Nutritious Foods For Leukemia
In common parlance, leukemia is referred to as blood cancer. But it does not affect the blood itself. Rather, this type of cancer attacks the blood-forming organs: bone marrow and lymphatic system.
In common parlance, leukemia is referred to as blood cancer. But it does not affect the blood itself. Rather, this type of cancer attacks the blood-forming organs: bone marrow and lymphatic system. Nutritious foods in leukemia are very important!
Leukemia disrupts the production of white blood cells. The blood cells do not mature and therefore cannot function properly.
Symptoms of leukemia
Symptoms vary depending on the type and severity. However, the following signs are very common:
- Fever or chills
- Persistent fatigue, weakness
- Frequent or severe infections
- Weight loss
- Inflamed lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Small red spots on the skin
- Excessive sweating, especially at night
- Bone pain or tenderness
Causes of Leukemia
The exact causes of this disease are still largely unknown. However, certain factors increase your risk of developing it. These include, for example, radioactive and X-rays.
This can lead to genetic changes in the stem cells, which are responsible for the formation of blood cells.
Various chemicals and drugs can also increase the risk of leukemia.
Different types of leukemia
Depending on the course of the disease and symptoms, a distinction is made between different types of leukemia:
Acute leukemia
In this case, immature cancer cells develop in the bone marrow and multiply in an uncontrolled manner. This disrupts the production of healthy blood cells. As a result, there is a shortage of platelets and white and red blood cells.
This type of cancer develops quickly and requires early, aggressive treatment.
Chronic leukemia
In this case, it is an insidious disease that often goes unnoticed for a long time.
There are basically two types:
- Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): This is where immature myeloid progenitor cells change. Mostly there are genetic changes. The white blood cells are particularly affected, but platelet production can also be disrupted.
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): This type of cancer actually belongs to the category of malignant lymphomas. This is where mature lymphocytes change, which are normally found in the lymph nodes and in the tissue.
Nutritious foods for leukemia
The choice of foods for leukemia is very important. Here are some general guidelines:
High fiber foods for leukemia
- Rice and whole wheat bread
- oats
- Beans of all types and colors
- Corn
- lenses
- linseed
These foods stimulate bowel movement and therefore help to remove carcinogenic substances from the body more quickly.
Fresh fruit
Fruits with a lot of fiber and antioxidants include:
- Watermelon
- avocado
- pineapple
- Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
- Pears
- Apples
- pomegranate
- Grapes
- Mangoes
- kiwi
- Oranges
The avocado contains valuable fiber and unsaturated fatty acids. It can also help reduce your risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels.
It’s best to buy organically grown fruit so you can eat the peel too. Because there are valuable nutrients in it too!
Pomegranates contain citric acid, which has a disinfectant and base-forming properties. They also provide a lot of vitamin C.
These vegetables should not be missing!
Some of the best vegetables for cancer prevention include:
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- Carrots
- tomatoes
- Eggplant
Salad and spinach contain a lot of luteolin. This flavonoid plays an important role in cancer prevention.
Cruciferous vegetables protect cell DNA and deactivate carcinogens, among other things. Therefore, you should include the following vegetables in your diet:
- broccoli
- Pak choi
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
- radish
- Kale
- Beets
- Watercress
Fortifying foods are very important in leukemia! Get individual advice from your doctor and a nutritionist.
