1. Basic Facts
We need small amounts of vitamins and minerals for daily living. We get them from food we eat and perhaps from some supplements we take. When we follow general guidelines of eating five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day, we do not exceed the limit of recommended amounts. However, when we take them in pill or supplement form, we have to be careful so as not to exceed the recommended allowance. The Institute of Medicine has established Dietary Reference Intakes. This includes recommended dietary allowance (RDA), adequate intake (AI) and the upper intake level (UL).The definition of RDA is the average daily dietary intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy individuals. AI numbers are set when there is not enough data to set RDA for a particular nutrient. UL is the upper limit of intake. Beyond this intake, there will some harm to most individuals. This information is helpful when vitamins are taken as supplements in a pill form.
2. Worthy Cause
There's no short-cut to eating a healthy, mostly plant-based diet. Lots of research has repeatedly suggested that no one vitamin can save us from chronic diseases like cancer. The synergy in the foods of different nutrients is the only magic bullet to lower our odds of contracting cancer.
3. Menu Musts
Include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, good fats, and lean proteins in your daily menus. Combination of these foods in your daily menu should positively help you to get all your RDAs for vitamins and minerals. Inclusion of one-a-day to meet the RDAs on consistent basis for on-the-go lifestyle is acceptable. However, remember that years of good dietary habits reduce your risk of getting a chronic disease, including cancer.
4. During Treatments
When you are having serious side effects of ongoing chemotherapy and your eating is affected, do not reach out to all your vitamins and mineral supplements. The antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E, vitamin C or beta carotene need to be avoided in big doses. These vitamins negatively affect the outcome of chemotherapy. In presence of these vitamins, the chemo agent is not able to kill the cancer cells effectively, and therefore the final outcome becomes less desirable.
5. Herbal Remedies
Even if you are not taking the regular form of vitamins, you may be taking some herbal remedy that may have a high dose of certain nutrient or vitamin that you may or may not be aware of. Always bring a list of all the supplements you are taking and show it to your healthcare team so they can make informed choices regarding your intake with traditional chemo or radiation therapy. Never be afraid to talk to your healthcare team, they always appreciate getting the information prior to a planned therapy session.
