Page 20 - Florida Sentinel 1-27-17

Health
It may not sound all too ap- petizing at first, but pumpkin juice is a natural healthy source packed with vita- mins and other beneficial miner- als that do the body good.
How To Eat When Chemo
KILLS YOUR APPETITE
You might not feel hungry when you're having chemotherapy, but it’s important you keep eating well. Nutritious food keeps up your strength, fights fatigue, and helps your body heal. Here are 11 healthy tips to think about, even when food is the furthest thing from your mind:
Fight off nausea. It’s tough to eat when even the thought of food makes you sick. Fend off an upset stomach with dry foods like crackers. Eat them first thing in the morning, then every few hours. Sip ginger ale or ginger tea throughout the day. Ginger, lemon, lavender, and peppermint can also help settle your stomach.
Eat your favorite foods. Your appetite, and the foods that appeal to you, can change from day to day. It’s OK to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods you normally try to stay away from, or to eat, say, breakfast foods for dinner. For now, eat what sounds good, when it sounds good.
Try small meals. Many people who get chemo find they have more of an appetite when they eat every few hours. Try having six to eight small meals a day rather than three big ones.
Make it easy. You won’t want to grocery shop or cook on some days. Plan ahead and keep your pantry stocked with easy- to-prepare foods. On days you feel well enough to cook, make extra portions and freeze them for later. Ask friends and fam- ily to help you shop and prepare meals, or consider getting your meals delivered.
Sip liquids throughout the day. Staying hydrated helps your body get rid of toxins, but drinking too much at once can make you too full to eat. Try to drink most of your fluids be- tween meals, rather than during. It’s best to make sure you get plenty of water. But if you’re losing weight, you may want to drink high-calorie liquids like fruit nectars, milkshakes, or cream soups.
Pay attention to protein. It helps repair body tissue and keeps your immune system healthy. Snack on peanut or al- mond butter with fruit. Add chopped or ground nuts to baked goods, salads, or ice cream. Other easy options: cheese and crackers, egg salad, or a bowl of cereal with milk.
Though some people add ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger or apple juice for flavor, pumpkin juice in its raw form is low in calories and contains antioxidants and minerals such as potassium, phos-
phorus, calcium, magnesium, iron and sucrose. Pumpkin juice also is helpful in preventing and relieving some conditions. Try adding
one cup of pumpkin juice to your daily diet to reap some of the benefits below:
Helps Improve Liver Function
helps reactivate any lost liver function from the disease.
Promotes Hair Growth And Moisturizes
Experts say a half a cup of pumpkin juice is enough to add moisture to dry and
damaged hair. Also, the potassium found in pump- kin helps to promote hair growth and has been shown as an effective treatment for hair loss.
Fights Arteriosclerosis
This juice is high in an- tioxidants, which helps pre- vent the stiffening or hardening of the arterial walls of the heart. Thus, it’s a good source to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Helps With Constipation And Kidney Stones
It’s a natural laxative – meaning it possesses the power to loosen the stool and provide for a much- needed bathroom break. And, experts say, having half a glad of juice three times a day over the span of 10 days can help kidney stones and gall bladder.
Improves Urinary Function
Pumpkin juice functions as an assistant to toxic waste disposal in the kidney and urinary systems. It’s been known to treat ulcers and acidity, too.
As recommended physicians, pumpkin juice should be part of a hepatitis A patient’s diet. It contains active agents that act as nat- ural liver cleansers, which
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PAGE 8-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017