Cancer Cachexia

dansdiamond

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Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

For the Reese's Pieces Shake, I freeze a bottle of chocolate Ensure Plus to use in it. It's easiest if you pour the bottle of Ensure Plus into another container without a neck (glass or plastic recycle number 3, 4 or 5 for safety) to freeze it in. I then break the frozen Ensure up in a blender and add 1/3 rounded cup of dry milk powder (adds 8 grams of protein and 90 calories to any liquid), 1/2 cup whole milk or soy milk, 4 tablespoons peanut butter and three or four ice cubes (to add moisture and keep things very cold). You can also add a teaspoon of Benefiber to add fiber. Blend the whole thing thoroughly and serve in a tall glass. It's really thick and yummy.
Arnetta Whitehouse.

There are a lot of medically Challenged people, where nutrition is an issue.
Especially with Cancer and Chemotherapy. Medically Eating -Tips & Tricks would be a beneficial Sub Topic under Diets.
Dan
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

* Beans
* Blueberries
* Broccoli
* Oats
* Oranges
* Pumpkin
* Salmon
* Soy
* Spinach
* Tea (green or black)
* Tomatoes
* Turkey
* Walnuts
* Yogurt
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Almonds and Peaches
 

dansdiamond

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I am really hoping people will start noticing this site. I will be a little technical at first, but than, I want this sub Forum to be fun with recipes, for So many patients with medical Nutrion problems.
I am going to outline what Cancer Cachexia is.
But my main goal for this area- Is for people with experience, to post Foods and drinks that would help these medically challenged people. Nutritional foods that is pleasing to the eye, & tasty to their palate.
-------------------------------------------------------------
There is this thing called “Cachexia” (pronounced / kah kek sia?). According to Wikipedia and other sources, “Cachexia is loss of weight, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness and significant loss of appetite in someone who is not actively trying to lose weight.” We call it – “Warren”! He was down to 144 pounds this morning, and now he is finally frightened, too. He really is trying to eat and drink a lot and he is still literally wasting away!
According to research tied to the drug, Megace, which Warren was prescribed yesterday to try to increase his appetite, “A cachexic patient’s body cannot adjust to the lack of nutrients by slowing down the use of absorbed nutrients. Instead, the body’s metabolism speeds up so the body burns fat and calories faster. Because the body uses energy more quickly, the patient has severe weight loss, even if they eat regularly. The loss of muscle and fat makes the patients look like they are wasting away.” (www.megadees.com/cachexia.html)

My Guru of Health friend, Kathy Hall, found even more info which is frighteningly germain to Warren’s case. According to an article on the Internet regarding “Fish Oil and Cancer Cachexia” from Healthy Fellow, Your Natural Health Critic, “Cachexia is a weight loss condition that is often found in the latter stages of advanced cancers. It can present itself with or without an accompanying lack of appetite. The real problem is generally not a lack of hunger, but rather that the body cannot absorb the nutrients properly. It’s also unlike starvation states because with cachexia the body doesn’t slow down its metabolism. Ultimately these changes can lead to physical wasting, severe weakness and contribute to the morbidity factor.”

The article from Kathy goes on to say that two studies have shown that fish oil with EPA can improve the quality of life of cachexia patients. Supporting those studies are findings by a scientific review published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2007 stating that:
* Fish oil may be of benefit for patients with advanced cancers with associated weight loss – especially where tumors originate in the upper digestive tract and pancreas.
* Fish oil may provide an improvement in appetite, post-surgical morbidity, quality of life and weight maintenance.
* A dosage of over 1.5 grams of fish oil per day appears to be an appropriate dosing model.
 

dansdiamond

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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Brownies!
My friends in Michigan. Warren has the Pancreatic Cancer. His Wonderful wife Arnetta. Is looking for all kinds of ways to help him gain weight.
Looks like she is doing a good job. An excerpt from their Caring Brige Journal for today.
"
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 4:41 PM, EDT




Well, let’s mix it up a little – I think it’s high time for some GOOD news for a change!

Warren was up another pound to 146 today. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that he enjoyed a large brownie (his favorite part – the corner) at chemo yesterday. He also ate a good-sized serving of lasagna for dinner last night besides drinking two fortified Ensures earlier in the day. All of that may have helped with the one-pound weight gain this morning. I apologize that in my sleepiness last night, I forgot to mention Warren's food adventures in my journal entry.

It was two weeks ago yesterday that Warren started on the Megace appetite stimulant. Maybe it has finally built up enough to help his appetite. I find it curious, though, that calorie and volume wise, as well as in frequency, Warren isn’t eating more than he did when he was rapidly losing weight. He still only eats something, or drinks an Ensure, no more than three times a day. Also, he hasn’t had the high calorie Reese’s Pieces Shake for two whole days now. I really feel that much of the credit for the weight gain must go to the Acidophilous Pearls and the Krill Oil Capsules that Warren has taken every day for the past couple weeks. Thanks again, Kathy!"
I am looking forward for Arnetta to join Net Cooking. I have read about many of her dishes, they are not all for Cancer Patients.
 

dansdiamond

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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Holiday Pumpkin Muffins

1 box yellow or other cake mix – I used carrot cake
3 large eggs
1/3 cup Canola or other unsaturated oil
1 8oz Ensure and 1/3 cup soy milk or whole milk (Original recipe calls for
1 1/3 cup whole milk)
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1 can (15oz) pumpkin (Original recipe calls for pumpkin pie filling (has lots of sugar)
¼ cup real maple syrup to add sweetness to pumpkin (May be omitted if using pie filling instead of the plain canned pumpkin I prefer)

(Optional: add dried cranberries and chopped almonds)

Preheat the oven 350˚F. Place baking cups into muffin pan.
Blend all the ingredients at low speed for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed another 2 minutes. Pour batter into baking cups. Bake in preheated over for 25 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes before frosting.

Makes 24 moist and delicious muffins.
Eat warm, at room temp, or cold.

Freeze some to enjoy at a later time!

Butter-Cream Frosting:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup stick butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp fortified whole milk
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat first 4 ingredients until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed, one cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread over the top of each muffin or fill the middle using a pastry bag. Refrigerate any remaining frosting for up to a week.

Each little muffin contains over 340 Calories and 5 grams of protein!
Good source of vitamins A, E, C, D, Iron and Calcium! (My alterations add more calories because Ensure has many more calories than whole milk, as well as extra nutrients!)
 

dansdiamond

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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Hi All-
It is about Arnetta and Her Husband Warren I started Medically Eating- Tips and tricks. Warren had Pacreatic Cancer, and her time with him is more precious than Gold. Please Understand. Arnetta will have plenty to add to the Forum.
Thanks. Note to me From Arnetta below!
"Hey Dan,
Maybe you can help me with this. I keep getting friend requests and I can see they could take a lot of time. I don't wish to appear rude and, as far as I'm concerned, everyone is my friend until he or she proves otherwise. My only real interest in this thing is the medical section of the site and that makes you the only friend I have time to communicate with. Is there somewhere I can post a general "hello" to everyone and tell all of the members all that? I need to devote all my time to caring for Warren and keeping our lives on track!
Love, 
ArnettaMae
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

I am posting here for Updates on Warren (ArnettaMays Husband).
Today is Saturday 4/25/09.
"We both feel that Warren is stronger this morning, and I am pleased to report that his weight is holding at 143 for the third day in a row. That is such a relief to me! "
Prayers Are Appreciated!
If you would like to visit their Caring Bridge Web Site, and sign their guest Book-
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/warrenw2
 

TexasGirl

The Invisible
Super Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

thanks for the update!! I'm glad that he is having a good day today!!! I pray he has many more!!
 

TexasGirl

The Invisible
Super Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

That is a BIG deal!! I remember watching momma go through all of it. Anything he can eat or even drink and keep down is a VERY good thing!! If he gets nauseated, one thing that helped momma were the peppermint sticks. The real sugar ones. It didn't take it away, but, kept it at bay so she could function better. I can tell how much you care about them. I would assume family instead of friend, just reading your posts about them. I'm sure they are forever grateful for you!!
 

Wasabi

New member
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Thank you so much for this thread. After DH's initial weight loss of 57 lbs. he is holding his weight at 198-200 lbs. That's good and he's comfortable at that weight.
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Actually I remember ArnettaMae from high School in "65". We connected this year on Classmates before Warren got sick!
I also have a part time job delivering Medication at night time. I deliver a lot of cancer medication to a lot of people. Also to more kids than you would believe. I have seen a lot of Miricles, And I thank God he can use me when he does.
images
 

Wasabi

New member
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

My DH is on his third round of chemo and has had two rounds of radiation. The radiation did shrink the tumors and his cough stopped for a while, but it's back.:sad: The first two rounds of chemo didn't take. I'm praying that this round is the miracle that I have been waiting for, for we do believe in miracles and prayers. Bo, my DH, has a cruise to Alaska on his "bucket list". The cruise is booked and payed for. We leave June 6 with several family members. I'm praying with all my heart that Bo stays strong and healthy to cross the trip off his list.
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

> > This is beautiful!
> > She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of
> > the operating room. She said: 'How is my little boy?
> > Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?'
> >
> > The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we
> > could, but your boy didn't make it.'
> > Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer?
> > Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when
> > my son needed you?'
> > The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone
> > with your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few
> > minutes, before he's transported to the university.

> > Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said
> > good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his
> > thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his
> > hair?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse
> > cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag
> > and handed it to Sally.
> > The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate
> > his body to the University for Study. He said it might
> > help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said,
> > 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it
> > will help some other little boy spend one more day with
> > his Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of
> > gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to
> > help others if he could.'
> > Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the
> > last time, after spending most of the last six months
> > there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the
> > seat beside her in the car.
> >

> > The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter
> > the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and
> > the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's
> > room..
> > She started placing the model cars and other personal
> > things back in his room exactly where he had always kept
> > them She lay down across his bed and, hugging his pillow,
> > cried herself to sleep.

> > It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Lying beside her
> > on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said :
> >
> > 'Dear Mom,

> > I know you're going to miss me; but don't think
> > that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just
> > 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You' .
> > I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day..
> > Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you
> > want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely,
> > that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff
> > to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead,
> > she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do.
> > You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you
> > know.
> > Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat
> > place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here
> > and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to
> > see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them
> > fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any
> > of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him.
> > Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got
> > to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was
> > somebody important. That's when I told Him that I
> > wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and
> > everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed.
> > Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some p aper and His
> > own personal pen to write you this letter I think Gabriel
> > is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter !
> > off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one
> > of the questions you asked Him 'where was He when I
> > needed him?' 'God said He was in the same place
> > with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was
> > right there, as He always is with all His children.
> >
> > Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've
> > written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank
> > piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God
> > His pen back now He needs it to write some more names in
> > the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with
> > Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

> > Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore
> > the cancer is all gone.. I'm glad because I
> > couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't
> > stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He
> > sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I
> > was a Special Delivery! How about that?

> >
> > Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me
 

Wasabi

New member
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Thank you for the link. Bo did his first Cancer Survivor Relay walk this year. We helped to raise money for the Cancer Society. It was a very moving night for him. He celebrated his 61st birthday March 26.

Picture1-1.jpg
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
Gold Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks.(Cancer Cachexia)

Happy Birthday BO!
I will be 62 in Sept. (Retirement)
As if Sharon would let me. LOL
 

arnettamae

New member
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

Happy Birthday BO and thanks for walking!

I Beat you Dan - I'll be 62 in one week! Guess I'm already retired but not by choice, unfortunately. When Warren got pancreatic/lung cancer it retired us both.

I promised the recipe for the tuna noodle casserole so here it is. I figured out the calories for the whole dish which serves 6 to 8 people:

2 cups (dry measure) Tortellini (little noodles filled with cheese - more calories!)
1 6oz can tuna fish
1 10 3/4oz can of cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can filled with undiluted evaporated whole milk
1/3 cup dry milk powder
1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tblsp Worcestershire sauce

6 slices (about 4" x 4" each) real cheese - I used ColbyJack)

*Cook and drain noodles per package directions
*Meanwhile, thouroughly mix soup, milk, dry milk, mayo, tuna, and Worcestershire sauce in greased (Pam is fine) 12"x8"x2" Pyrex casserole dish or similar baking dish
*Add cooked, drained noodles and stir until evenly distributed.

Bake at 350 covered for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and arrange 6 cheese slices on top. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

The entire recipe is 2,215 calories. Each serving based on six helpings would be 369 calories. Based on eight servings, each one would be 277 calories.

Happy eating!
 

TexasGirl

The Invisible
Super Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

Thank you for taking precious time to share this with us ArnettaMae!!
 

arnettamae

New member
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

You are so welcome TexasGirl. I noticed my post didn't show up under cancer cachexia like Dan's do so I guess I'm not posting correctly. My purpose is to provide calorie enhanced recipes to try to thwart the insidious killer. I'm afraid the extra calories aren't working for Warren and me but maybe my efforts will help someone. I sure hope so!
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
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Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

Arnetta, This is the best place to put it.
We can use the other site for heaverier things.
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
Gold Site Supporter
Re: Medically Eating-Tips & Tricks

For cancer the research suggests that the following foods are appropriate and perhaps helpful to eat. As always check with your doctor and have appropriate blood work done before following any of the research suggestions from this or other sources. The recipes for including these foods in your diet and the research supporting these recommendations are included in my 4 books.

Some foods to consider eating more often

Pumpkin, canned or cooked ( highest beta carotene of any food I have listed here)
Carrots, lightly cooked (better than raw because light cooking releases the caroteniods)
Sweet potatoes
Green leafy vegetables
Squash
Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower (eat with foods that have a little canola or olive oil, it helps your body absorb the caroteniods)
Broccoli sprouts (20 more times by weight of the chemical sulforaphane, which may reduce the growth of tumors.)
Mustard greens
Chick peas,Kidney beans, Lentils, Soybeans (stimulates cancer preventing enzymes, can help lower harmful estrogen levels)
Tomatoes, especially cooked
Garlic, Onions (stimulates enzymes that suppress tumor growth)
Defatted soy flour (at least 1/3 cup per day recommended)
At least 97% or greater fat-free chicken or turkey breast (I look for 99% fat free.)
97% or greater fat free lunch meats
Pasta with meat sauces using 99% fat free chicken
Homemade low fat pizza
Salmon and other fish, (mackerel, sardines, herring. )including the skin and fat (Research suggests this fat (EPA fat) has the ability to raise HDLs. and potentially fight cancer cell development 1-5 servings per week recommended)
Olive oil or canola oil substituted for other oils
Walnuts (for the omega 3)
Brown and wild rice
Whole grain breads, ideally with defatted soy flour
Fat free milk (skim)
Oatmeal, shredded wheat, low-no sugar added cereals
Fresh fruits especially Blueberries (40% more antioxidants than the next best, Strawberries)
Green tea
Red or black grapes
Grape juice, 1 cup per day
Grapefruit, especially pink which has 40% more beta carotene than white
Calcium fortified orange juice, 2 cups per day
Dried unsweetened fruits, especially apricots, dates, prunes
Homemade fat-free yogurt, with extra dry milk added (2 cups per day recommended)
Tupelo honey as a substitute for sugar in cakes, cookies, breads, etc.


[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica][/FONT]
Foods to consider avoiding

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica][/FONT]1%, 2% and whole milk
Meats with 96% fat or less
Red meats
Hydrogenated oils, such as stick margarine. Or foods that list hydrogenated oils in their ingredients
Food with high butter fat and other animal fats such as whole milk or creams such as cheese, full fat yogurt, butter, sauces. They feed the cancers and can interfere with caroteniods absorption
Deep-fried foods
 

dansdiamond

Food Sound Eng.
Gold Site Supporter
Since we haven't heard from ArnettaMae today, Let me post what she wrote in the Caring Bridge Web Site Journal.
"Warren is still very tired and sleeping a lot, but he feels better today. He is trying to take nourishment, too. He had an Ensure Plus this morning. Then, just a few minutes ago, he asked me for a scoop of Whey Protein powder (ours is chocolate) mixed with soy milk. I used half soy and half chocolate Ensure Plus for the liquid, added a couple ice cubes to chill it and put everything in the blender. It's pretty good!

Warren is down to 141 pounds on his 6'+ frame now. I'm so glad the doctors are meeting with us to discuss alternatives! Thanks for crossing your fingers and saying your prayers with us! "

images


 
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