedentary lifestyle, then when consuming animal fats there is a risk of atherosclerotic plaques appearing in the vessels.

In clinical recommendations for hypertensive patients, cardiologists advise reducing the consumption of lard to a minimum.

If you have persistent arterial hypertension, you should completely abandon it. It is better to replace lard with lean poultry meat.

Nutrition after chemotherapy for cancer patients

Upon completion of all chemotherapy cycles, the initial diet remains the same as during treatment. Until complete recovery, it is not advisable to return to the diet that was before chemotherapy.

Oncologists advise be sure to consume foods containing Omega fats. Consume small doses of flax oil, wheat germ seeds, black cumin oil or other natural products daily to help quickly remove toxins from the body.

The recommended volume of fluid intake remains the same - at least 2 liters per day. This includes purified water, black tea, natural juices, fruit drinks, etc.

Whether to take artificial vitamin-mineral complexes and dietary supplements is decided solely by the attending physician. With adequate nutrition, a positive prognosis and stability of the patient’s condition, this is not necessary.

When to see a doctor

High blood pressure is a medical emergency if the systolic blood pressure, or top number, is above 180 or if the diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number, is above 120.

You should consult a doctor if:

• you think you have high blood pressure
• your blood pressure remains high despite lifestyle and diet changes
• your blood pressure continues to rise
• you are experiencing side effects from your hypertension medications

The influence of proper nutrition during treatment

Chemotherapy has an aggressive effect on the body and provokes disruption of the internal organs. Patients tolerate treatment differently, but about 98% have gastrointestinal problems. Toxic elements of chemotherapy drugs lead to decreased appetite, constant nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and other disorders that make the patient want to refuse food. As a result, the already weakened body does not receive enough necessary beneficial elements, which aggravates its general condition.

Benefits of a proper diet during chemotherapy:

• maintaining appetite;
• elimination of frequent attacks of nausea;
• intake of microelements and vitamins into the body;
• strengthening the immune system;
• increasing the overall resistance of the body;
• normalization of intestinal and stomach function;
• maintaining a positive psycho-emotional mood.

The main advantage of proper nutrition during chemotherapy is that it makes it easier to endure treatment, reduce the severity of adverse reactions and more quickly recover after the end of chemotherapy.

Contraindications

Lard is a very high-calorie product! It is not recommended for use by overweight people.

Contraindications also include:

1. Chronic diseases of the gallbladder, kidneys and liver;
2. Obesity and diabetes;
3. Chronic hypertension stages 2-3;
4. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
5. Atherosclerosis.

Whether blood pressure rises from fat should only concern hypertensive patients.
It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body and human health. It is unlikely that serious complications should be expected from a small piece. But abuse and consumption of it in large quantities will undoubtedly cause stress on the kidneys, heart and blood vessels. Author of the article Svetlana Anatolyevna Ivanova, general practitioner

Chemotherapy treatment at Yusupov Hospital

Without chemotherapy, oncology treatment is possible only at an early stage and with a favorable prognosis. In other cases, chemotherapy is one of the main methods of destroying cancer cells.

At the Yusupov Hospital, cancer treatment is carried out by oncologists-chemotherapists of the highest category with many years of experience. The clinic provides conservative and surgical treatment of cancer, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and other methods of fighting cancer.

Doctors at the Yusupov Hospital support patients throughout their treatment. The clinic provides rehabilitation of cancer patients, palliative and symptomatic treatment of oncology. Patients undergoing treatment in a hospital receive balanced meals four times a day (the service is included in the price).

More information about chemotherapy and other cancer treatments as a service can be found on this page.

Complications

High blood pressure increases your risk of developing a number of health problems, including:

• stroke
• acute cardiovascular disease
• vision problems
• sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction or difficulty achieving orgasm
• kidney disease
• circulatory problems, including peripheral artery disease
• blood clots
• heart health problems such as atrial fibrillation