Herbs and Nutritional Supplements
The inclusion of nutritional supplements and herbs into a diet is something many people practice throughout their lives. People take these supplements to augment the foods they eat to ensure they maintain healthy levels of vitamins and minerals within their bodies. Multivitamins and other supplements can provide the optimal amount of these substances without having to incorporate too many foods into a nutritional regimen. For those with a cancer diagnosis, nutrition and vitamin levels are very important, though they are different from a healthy person's levels and should be treated accordingly. In fact, there is some question as to the best way for a cancer patient to access these essential vitamins and minerals, especially when they conflict with traditional therapies. (i.e. chemotherapy).
There are a number of studies that exist on the value of supplemental nutrition for cancer patients, though many of them revolve around the value of antioxidants, which are believed to prevent certain cancers. Particularly during chemotherapy, antioxidants should be taken with caution. It is believed that antioxidants increase the cells resistance against the occurrence of cancer by boosting cell health. However, some physicians fear that when certain cancers occur, the cancer cells health can actually be boosted by antioxidants, making the killing process of anti-cancer chemotherapies more difficult and drawn out. Alternatively, some patients have shown an increased response to chemotherapy while on a cycle of nutritional supplements including antioxidants.
Most physicians will concur that certain vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C, A, E, and Selenium, are important even as they may contain some levels of antioxidants. As not to disrupt certain chemotherapy cycles however, most doctors will recommend you access these substances by eating traditionally healthy foods. Vitamins such as Calcium, beta-Carotene, and B-vitamins have no proven benefit to cancer patients and should not be avoided in a traditional nutritional regimen but certainly do not have to be augmented by supplements. In the end, only your physician will be able to tell you exactly how you should proceed with regards to supplemental nutrition regimens. For those who are battling a difficult cancer, such as mesothelioma, these supplements may prove beneficial, but these regimens should be thoroughly discussed with a physician to ensure they are not adversely affecting other traditional treatments or medications.
