What is methotrexate?😵😵😵

Methotrexate is a drug that can be used to treat both cancer and non-cancer. It prevents cell division and the production of new cells. It can be used to prevent rejection in patients following bone marrow or stem cell transplants. It is also used to treat psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the indications and doses of methotrexate?

Methotrexate is a metabolic inhibitor of folic acid analogues. Dihydrofolate reductase will be inhibited by it and interfere with DNA synthesis, cell repair and replication. It is generally more sensitive to actively proliferating tissues such as malignant cells, bone marrow, fetal cells, oral cavity cells, intestinal mucosal cells, and bladder cells. It is mainly suitable for the treatment of hematological malignancies, solid tumors, psoriasis and various arthritis.

Treatment of adult hematological malignancies:

• Various acute leukemias (especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia), non-Hodgkin lymphoma, malignant lymphoma and mycosis fungoides, multiple myelopathy.
• Intrathecal methotrexate can be used to prevent and treat neural invasion of meningeal leukemias and malignant lymphomas.
• Methotrexate is used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs for the palliative treatment of acute leukemias, especially acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is also used to treat Burkitt's lymphoma, coronal lymphosarcoma and mycosis fungoides.
• High-dose methotrexate is used to treat non-Hodgkin's disease subtypes but must be combined with rescue therapy with leucovorin.
• Oral administration: Adults take 1 to 2 days a week, once a day, 5 to 10 mg each time. The safe dosage for a course of treatment is 50 to 100 mg. Its maintenance dose for acute lymphoblastic leukemia is 15 to 20 mg/m² once a week.

Treatment of various solid tumors in adults including head and neck cancer, lung cancer, various soft tissue sarcomas, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, malignant mole, chorioepithelial cancer, and testicular cancer. Commonly used oral tablet dosages are as follows:

• Adults take it orally 1 to 2 days a week, once a day, 5 to 10 mg each time. The safe dose for a course of treatment is 50 to 100 mg.

For the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in adults. Common dosages are as follows:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis: 7.5 to 15 mg orally once weekly, with the highest dose being 25 mg once weekly. The dose of methotrexate should be reduced when used in combination with other immunosuppressants.
• Psoriatic Arthritis: 15 to 20 mg orally once weekly.
• Peripheral arthritis in ankylosing spondylitis: 7.5 to 10 mg orally once weekly.

Methotrexate is also used to treat severe, refractory and disabling psoriasis in adults who are unresponsive to conventional treatments. Commonly used injectable dosage forms.

What is the pharmacological mechanism of methotrexate?

Its main mechanism of action is to competitively inhibit folate reductase. Folic acid is reduced to tetrahydrofolate by folate reductase during DNA synthesis and cell replication. Folate reductase is inhibited by methotrexate, which interferes with cell replication. Methotrexate is a cell cycle-specific drug and acts primarily on cells during the DNA synthesis phase. 

Tissues and cells with active proliferation such as bladder cells, bone marrow, embryonic cells, intestinal mucosal cells, malignant tumor cells, oral cells, and skin epithelial cells are generally more sensitive to the effects of methotrexate. In addition, most normal tissues proliferate more slowly than malignant tumor tissues, so methotrexate will preferentially weaken the growth of malignant tumors. The skin epithelial cells of patients with psoriasis also have a greater ability to proliferate than normal skin cells, so methotrexate can also be used to control the progression of psoriasis. 

One of the important coenzymes in the synthesis of pyrimidine deoxynucleotides and purine nucleotides in the human body is tetrahydrofolate. Methotrexate is a folate reductase inhibitor. It inhibits dihydrofolate reductase and prevents dihydrofolate from being reduced to active tetrahydrofolate. This blocks the transfer of carbon groups during the biosynthesis of pyrimidine deoxynucleotides and purine nucleotides. DNA biosynthesis will be inhibited. In addition, although methotrexate also inhibits thymus nucleotide synthase, its inhibitory effect on protein and RNA synthesis is weak. It mainly acts in the S phase of the cell cycle. It is a cell cycle specific drug. It also delays cells in the G1/S phase, but the effect is weaker.

What are the common side effects of methotrexate?

Blood and Lymphatic System: Myelosuppression, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, granulocytopenia, anemia, leukopenia, aplastic anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia.

Cardiovascular system: palpitations, tachycardia, increased blood pressure.

Gastrointestinal system: nausea, vomiting, oral ulcers, abdominal pain, diarrhea, oral mucositis, oropharyngeal pain, abdominal distension, acid reflux, gastrointestinal bleeding, lip ulcers, indigestion, blood in the stool, flatulence, dry mouth, oral bleeding, Belching, tongue ulcers, dysphagia, bleeding gums, peptic ulcers, melena, anal ulcers, and tongue pain.

Hepatobiliary system: abnormal liver function, liver cell damage, liver damage, hepatitis, jaundice, liver failure.

Immune system: Hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylactoid reactions, graft-versus-host disease.

Infections: infectious pneumonia, cytomegalovirus infection, fungal infection, herpes virus infection, sepsis, herpes zoster, Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Kidney and urinary system: renal damage, hematuria, hemorrhagic cystitis.

Nervous system: dizziness, headache, hypoesthesia, tremor.

Respiratory system: cough, dyspnea, pneumonia, pharyngitis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure.

Skin and subcutaneous tissue: rash, pruritus, alopecia, erythema, skin ulcers, ecchymosis, erythema multiforme, maculopapular rash, vesicular rash, papules, erythematous eruption, urticaria, peeling, dermatitis, pruritic rash, purpura, Petechiae, exfoliative dermatitis, skin erosions.

Systemic reactions: fatigue, fever, mucosal ulcers, chest tightness, pain, chills, mucosal erosion, chills, facial edema, high fever, peripheral edema.

Others: loss of appetite, appetite disorder, joint pain, irregular menstruation, blurred vision, visual impairment, flushing, tinnitus.

Adverse effects of methotrexate can be prevented by using low-dose folic acid, but it should be used 24 hours after the patient takes the drug. It is recommended that patients supplement 5mg of folic acid every week to reduce gastrointestinal adverse reactions and liver function damage. Leucovorin and levofolinic acid are antidotes for methotrexate overdose. Patients with methotrexate overdose should be given an antidote as soon as possible and should undergo hydration and alkalinization of the urine.

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Repeated damage to cells can cause cancer, so do muscle cells?💪💪💪

Chronic injury and inflammation are major risk factors for cancer. Carcinogenic factors such as eating hot food, drinking hot tea, smoking, and air pollution are all due to their repeated damage to human tissues. But why does repeated tissue damage lead to cancer? Although the mechanism of this carcinogenesis is complex, one of the more easily understood reasons is that the repair of damaged tissue requires cell division. Every time a cell divides, a gene may mutate. Repeated tissue damage increases the number of cell divisions, which increases the probability of mutation into an oncogene. At this time, fitness enthusiasts may think that muscle fibers are constantly damaged and repaired during muscle exercise. Will it also increase the risk of cancer?

Does muscle building increase the chance of a genetic mutation?

Its answer is of course not. Muscle building does not increase your risk of cancer. The main reason is that with or without exercise, muscle tissue rarely develops tumors. Lung cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, etc. are all common, but muscle cancer is rare. It is because the muscle tissue rarely develops tumors. Although this does not mean that muscle tissue is completely tumor-free, for example, rhabdomyosarcoma is a tumor with muscle tissue characteristics. However, it is not caused by muscle building. Rhabdomyosarcoma is a common childhood tumor. Congenital or early developmental genetic mutations are its main cause. Adults over the age of 30 generally do not have rhabdomyosarcoma. 

Why do muscles rarely get cancer?

Long-term muscle building can lead to repeated muscle growth and injury, but why do muscles rarely get cancer? Because of the special structure of skeletal muscle, it has its own anti-cancer function. 

The structure of muscle.

As it can be seen from the above figure, a skeletal muscle cell is also called a muscle fiber. It has two main features:

1. Most cells in the human body generally have only one nucleus. However, a myofibroblast will have many nuclei. It belongs to multinucleated cells.
2. Muscle cells, which are multinucleated cells, do not divide and proliferate by themselves. They do not go from one muscle fiber directly to two muscle fibers.

So how does muscle training make muscles stronger without splitting muscle fibers? This makes muscles stronger both by making the muscle cells bigger and by fusing more muscle cells. Muscles tend to get bigger because each muscle fiber cell gets bigger, not because there are more of them. Myofibroblasts use nutrients in the body to synthesize more protein when stimulated by exercise. It makes muscle cells larger, but does not proliferate. 

Muscle building

How do muscles repair after muscle damage?

Muscle stem cells are responsible for muscle repair. Although myofibroblasts cannot divide and proliferate, muscle stem cells can. Muscle stem cells usually only attach to the surface of muscle fibers and do not proliferate. Muscle stem cells are activated if the muscle is growing or repairing damage. They divide and proliferate to create new muscle cells. Most stem cell divisions produce new cells that fuse with old myofibroblasts and repair damaged muscle fibers. The rest retain the properties of muscle stem cells and attach to the surface of muscle fibers.

Muscle Repair.

Why doesn't the division and proliferation of muscle stem cells increase cancer risk?

One of the main reasons is that most muscle stem cells fuse into muscle fibers after they divide and proliferate. When these stem cells fuse into muscle fibers, they lose their ability to divide and proliferate. They do not accumulate mutations. Although a single muscle stem cell division may lead to cancer-causing mutations, one mutation is not enough to generate cancer cells. Adults generally need to accumulate multiple mutations to form cancer cells. And in many cases, specific mutation types and sequences are required to cause cancer. The process is also relatively long. And when a muscle stem cell has an oncogene mutation, it is quickly fused into the muscle fiber. Even if the muscle is damaged by the next exercise, it will not divide and grow again. Normally, it does not accumulate into cancer cells and cause cancer. This biological feature is the anticancer function of skeletal muscle. In addition, a number of studies have shown that regular muscle training does not increase cancer risk but significantly reduces cancer incidence.

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Some dietary habits may cause liver cancer.👿👿👿

More and more attention is now paid to protecting the liver. Many people
know that staying up late and drinking alcohol can be harmful to the liver, but many people do not know that some eating habits are also harmful to the liver, even more damaging than staying up late. Here are some dietary habits that can damage the liver.

Eating this flavor is more damaging to the liver than staying up late.

Many people know that staying up late hurts the liver, but there is a taste that will make the liver more and more hurt. Eating this flavor for a long time is even worse than staying up late and that taste is sweet. Many people know that eating too many sweets can cause obesity, increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diabetes. However, eating too many sweets can actually damage the liver, and the damage of fructose is more serious. Fructose is one of these sugars. It is widely found in natural foods such as fruits and honey. Recent studies have identified excessive fructose intake as a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The main risk factors for this type of fatty liver are obesity, insulin resistance, and excessive fructose intake. If the patient does not control the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, it can develop into more serious diseases such as liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even lead to death.

But how does fructose damage the liver? This is because fructose is mainly metabolized by the liver. There are no rate-limiting enzymes during the process of hepatic metabolism of fructose. This results in the continuous production of intermediate products of fructose metabolism, which are then converted into fat and accumulated in the liver. Eventually, it develops into fatty liver and other metabolic diseases. In addition, the barrier function of the gut is also compromised by excessive fructose intake. This increases the enzymes in the liver to synthesize fat, causing the liver to accumulate more fat. Large amounts of fructose can also cause fatty denaturation of the liver. When these denatured fats combine with other risk factors, steatohepatitis can result. Fructose also doesn't make you feel full, like staying up late can cause drowsiness, and it won't cause discomfort like drinking too much alcohol. Therefore, many people do not feel that the fructose intake is excessive and the liver is continuously damaged unintentionally.

Does eating fruit also damage the liver?

As mentioned above, since fructose will damage the liver, and fruits also contain fructose, will eating fruit also damage the liver? In fact, only excessive intake of fructose can damage the liver. Therefore, it is safe and healthy to eat fruit within the normal range. 

Eat 200 to 350g of fruit per day.

Although fruits contain fructose, they also contain a lot of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber slows the rate at which fructose enters the bloodstream, making it less damaging to the liver. It is recommended to eat 200 to 350g of fruit per day.

Fruit should not be juiced.

Fruit juice is a high-sugar food. Although freshly squeezed juice still contains many minerals and vitamins, many people filter the juice after juicing. This removes substances rich in minerals and vitamins. The dietary fiber in the fruit is also removed. The absorption of fructose is accelerated. And after filtering out these nutrients, only a lot of fructose is left in the juice. For example, 500g of orange contains about 11g of fructose. Eating an orange directly not only does not consume too much fructose, but also absorbs nutrients such as vitamin C and fills the stomach. However, the orange juice drinks sold on the market generally contain about 20g of fructose in a 500ml bottle. Drinking fruit juice instead of eating fruit will not only consume more fructose, but also lack different nutrients and will not make you feel full.

Foods contain other sugars.

Processed foods such as packaged breads, snacks, biscuits, energy drinks, carbonated drinks, and seasonings all have high amounts of added sugar. Different added sugars such as fructose, glucose, and sucrose are added to these foods. When sucrose is digested, it will produce fructose and increase the burden on the liver. If you do not pay attention to the intake of sugar when eating, it is easy to lead to excessive intake of sugar. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to the intake of fructose, excessive intake of other sugars should also be avoided.

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Dietary guidelines for cancer patients during Chinese New Year.👍👍👍

It's the Chinese New Year recently, and there are celebrations in many places. Many people will change their eating habits in order to celebrate Chinese New Year. Normal people may only eat slightly unhealthy during the festival days and not be affected too much. However, some patients cannot eat too freely. Cancer patients should also pay attention to a reasonable diet during this period to avoid exacerbation of the disease. This article will summarize some doctors' dietary recommendations for them.

Health products.

During Chinese New Year, some relatives and friends will give gifts to each others. Health products are one of the popular gifts. Do those health products really make you health? Are they suitable to every one?

1. Ginseng.

Ginseng has a good effect on the prevention and treatment of cancer. It can fight tumors through multiple mechanisms of action. It regulates the body's immune system and increases resistance to disease. This can achieve the effect of inhibiting tumor growth. In addition, it can also reduce the drug resistance of cancer cells and enhance the efficacy of drugs. However, not all cancer patients are suitable for eating ginseng. In some patients, consuming ginseng may worsen the condition. Therefore, cancer patients should consume appropriate ginseng according to their personal constitution under the guidance of a doctor.

Ginseng acts on the nervous system. It can cause insomnia, tremors, neurasthenia, euphoria and other excitation symptoms of central nervous system. Cancer patients with insomnia should not eat ginseng. It can make the patient's sleep quality worse. Drugs such as cardiac glycosides, anticoagulants, steroids, and sedatives have synergistic or inhibitory effects with ginseng. Drugs such as chloral hydrate and phenobarbital in combination with ginseng can enhance the inhibitory effect of the central nervous system. Therefore, cancer patients should not consume ginseng if they are taking the above medicines.

2. Royal Jelly.

Sex hormones are associated with the occurrence and development of breast cancer. Long-term maintenance of high levels of estrogen in the body will significantly increase the incidence of breast cancer. Royal jelly contains sex hormones. Therefore, breast cancer patients should avoid royal jelly and other foods that contain more sex hormones.

3. Protein powder.

The daily protein intake target for cancer patients is 1-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That is, if the patient weighs 70 kg, he needs to consume 70 to 140 grams of protein per day. However, the liver and kidneys will be burdened too much by excessive protein intake. This can be detrimental to the recovery of cancer patients. 

Protein powder supplementation is not recommended for patients who are able to absorb protein through their diet. Patients should consume adequate protein through food whenever possible. Protein powder contains a lot of protein, so patients with liver and kidney insufficiency should not take protein powder. Additionally, most protein powders are primarily composed of soy protein. They generally contain high amounts of purines, which can aggravate the symptoms of gout.

Should cancer patients eat more meat or vegetables?

Which is healthier, meat or vegetables? This is a long-standing debate. Some people think that eating red meat increases the risk of cancer. Some people think that eating meat will make you live longer. Some of the following studies may explain this.

Does eating red meat increase the risk of cancer?

Red meat is red because it is rich in heme iron. It includes frequently eaten meats such as beef, pork and lamb. Studies have pointed out that dairy products and red meat contain a particular type of sugar. It is directly linked to the development of antibodies in the blood that increase the incidence of tumors. Eating large amounts of red meat produces large and different types of antibodies. This increases the incidence of cancer, especially colorectal cancer. In addition, the World Health Organization classifies red meat as a Group 2a carcinogen. This also confirms that long-term consumption of large amounts of red meat is harmful to health.

Will eating meat make you live longer?

A study across 11 countries found that older adults who ate higher amounts of protein (mainly eggs and meat) had lower cancer rates and lived longer than those who ate more vegetables. 

To sum up, eating meat in moderation may be healthier, but too much red meat should be avoided. When eating meat, you can choose to eat more white meat such as chicken.

What should cancer patients eat during Chinese New Year meals?

The staple food should be paired with more whole grains such as brown rice. But don't just eat whole grains, which can easily cause indigestion. 

Eat more vegetables and choose several different colors of vegetables, you can absorb more and different nutrients.

The meals during this period generally consist of a lot of different meats. Cancer patients should eat more high-quality protein foods such as chicken, duck, fish, and eggs. It boosts immunity and maintains muscle mass in the body. But avoid eating too much red meat, fatty meats, and offal. In addition, it is necessary to properly consume soy products. Plant protein and animal protein will complement each other.

Avoid fried, grilled and pickled foods. These foods contain carcinogens.

Pay attention to salt intake and should not consume more than 6 grams per day.

It is not recommended for cancer patients to drink beverages high in sugar. It also does not recommend drinking pure juice. Substitute vegetable and fruit juices. In addition, cancer patients can drink green tea in moderation. Green tea contains ingredients that remove oil and prevent cancer.

Cancer patients try not to drink alcohol and smoke.

In fact, the above advice also applies in general.😂

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Some symptoms in your body may imply that you have the risk of cancer.😨😨😨

Cancer is a disease that everyone fears. Once you have cancer, it has a big impulse on your whole family. Although cancer is scary, its progression is slow. Therefore, if the patient can be checked early, detected early and treated early, the patient has a good chance of being cured of the cancer. The following will briefly introduce when patients should start cancer screening? Under what circumstances should they be screened?

1. Bowel cancer.

Adults over the age of 40 should preferably have a fecal occult blood test and a routine stool examination every year. Colonoscopy and related tumor marker tests should also be performed if necessary.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Changes in the regularity of bowel movements: It is the most common performance of bowel cancer. It is mainly manifested as sudden diarrhea, constipation, or alternating between the two, and the symptoms are not relieved even for a long time. 
2. Blood in the stool: Bowel cancer causes stools that may be mixed with blood and often mucus. If the blood is only on the surface of the stool, it is generally bleeding from hemorrhoids.
3. Abdominal discomfort: Bowel cancer may also have persistent abdominal pain, bloating and other abdominal discomfort.
4. Systemic symptoms: Rapid weight loss, unknown fever, anemia, etc.

Recommendations for the prevention of bowel cancer: The diet should be regular and balanced. People should eat 400-800 grams of fruits and vegetables every day, and eat less grilled or fried food. Sitting for long periods should also be avoided.

2. Liver cancer.

People over the age of 40 should have liver function tests and abdominal ultrasound scans at least once a year. Close relatives with liver cancer, patients with chronic hepatitis or long-term alcohol consumption should increase hepatitis B and alpha-fetoprotein tests according to the doctor's recommendation.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Liver pain: Its main symptom is persistent pain in the right upper quadrant. It often worsens at night or after exertion. If the cancer nodule ruptures and bleeds, it may cause severe pain and even shock.
2. Spider nevus: It is a type of telangiectasia. The body of nevus has a central point surrounded by small blood vessel branches. It looks like a small spider. It is commonly found on the face, neck, hands and upper chest.
3. Liver palm: It manifests as flaky hyperemia, red spots or plaques on the skin at the thenar area of the palm.
4. Jaundice: The skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. In severe cases, stool may turn gray and sweat, urine, and tears turn yellow. Sometimes it is accompanied by itching of the skin.
5. Other symptoms: decreased appetite, weight loss, exhaustion and fatigue, etc.

Recommendations for the prevention of liver cancer: People should drink less or no alcohol. Raw food should not be eaten, especially raw freshwater fish. Leftovers should be eaten less. Do not eat food that has a change in taste or texture. Do not take medicine indiscriminately.

3. Gastric cancer.

The high-risk groups for gastric cancer are people with a history of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection, people have undergone gastric cancer resection, their close relatives with gastric cancer and they are over the age of 40. It is recommended to have gastroscopy annually.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Upper abdominal discomfort: The common symptoms of early gastric cancer include abdominal distension and pain that will worsen after eating, hiccups, loss of appetite, etc.
2. Acid reflux and heartburn: Gastric cancer may reduce gastric motility. Stomach acid may flow back into the esophagus after eating. It causes symptoms of heartburn.
3. Dark stools, blood in the stool and anemia: Gastric cancer can cause bleeding in the stomach. It may cause symptoms such as dark stools, blood in the stool and anemia.
4. Rapid weight loss.

Recommendations for the prevention of gastric cancer: The daily diet should be regular. The food should be chewed and swallowed slowly. Processed foods such as pickled and smoked should be eaten less. Processed foods, such as pickled and smoked, as well as fried and grilled foods should also be avoided. Cutlery and drinking glasses should be used independently and should not be shared with others. Daily routine should be healthy and regular.

4. Lung cancer.

Adults aged 55 and older who have smoked for more than 30 years or who have quit smoking for less than 15 years should have annual low-dose CT scans. Adults 50 years and older who have smoked for more than 20 years, have a family history, or have a work environment with dust pollution should also have a low-dose CT scan every year.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Cough: It is mostly an irritating dry cough.
2. Hemoptysis or blood in sputum: A ruptured blood vessel or vasculitis can cause blood in the sputum when coughing. If the blood vessel is bleeding heavily, it may have hemoptysis symptoms.
3. Chest pain: Surrounding tissue can be invaded by tumor cells. It often causes irregular pain in the chest. If the pain is sharp and severe, it indicates that the tumor cells have spread outward.
4. Others: Chest tightness, shortness of breath, hoarseness and so on are possible symptoms.

Recommendations for the prevention of lung cancer: Patients should quit smoking and avoid inhalation of second-hand smoke, oil fumes and other fumes. They should use masks appropriately.

5. Cervical cancer.

Women aged 25 to 29 should have a cytology test every 3 years. Women aged 30 to 64 should undergo combined screening for high-risk HPV and cytology every 5 years. Screening can be discontinued in women aged 65 years and older with normal results in previous test.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Bleeding on contact: Vagina can occur small amounts of bleeding during sex, after a gynecological examination or straining to defecate.
2. Abnormal secretions: Vagina occurs white or bloody secretions. Its texture is thin, watery and often accompanied by a fishy odor.
3. Vagina occurs irregular bleeding after menopause: Menopausal women experience sudden vaginal bleeding.

Recommendations for the prevention of cervical cancer: People should be vaccinated against HPV. Practice hygiene and contraceptive measures during sex. Quit smoking.

6. Breast cancer.

Breast ultrasound and mammography should be done annually after age 40.

Additionally, if people have the following symptoms, they should get tested as soon as possible:

1. Breast lump: It is mostly a single breast. The lump feels hard to the touch, with uneven edges, a rough surface and sometimes feels pain.
2. Swollen lymph nodes in the armpit: Sometimes, swollen lymph nodes can be touched in the front and lower part of the armpit.
3. Nipple discharge: Bright red or dark red fluid from the nipple, sometimes watery.
4. Breast skin changes: The localized skin of the breast becomes rough. It is like an orange peel. Local compression on the breast can create an inward depression.

Recommendations for the prevention of breast cancer: Women can check their breasts on their own. If you have the above symptoms, you should seek medical treatment in time. Contraception should be used if pregnancy is not planned. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption.

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Some dietary advice for cancer patients.🍱🍱🍱

As mentioned in the previous article, nutrition intake for cancer patients is
very important. This article will share some dietary advice for cancer patients.

Directions for an anticancer diet.

At present, no single food can prevent or treat cancer, but the right combination of food may have the effect of adjuvant treatment or prevention. For a balanced diet, the human body generally needs no more than one-third of animal protein and at least two-thirds of plant food.

The richer the color of the food, the better the anti-cancer effect.

Vegetables and fruits are rich in anticancer nutrients. The more colors they have, the more nutrients they contain. These foods can also reduce cancer risk in other ways. They can help patients maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases the risk of several cancers, such as esophageal, stomach and colon cancers. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can help prevent cancer, especially orange, red and dark green fruits and vegetables.

Eating foods rich in folic acid for breakfast can help anticancer.

Folic acid is one of the important B vitamins. It can help resist breast, rectal and colon cancer. Breakfast foods rich in folic acid, such as whole grains, melons, strawberries and oranges are also good sources of folic acid. Other good sources of folic acid are eggs. It can also be consumed in sunflower seeds, beans and green leafy vegetables such as spinach. The best way to get folic acid is to eat enough grain products, vegetables and fruits. It should not rely on folic acid supplements to get folic acid.

Cancer risk from processed foods.

Eating a hot dog or ham sandwich occasionally does not increase cancer risk. However, eating less processed foods like ham, sausage, and bacon can help reduce the risk of stomach, colon, and rectal cancers. Also, studies have pointed out that cured or smoked meats contain chemicals that can cause cancer.

Anticancer potential of tomatoes.

Studies have found that eating tomatoes can reduce the risk of several cancers, such as prostate cancer. Studies have also shown that ketchup or tomato juice can activate the anti-cancer potential in the body.

Tea and cancer.

Although the quality of research is uneven, tea may have strong anticancer properties, especially green tea. Studies have shown that green tea can delay or prevent the development of cancer cells in the breast, liver, prostate and colon. In addition, similar effects can also observe in lung and skin tissue. Tea may also reduce the risk of stomach, pancreatic, and bladder cancers.

Grapes can fight cancer.

Grapes and grape juice contain resveratrol, especially in fuchsia grapes. Resveratrol has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that it prevents some of the cellular damage that can trigger cancer. However, there is not enough evidence that eating grapes, drinking grape juice, wine or taking supplements can avoid or heal cancer.

Drinking alcohol increases cancer risk.

Alcohol consumption has been linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, breast, liver, colon and rectum. The American Cancer Society recommends that men should drink less than two drinks a day and women should drink less than one drink a day. Women at high risk of breast cancer need to ask their doctor what the maximum amount of alcohol they can consume per day, even if they want to drink alcohol, based on personal health. Women at high risk of breast cancer should consult their doctor about the amount of alcohol they can drink.

Water and other fluids have anticancer properties.

Water may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by diluting the concentration of potential cancer carcinogens in the bladder. In addition, consuming more fluids can cause you to urinate more frequently. It reduces the time that the carcinogens are in contact with the bladder mucosa.

Bean and cancer.

Beans are known to be good for the body. They can also help fight cancer. Beans contain chemicals that protect the body's cells and may have anti-cancer effects. Studies have shown that they prevent tumor cells from releasing substances that can damage surrounding cells. It slows the growth of tumor cells.

Cruciferous Vegetables and cancer.

Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and so on. These cruciferous vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked. These vegetables also contain ingredients that can help fight cancers such as lung, breast, cervix, and colon cancer.

Dark leafy greens and cancer.

Dark leafy greens such as kale, mustard greens, spinach are rich in fiber, carotenoids, and folate. These nutrients protect in the mouth, throat, pancreas, lungs, skin and stomach. They can against cancers of those organs.

Curcumin.

Curcumin is the main ingredient in the cooking spice turmeric. It has potential anticancer effects. Studies have shown that it can inhibit the transformation, proliferation and invasion of tumor cells. It can prevent a wide range of cancers.

Cooking methods.

Cooking methods may also increase the risk of cancer. Frying and grilling food at high temperatures can generate harmful chemicals. This may increase the risk of cancer. Cooking methods of stewing, boiling or steaming produce relatively few of these chemicals.

Berries.

Berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are rich in antioxidants. They are able to eliminate free radicals, which prevent free radicals from harming cells. Thus berries can help prevent or delay the development of cancer.

Sugar.

Although sugar doesn't directly cause cancer, it may inhibit the absorption of other foods that help fight cancer. It also increases the intake of calorie. It leads to overweight and obesity. Overweight is one of the risk factors of cancer. If the patient wants to consume sugar, they can choose to consume sugar from fruit.

Supplements.

Although nutrients such as vitamins may help prevent cancer, they only work when they are absorbed naturally from food. Studies have shown that getting anticancer nutrients from foods such as green leafy vegetables, fruits and beans can be far more effective than their supplements. A healthy diet is better than all nutrition.

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Common nutritional questions about cancer patients.❓❓❓

Nutritional issues are a very important issue for every cancer patient as well as for clinicians. It can affect the effect of cancer treatment. However, how to take nutrition for cancer patients, and how to take nutrition for cancer patients with other diseases will confuse patients. Most cancer patients and their families are affected by rumors or misunderstandings. It will make them fall into various dietary mistakes. This leads to a series of problems such as insufficient nutrient intake, low quality and nutritional imbalance. It leads to aggravation of malnutrition, reduced quality of life and even survival time. The followings are answers to some common cancer diet questions. 

Do anticancer foods really work?

There is currently no evidence that a single food can cure or prevent cancer. During treatment, many patients and their families search the Internet for various anti-cancer foods, such as garlic, blueberries, and green tea. They would expect to rely on these foods for the purpose of treating cancer. Although there are some foods have high levels of natural anticancer ingredients, such as some phytochemicals, none of them are guaranteed to prevent or treat cancer. If the patient consumes an excessive single anticancer food, the diversity of food intake may be affected. It can cause reduced intake of other essential nutrients and lead to nutritional imbalances. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of cancer or achieve the effect of cancer treatment, it is best to focus on developing long-term healthy eating habits. It should be a balanced diet, more exercise and no smoking.

Can low intake of nutrients kill tumor cells?

Some people think that tumor cells need to absorb nutrients just like normal cells. Therefore, as long as you reduce your nutrient intake, you can also kill tumor cells. However, there is no evidence that intaking nutrients will promotes the growth of tumor cell. Instead, when you are undernourished, tumor cells rob the nutrients of normal cells. They even break down human muscle cells and protein to supplement nutrients. In the end, only the patient and not the tumor cells are killed.

Can patients eat fried or grilled food during cancer treatment?

People who are recovering from cancer should not eat fried or grilled food. Healthy people should also not eat these foods too much. Frying and grilling typically involve high temperatures in excess of 200 degrees. High temperature can cause fat to generate free radicals and form carcinogens such as benzopyrenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Starches form acrylamides. Proteins can form strong carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines. They all cause cancer.

Can soup supplement more nutritious?

Many people think that soup is full of nutrients. But in fact, the nutrition of soup is only 5-10% of the raw materials and most of it is fat and some vitamins and minerals. Most of the nutrients (especially protein) are left in the residues from soup. It is recommended to eat the soup with the residues if you want to intake more nutrients.

Can cancer patients intake sugar?

Cancer patients can eat sugar. All cells in the body need sugar for energy. Tumor cells proliferate more rapidly than normal cells. They have a greater need for sugar. Therefore, some people believe that eating too much sugar will provide nutrients to tumor cells and promote them grow rapidly. But this idea is wrong. In fact, as long as the intake is reasonable, cancer patients can consume sugar. A 2009 recommendation by the American Cancer Institute that cancer patients should limit their intake of refined sugars. Female patients should not exceed 25 grams per day. Male patients should not exceed 38 grams per day.

Can eating more vitamins and other health products help treat cancer?

In a balanced diet, a variety of vitamins and minerals will be ingested. Patients do not need to supplement vitamins additional. However, if a cancer patient has a decreased appetite or an unbalanced diet, the patient can take vitamin supplements after evaluation by a professional. If patients rely on supplemental vitamins, it may cause them to reduce their intake of whole foods, such as vegetables and fruits, and thus reduced intaking of other nutrients in these foods.

Is it good for cancer patients to eat more Cordyceps sinensis, ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum?

Due to lack of nutritional knowledge, cancer patients often think that precious medicinal materials such as Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, ginseng, and bird's nest can help treat cancer. In fact, patients should not pursue the immune effect of a certain food too much, nor should they rely too much on these precious medicinal materials. A balanced diet and comprehensive nutritional supplements are a good way to improve the overall immunity.

Is it recommended to eat vegetables raw or cooked?

There are studies about the raw or cooked vegetables with the risk of cancer. These studies found that raw or cooked vegetables both are low risk of cancer, but raw vegetables have a stronger relation with low risk of cancer. However, if the patients can not tolerant to raw vegetables, they should eat cooked vegetables.

Is organic food healthier than regular food?

Organic food is not healthier than regular food. Organic food refers to food grown on uncontaminated land without pesticides or herbicides. There are many reasons why people choose organic food. However, no studies have shown that there is a significant difference in the nutrient content of organic food and ordinary food. There is also no evidence that organic food reduces cancer risk more than regular food. Although organic foods may be safer than regular foods, there are some foods labeled organic, such as organic cookies, organic potato chips and other snacks, which have the exact same calorie, fat, sugar and other content as regular foods. Therefore, patients should not blindly think that organic food is healthy food.

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Your immunity is starting to decline when you have these symptoms.📉📉📉

Low immunity is a very troublesome problem. It makes ordinary people more susceptible to illness. In cancer patients, low immunity is even more troublesome and they are also more often low immunity. When the immune system is weakened, cancer patients may not be able to tolerate subsequent treatments. Their pain will increases and the quality of life decreases. In severe cases, it will directly threaten the life of the patient. How can we find out if the immune level is low? Isn't the stronger the immune system the better? How can cancer patients improve their immunity?

Is the stronger the immunity better?

It is generally believed that the stronger the immunity, the better effect of cancer treatment. However, in some types of cancer immunotherapy, some patients with stronger immunity have lower response rates. Therefore, a stronger immune system may obstruct immunotherapy. In addition, some studies have found that the tumor cells of patients with strong immunity do not exhibit self-antigen variation at the beginning. The major histocompatibility complex cannot transmit the signal to the immune system to remove cancer cells. Immunotherapy of tumors is limited. Therefore, too high or too low immunity will cause immune damage. Both will be harmful to the human body. Only moderate immunity is best for the human body.

If you have these symptoms, your immunity is starting to decline.

Frequent colds: People with weakened immune systems are vulnerable to the virus. They become prone to colds. And also with colds, they always recover slower than others.

Difficulty healing wounds: Usually the body is scratched, the normal people can heal and recover in a few days. The wounds of people with weakened immune systems are easily infected. It cause redness, swelling and pus. The wound heals more slowly.

Tired easily: Cancer-related fatigue occurs in cancer patients, which is easily confused with fatigue caused by a weakened immune system. It needs attention when the patient has abnormal fatigue.

Poor gastrointestinal function: Patients with low immunity also often have poor gastrointestinal function. It mainly manifests as indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, and even unexplained vomiting and diarrhea.

How to better improve immunity?

During the treatment of tumor patients, the toxic and side effects of chemotherapy drugs, radiation exposure, surgical trauma, psychological pressure, anxiety, etc. will affect the immune function of the body. They cause decreased immunity. So, how can we improve immunity effectively?

Eat a reasonable diet.

When you ensure a balanced nutritional intake, this can help strengthen your immune system to fight bacterial and viral attacks. 

1. Ensure protein intake. Proteins can not only provide raw materials for the regeneration and repair of immune cells, antibodies and mucosal tissues, but also synergize with carbohydrates to promote the repair of the body. It is recommended to consume high-quality protein foods such as fish, shrimp, lean meat, eggs, milk, and soybeans every day. Try to ensure 1 egg per day, 300 grams of milk and dairy products.
2. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits. It is recommended to consume more than 500 grams of vegetables and 200-350 grams of fruits per day. Kiwi fruits, strawberries and citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. They can assist the immune system and improve resistance.
3. Drink enough water to promote metabolism. The daily water intake should be 1500-2000 ml, several times and a small amount. It is recommended to drink boiled water or light tea. It is recommended not to drink or drink less sugary drinks.

Ensure enough sleep.

The human body produces sleep factors during sleep. These factors promote leukocytosis, activation of macrophages and enhanced liver detoxification, thereby eliminating invading bacteria and viruses. From 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. is a person’s deep sleep period. It is recommended to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day.

Proper exercise.

Proper exercise is a great way to enhance your immunity. Many aerobic exercises such as squats, push-ups, sit-ups, jogging, are good choices. However, exercise does not immediately boost immunity. It takes about 12 weeks of continuous exercise before the number of immune cells begins to increase.

Keep a good attitude.

Negative emotions such as stress and depression can promote the secretion of adrenal cortex hormones. This can lead to decreased immunity. Abdominal breathing can regulate a person's autonomic nervous system and is a good way to overcome negative emotions.

• Abdominal breathing: Stand with feet open, knees slightly bent, and hands on abdomen. When you inhale, your belly bulges. When you exhale, your belly retract and exhale slowly. Practice 6 minutes each morning, noon and night.

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Some lifestyle habits that can help you prevent cancer.📆📆📆

Even though medical technology is becoming more and more advanced
nowadays, cancer is still one of the diseases that everyone is afraid of. There are more and more people suffering from cancer. Every minute around the world, many people are diagnosed with cancer or die of cancer. In addition to genetics that affect cancer, daily living habits can also affect cancer. Some bad habits can make people more prone to cancer. Here are some lifestyle habits that can help you prevent cancer.

1. Eating habits.

Many families are accustomed to a high-salt, high-sugar, and high-oil diet, which makes it easy to suffer from various chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, and high blood lipids. At the same time, it will be more prone to cancer. Therefore, the usual diet should do the following:

1. Try to have a light diet, eat less high-fat, high-salt and pickled foods. It is best to consume no more than 6 grams of salt per day.
2. Eat moderate amounts of meat, each person consumes 50-75g of livestock and poultry meat and 50-100g of fish and shrimp every day. Appropriately reduce the intake of red meat (such as beef, pig and mutton), and eat less processed meat products (such as sausage and ham).
3. Drink less sugary drinks and eat less high-energy-density foods, such as desserts and high-fat meats.
4. Drink less alcohol. If you cannot avoid drinking, men should limit their drinking to less than 2 alcohol units per day, and women should limit their drinking to 1 alcohol unit per day (1 alcohol unit is 10 ml of pure alcohol, which is approximately equivalent to 360 ml of beer and 150 ml of wine or 45ml of white wine).
5. Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, which should account for more than 2/3 of your daily diet. The more types, the better.
6. To maintain good eating habits. Eat regularly every day, eat slowly and avoid overeating.

2. Exercise.

Proper exercise can enhance physical fitness, improve immunity and enhance the body's resistance. Studies have shown that exercise can significantly reduce the incidence of 13 types of cancer. Lack of necessary exercise can reduce a person's life span by 3-5 years. This also increases the probability of cancer, heart disease and stroke by 25-50%. 

Suggestion:

• Perform aerobic exercises 3 times or more a week, such as jogging, swimming, skipping rope, and cycling for at least 30 minutes each time. Pay attention to warming up and stretching before and after exercise. After adapting to this exercise intensity, gradually increase the amount of exercise according to personal circumstances.

3. Sleeping.

Studies have shown that long-term lack of sleep increases the risk of cancers such as colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer and lung cancer. Studies have investigated more than 1000 cancer patients between the ages of 30 and 50 from all over the world. It was found that 99.3% of them would not rest until after the early hours of the morning for a long time. 

Suggestion:

• Children 1-2 years old: It is recommended to sleep 11-14 hours a day, but it should not be less than 9 hours or more than 16 hours.
• Children 3-5 years old: It is recommended to sleep 10-13 hours a day, but it should not be less than 8 hours or more than 14 hours.
• Children 6-13 years old: It is recommended to sleep 9-11 hours a day, but it should not be less than 7 hours or more than 12 hours.
• Adolescents aged 14-17: It is recommended to sleep 8-10 hours a day, but it should not be less than 7 hours or more than 11 hours.
• Adults aged 18-64: It is recommended to sleep 7-9 hours a day, but should not be less than 6 hours or more than 11 hours.
• Elderly people over 65: It is recommended to sleep 7-9 hours a day, but it should not be less than 5 hours or more than 9 hours.

4. Emotion.

Studies have found that experimental mice live in a pleasant environment, and their tumors are getting smaller than those in the control group, and even disappear. Positive emotions have a positive impact on the immune system and can help prevent cancer.

5. Examination.

Cancer is a chronic development process. Therefore, if cancer is detected as early as possible, there is a greater chance of recovery. Lung cancer is the cancer with the highest morbidity and mortality. However, if it is detected and treated early, the 5-year survival rate can reach 90%. Regular examination can detect cancer early and improve the cure rate of patients. In addition, people with past medical or family history should undergo more targeted examinations.

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Anti-aging function of vitamin B2.👴👵

Previous studies have shown that the accumulation of aging cells in the body can lead to aging-related diseases and aging. Using supplements or drugs containing vitamin B2 can inhibit cell senescence. This may prevent and improve age-related diseases and extend people's healthy lifespan. Recently, researchers from Kobe University in Japan stated that adding vitamin B2 to cells exposed to the stress of aging will increase the ability of mitochondria to produce energy and prevent cell aging.

1. The mechanism of human aging.

Aging research is becoming more and more important to solve the medical and welfare problems that come with it and to help people live healthier lives. The process of body aging is not fully understood, but the aging of the cells that make up the body has been proven to be a factor. As the cell division cycle repeats, the telomere region at the end of each chromosome becomes shorter, which eventually leads to cell senescence. It is the cell loses the ability to divide. The reduction of telomere area is not the only relevant factor. Various types of stress on cells (such as DNA damage and reactive oxygen bursts) can also cause cell senescence. Aging cells caused by these stresses accumulate in the body with age. Aging cells have the harmful ability to cause the decline of the function of every organ in the body. By preventing the accumulation of senescent cells, age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes can be prevented or improved. 

2. The original intention of the research.

Vitamins are micronutrients necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the human body. Since the human body cannot synthesize vitamins, it must be absorbed from food and drinks. Vitamin B2 (also called riboflavin) is widely found in foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy products. It is an important vitamin for energy production and metabolism. Lack of vitamin B2 can cause symptoms such as mouth swelling and anemia. In addition, excessive intake of vitamin B2 generally has no negative effects, because it is a water-soluble vitamin that can be excreted from the body very quickly. Although vitamin B2 is an essential nutrient for maintaining health, its relationship with aging has not been studied. The research team began to study the effect of vitamin B2 on aging, hoping that if daily vitamins can inhibit cell aging, this will help provide low-cost and safe anti-aging drugs.

3. Research methods.

The research team found that by increasing the amount of SLC52A1 produced, the phenomenon of cell aging can be resisted. SLC52A1 is a vitamin B2 transporter. It is responsible for transporting vitamin B2 to the cell. When the production of SLC52A1 increases, even under stress conditions (treatment of human cells with drugs to damage DNA and induce senescence), cellular senescence does not occur immediately. On this basis, the researchers exposed the cells to a stressful environment, and then increased the vitamin B2 content in the culture medium. They found that the ability to resist aging increases with the content of vitamin B2 in the solution. In the cell, vitamin B2 is converted into a substance called flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), which is a coenzyme that promotes the chemical reactions necessary for biological activities (such as energy production). In stressed cells, mitochondrial activity temporarily increases and then decreases in activity leading to senescence. By increasing the content of vitamin B2 in the culture medium, maintaining a high level of stress-mediated mitochondrial activity, this also has anti-aging effects. Studies have found the activity of AMPK enzyme, which can detect energy deficiency in cells, and found that AMPK activity is inhibited by mitochondrial activity. On the contrary, using drugs to inhibit mitochondrial activity will cause AMPK to be activated and send a signal to the p53 (inducing cell senescence) protein to prevent cell division, leading to a state of senescence. The above results indicate that vitamin B2 can increase the mitochondrial activity of stressed cells and prevent aging by inhibiting the functions of AMPK and p53.

Summary: Cells under stress will produce SLC52A1 and increase their absorption of extracellular vitamin B2. Once in the cell, vitamin B2 will be converted into FAD, and increase the production of mitochondrial energy by becoming a coenzyme of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex II. Therefore, AMPK and p53 (inducing cellular senescence) are inactivated, so stress-mediated cellular senescence is suppressed.

👉Vitamin B2 is easily absorbed from food and supplements, and even if it is taken too much, it will be quickly excreted from the body. Therefore, based on the cellular anti-aging properties of vitamin B2, treatment methods for age-related diseases have been developed. This drug is believed to be relatively cheap and safe.

For more detail, you can read this article.👇

Nagano T, Awai Y, Kuwaba S, Osumi T, Mio K, Iwasaki T, Kamada S. Riboflavin transporter SLC52A1, a target of p53, suppresses cellular senescence by activating mitochondrial complex II. Mol Biol Cell. 2021 Nov 1;32(21):br10. doi: 10.1091/mbc.E21-05-0262. Epub 2021 Sep 15. PMID: 34524871.

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What prefer to eat during cancer treatment?🍜🍛🍣

In the progression of cancer treatment, in addition to observing the doctor's prescription, taking medicines on time and in accordance with the method, you should also pay more attention to your diet. The following will briefly introduce the dietary recommendations during cancer treatment.

The basis of diet during cancer treatment: 

1. In treatment and rehabilitation, it is most important to ensure sufficient nutrition. The importance of dietary intake is equivalent to receiving radiotherapy and chemotherapy and taking medicine.
2. To satisfy a comprehensive and balanced diet. It is also important to ensure food safety.
3. During the treatment period, adjust the supply of nutrients, adjust the shape of food, and adjust the way of nutrient supply according to the situation.

Recommended food during cancer treatment:

1. Ensure intaking enough high-quality protein.

One egg a day.

Dairy products 1-2 times a day such as a glass of milk, special medical formula food nutrient solution and a portion of sugar-free yogurt. If you are already malnourished patients, dairy products can choose special medical formula foods instead of milk.

Choose 2 different types of foods with high quality protein content every day. The intake is about 2-3 pieces the size of your own palm:

• Poultry (duck, chicken, etc.)
• Meat (pig, sheep, cattle, etc.)
• Aquatic products (sea fish, river fish, crab, shrimp, etc.)
• Soy or soybean products (green beans/soybeans/edamame, tofu, etc.)

2. Eat at least 500 grams of vegetables every day and try to choose varieties with rich colors. 

• It is because the richer the color, the more healthy nutrients, such as dark green, red and yellow vegetables. In particular, you should eat more dark green vegetables rich in folic acid, such as spinach, Chinese kale and so on. If eating vegetables causes flatulence during the treatment period, it can be adjusted to part of the food and the other part is drunk the vegetable juice which filters residue.

3. If your hemogram is relatively low, you can eat pig liver once a week.

4. Take 1-2 fruits a day

• The intake is about the size of your own 2 fists and preferably with high vitamin C content.

5. A small handful of original nuts every day.

• The intake amount is that you can hold it with your hands after peeling the shell. Such as walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios and so on. You can mix several different types or change different types every few days.

6. One small spoonful of seeds a day.

• It is about 10 ml such as sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds and chia seeds. You can also mix them according to your preferences.

7. Don't forget the staple food.

• 2-3 servings of your own fist size a day, which can be rice, noodles, miscellaneous grains.

👉At last, If you have a poor appetite, you can use a blender to process the above food to make a nutritious paste. The amount of food will appear to be much less.

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Inventory of various new discoveries of metformin😎😎😎

Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug and a classic oral hypoglycemic agent. Since its inception in 1957, it has been used clinically for more than 60 years. It is currently one of the most widely used oral hypoglycemic drugs in the world. Even though there are many new hypoglycemic drugs, metformin is still the primary drug for type 2 diabetes.

Metformin was born in 1929 and originated from galega officinalis. In 1957, French diabetologist professor Jean Sterne first used metformin for clinical hypoglycemic reduction. Then its application value is still being discovered. Let us take a look at what new discoveries have been made recently.

1. Cancer

Acidic phospholipids play an important role in regulating electrostatic membrane association of programmed cell death ligand 1 cytoplasmic domain (PD-L1-CD). Metformin can competitively dissociate PD-L1-CD from the membrane and affect the stability of PD-L1. This revealed that the molecular mechanism of metformin's anti-tumor effect and provided new ideas for related immunotherapy targeting PD-L1.

There are many studies that supporting metformin can decrease the risk or improve the symptoms of cancer patients. Such as esophageal squamous cell cancer, pancreatic cancer, primary bone cancer.

2. Obstetrics & Gynecology

a. Improve neonatal obesity

    Metformin has many benefits for mother's blood glucose and neonatal obesity, including improved blood glucose, reduced caesarean section, reduced mother's weight, lower insulin requirements,  lower birth weight and obesity measurements of newborns.

b. Prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

    Metformin can prevent late period abortion and premature birth in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

3. Metabolic diseases

Metformin can improve the metabolic status of patients treated with systemic glucocorticoids. It can not only reverse the metabolic complications caused by the use of systemic glucocorticoids, but also reserve the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. It benefits many patients taking systemic glucocorticoids.

4. Cardiovascular System

 a. Heart failure

    Non-diabetic heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) use metformin to reduce myocardial oxygen consumption and improve myocardial efficiency.

b. Left ventricular hypertrophy

    Metformin treatment significantly reduced the left ventricular mass index. Patients taking metformin reduced left ventricular thickening by two time less. In addition, metformin also reduced blood pressure, oxidative stress, and weight. Metformin has the potential to improve cardiovascular health.

c. Air-pollution-induced thrombosis

    Atmospheric particulate matter can induce alveolar macrophages to release pro-inflammatory factors including interleukin 6 (IL-6), leading to arterial thrombosis and death.

    Metformin blocks the mitochondrial electron transport and inhibits the production of reactive oxygen species, thereby blocking the release of IL-6 and inhibiting the formation of arterial thrombosis. This confirms that metformin can be used as a potential therapeutic drug to prevent cardiovascular diseases caused by air pollution.

5. Nervous system

a. Cognitive and nerve recovery after brain tumor surgery

    For children with brain tumor patients who have received craniocerebral radiotherapy, metformin can significantly improve their statement memory and working memory function, repairing white matter damage. Metformin is also safe and tolerable in this population.

b. Multiple Sclerosis

    After treatment with metformin, oligodendrocyte precursor cells can restore their response to the signal of promoting-differentiation, promote the regeneration of nerve myelin. This is useful for the treatment of central nerve demyelination such as multiple sclerosis.

c. Cognitive decline and dementia

    Patients with type 2 diabetes who take metformin have slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia.

6. Locomotor system

a. Osteoarthritis

    Metformin can prevent the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis, alleviate the pain sensitivity associated with osteoarthritis in mice. Its protective effect on cartilage is mainly through the activation of AMPK signals.

b. Intervertebral disc degenerative disease

    Metformin can promote the release of small extracellular vesicles of mesenchymal stem cells, increase the level of proteins that regulate cell proliferation in the vesicles, and can optimize the application effect of extracellular vesicles in the regeneration and repair of intervertebral discs.

7. Digestive system

Metformin stimulates bile secretion in the intact liver, but this drug can also cause severe damage to bile acid secretion.

8. Infection

a. COVID-19

   Metformin inhibits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and the production of IL-1β in cultured macrophages and alveolar macrophages, as well as the secretion of inflammasome-independent IL-6, thereby attenuating lipopolysaccharide and COVID-19 induced acute respiratory distress syndrome. Metformin can be a potential treatment for severely patients with COVID-19 and other induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

b. HIV

    Metformin reacted on mitochondrial respiratory chain complex-I and inhibit the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway. It inhibited the replication of human CD4⁺ T cells and HIV-1 virus in humanized mouse models. It revealed that metformin and others OXPHOS pathway inhibitors may be an adjunct to treat AIDS.

👉Metformin has also anti-aging effect. Most effects still are at the research stage and may not be used on treatment. Therefore, metformin still deserves more in depth research.

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