You just may want to pass on citrus fruits for a while, if your mouth is especially sensitive or sore.” You may also want to avoid cold drinks and frozen treats like smoothies and sorbet with certain types of chemotherapy, as they can cause discomfort if you have chemo-related cold sensitivity.
Sometimes, chemotherapy drugs may cause mouth sores as a side effect. Patients who experience this may want to avoid citrus all together because the acidity of citrus fruits can be painful or irritating. It's also worth mentioning that grapefruit can interact with some common prescription medications.
Since chemotherapy knocks down the immune system, are there any foods you would tell people to avoid during chemotherapy? People are told to avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice when they're on certain medicines and some people have been told to avoid green tea.
Raw vegetables and fruits and fresh herbs are safe to eat if washed under running water and lightly scrubbed with a vegetable brush. Fresh salsas and salad dressings found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Choose shelf-stable salsa and dressings instead.
Though the research results aren't clear-cut, they show that citrus might help fend off several types of cancer: Cancers of the digestive tract, like colon cancer. Cancers of the respiratory tract, like lung cancer. Pancreatic cancer.
Drinking extra orange juice will not cure cancer – in fact, the amount of vitamin C in oranges is far less than many other fruits and vegetables. But, this new, early research on the topic of vitamin C is fresh and looking promising for KRAS and BRAF mutated cells.
Citrus fruits Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, are considered the best fruits for cancer patients, as they can prevent certain cancers.
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.
Tomatoes are not only delicious but nutritious! They offer a number of health benefits and should be a staple of anyone's diet. Better Homes and Gardens describes the cancer fighting benefits of tomatoes, “This fruit/vegetable is the epitome of a cancer-fighting superfood.
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.
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).
Orange juice: Acidic liquids may not sound or feel good, especially if you have mouth sores from chemotherapy. Mix it with another juice, like carrot or beet, to get the benefits and avoid the drawbacks. Work in other citrus juices, like lemon and lime, if they taste OK. Both are good for digestion.
During Chemotherapy Itself
If you feel all right, eat small, bland, light meals like those above, or have crackers and low acid juices (apple, grape or fruit nectars).
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
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.
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.
Good quality protein is important for cancer survivors. Our bodies use materials from the protein we eat to make new WBCs. Some sources of quality protein are fish, eggs, poultry, beef, milk, Greek yogurt and beans.
Potatoes are high in potassium, vitamin C and folate, all of which are most concentrated in the skin of the potato, which is left on in this dish. The roasted vegetables provide an opportunity to use what you have available.
"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.
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.
“A number of egg proteins and peptides have been reported to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, protect against DNA damage, decrease the invasion ability of cancer cells, and exhibit cytotoxic and antimutagenic activity in various cancer cell lines.