Cortisone is one of the drugs frequently used in medical treatments. Its function in the body is to regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Taking excessive amounts may cause complications and other diseases.
The importance of diet in cortisone treatment is that the effect of cortisone treatment that is not supported by diet decreases, the mechanism of action of the administered cortisone is slow, or the emergence of possible complications of cortisone accelerates.
Diabetes, depression, anxiety, edema, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and high cholesterol may be observed in people who use high doses of cortisone for a long time.
To prevent osteoporosis, smoking should be stopped, alcohol and caffeine should be restricted. Exercise should be done as much as possible as it stimulates bone formation. Foods rich in calcium such as milk, yoghurt, unsalted cheese, legumes and green leafy vegetables should be consumed.
In order to keep cholesterol levels at a healthy level, a diet low in saturated fat (butter, tallow, lard) should be consumed.
Salt use should be reduced because cortisone reduces the reabsorption of salt from the kidneys. Attention should be paid not only to the salt added to meals, but also to the salt that comes from every food, that is, hidden sodium. There should be food choices such as unsalted bread, unsalted tomato paste etc. You can use spices such as thyme, mint, etc. instead of salt.
While cortisone retains salt in the kidneys, it also excretes potassium, and therefore potassium deficiency is observed in those who use cortisone. Potassium loss negatively affects the contractile function of the heart and causes muscle weakness. Therefore, plenty of vegetables and fruits should be consumed.
Cortisone disrupts sugar metabolism. For this reason, the desire to consume sweet and fatty foods increases, but despite the risk of diabetes, these products should not be consumed and more fresh foods should be consumed instead of processed foods. The need for sugar and dessert can be met from fresh and dried fruits.
Cortisone can cause increased fat deposits and muscle wasting. Therefore, by doing light-paced exercises, weight control is achieved and muscle mass is preserved. It also contributes to a person's mental health due to the psychological effect of sports.
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