A friend mentioned that fasting can help chemo work better. I started googling and found out that fasting can also minimize side effects such as nausea and mouth sores. Here are some anecdotes where patients who fasted before chemo reported a reduction in fatigue, weakness, and gastrointestinal side effects.
A paragraph from this article explains what they think happens when you fast during chemo infusion.
It’s thought that fasting can help in cancer treatment because it signals healthy cells that it’s time to conserve energy as there’s low levels of nutrients around. In doing so, they switch to a quiet, maintenance mode. But cancer cells don’t listen to the body’s signals and so they continue to divide quickly, making them a prime target for chemotherapy. In this way, fasting can help protect healthy cells from the side effects of chemo while making cancer cells more vulnerable.
That same article says fasting had a similar effect as taking dexamethasone for nausea. Patients who fasted also had better response to chemotherapy. Here's the study.
Looks like I'll need to fast at least 48 hours before chemo infusion, then maybe 24 hours afterward. The study mentions fasting mimicking diet (FMD). Here's what I could find about FMD -- low carbs and protein, high fat. Calories at 40% of normal intake. Here's a sample plan, but I think it's for someone who consumes 2000/day. I'll have to make adjustments for someone who consumes ~1400 calories/day.
I suppose I should mention to my oncologist what I plan to do.
1 comment:
Fasting for 48 hours prior to chemo and 24 hours thereafter seems extreme. Suggest you give your oncologist a heads up of your plan
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