Some raw foods can contain germs that can hurt you when cancer or treatment weakens your immune system. Ask your health care provider about how to eat well and safely. Eggs can have bacteria called Salmonella on their inside and outside. This is why eggs should be cooked completely before eating.
Raw eggs, eggs that are not thoroughly cooked are absolutely not for cancer patients to eat. Meat and poultry, experts recommend eating chicken, geese, lean meat, beef.
Limit eggs to 1 or 2 times per week; soft and hard boiled will be a better option than scrambled or fried. Consider avoiding eggs completely if you have had a reproductive cancer or are at high-risk for breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer. Limit red meat to once a week or less and avoid cooking at high temperatures.
However, as they are low-acid, bananas may be a more stomach-friendly fruit for people with chemotherapy-related nausea. Bananas are also a good source of potassium and magnesium, so they are helpful for replacing the electrolytes the body loses from vomiting.
High-protein foods*
Use milk in place of water for hot cereal and soups. Include cream or cheese sauces on vegetables and pasta. Add powdered milk to cream soups, mashed potatoes, puddings, and casseroles. Add Greek yogurt, powdered whey protein, or cottage cheese to favorite fruits or blended smoothies.
In general, the main goal in nutrition with cancer patients is to choose soft, liquid foods with high nutritional and energy content. On the other hand, milk is considered as a food source that contains all the necessary nutrients for the body.
Dairy foods should be eaten as part of a varied and nutritious diet. Cancer Council supports the Australian Dietary Guidelines, which encourage adults to eat at least two and a half serves of dairy foods (milk, cheese and yoghurt) each day and to choose reduced fat varieties of dairy foods where possible.
Try low-odor, dry, and bland foods, such as crackers, toast, oatmeal, and plain yogurt. Sip cold, clear liquids, such as ginger ale, iced tea, sparkling water, or fruit juice. Some people find sparkling water with a splash of juice soothes the stomach.
The hormones, such as estrogen, needed to release eggs each month and prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy are made in the cells of the ovaries (oocytes). Oocytes tend to divide quickly, so are often affected by chemo. This can lead to loss of those important hormones and can affect fertility.
Hard, spicy and acidic foods can aggravate the mouth sores that are sometimes a side effect of chemotherapy. So, you may want to skip these types of foods during treatment. “Grapefruit in particular reacts with a lot of different things, including some medications,” Hassan says.
Avocados are high in healthy fats, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, potassium and fiber. This makes them rich in antioxidants and nutrients that are essential in a healthy diet and have been shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
Be careful when you have dairy products: All milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy should have the word pasteurized on their containers. Do not eat soft cheeses or cheeses with blue veins (such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Bleu).
Debate no more if you should eat chocolate or not. Go ahead and enjoy a dark chocolate bar (in moderation) while decreasing inflammation and preventing cell damage. Check out this recipe for dark chocolate-covered strawberries and pair it with a glass of red wine, which also have the powerful antioxidant flavonoids.
Greek yogurt could be a great option. What is in Greek yogurt? It contains all the benefits of regular yogurt, plus extra protein (17 grams per serving). Greek yogurt also adds calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamins A and D to your diet.
Intake of yogurt has been found to be associated with lower risks of colorectal and bladder cancer. On the other hand, some (but not all) studies have reported that yogurt consumption is associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer and squamous cell skin cancer.
"Cancer-fighting foods"
The list is usually topped with berries, broccoli, tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and other vegetables, fruits and nuts. "If you look at the typical foods that reduce cancer risk, it's pretty much all plant foods that contain phytochemicals," says Wohlford.
Pasta dishes are a great options because of the chewable quality of noodles and the ease of incorporating a lot of healthy veggies in the dish.
“I advise my patients to drink coffee in moderation during treatment,” says Dr. Kukreja. “Chemotherapy can cause a lot of nausea and heartburn. Excessive caffeine can increase reflux and GERD and can also cause nausea.
Eat Light Ahead of Time
Two to three hours before an infusion, eat a light, high-fiber snack. The drugs commonly used to prevent nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy can also be constipating. Between staying hydrated and eating fiber, you should gain the upper hand on constipation.