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Essential fatty acids may benefit those affected by cancer
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Most of us now recognize the value of keeping our diets full of omega-3 fatty acids as a way to stay healthy but recent research has shown that these essential nutrients are also beneficial for those affected by cancer.
A study at Trinity College Dublin and St. James Hospital found that when patients who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer, an operation that is associated with decreased weight loss and quality of life issues, were given omega-3 fatty acids as part of their post-operative recovery, they were able to maintain their muscle mass and weight. In addition, the study also showed that omega-3 fatty acids prevented patients from developing a fever, a common post-surgery inflammatory response and they had less inflammation markers circulating in their blood.
Researchers and medical experts are calling this finding a tremendous breakthrough in regards to how nutrition can play a vital role in a person’s recovery from major cancer surgery. Scientists are hopeful that this study fuels subsequent evaluations that look at how omega-3 fatty acids can become a part of the entire cancer treatment course from chemotherapy to radiation and how it can be applied to other non-cancer surgeries as a way to help the patient’s recovery and reduce the risk of some post-surgical complications.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that our bodies must get from food. While there are two types of essential fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6, most of us tend to get more Omega-6 fatty acids in our diets. But there is some evidence to suggest that getting not enough Omega-3 fatty acids and too many Omega-6 fatty acids may be doing us some harm particularly when it comes to heart disease.
In order to give your body the fatty acids it needs, aim to consume foods that are naturally rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring. And in light of mounting research which points to the expansive benefits of omega-3 fatty acids such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and fat and blood formation, food manufacturers have been hard at work adding omega-3’s to eggs, infant formula, milk, energy bars and countless other products.
While the American Heart Association recommends that all of us eat fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week, there are no current recommendations for how much a patient who just had surgery should consume. If you or a loved one is about to have an operation, consult with your medical doctor about supplementing your post-surgery diet with these essential fatty acids.
