THE IDEAL DIET FOR CANCER PATIENTS

An ideal diet plan can be the key to any treatment. A well planned diet is very important as the treatments often result in side-effects like nausea and the taste changes leading to a loss of appetite. So, the choice food should be suitable to the body and should not cause any adverse effects. One should not have too many dietary restrictions.

A good diet for a cancer patient contains a mix of vegetables and meat with lot of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals. They should strictly avoidextremely sweet and oily foods.

Ideal cooking methods for them should be steaming, boiling, and stir-frying. Don’t do any deep frying, grilling, barbequing and baking items.

A balanced diet should be of

·        1. Proteins (which helps to build tissues, prevents infection, heal wounds and helps to maintain a healthy immune system);

·        2. Carbohydrates and Fats (helps in gaining energy - removes weakness);

·        3. Vitamins and Minerals (helps for proper growth, body functioning) and;

·        4. Have plenty of Water and Liquids to avoid dehydration.

Foods to Include In Your Diet:

These are some of the food which should be included in the diet of patients and help them overcome the pain with a strong body.

Proteins:

• Lean meat, fish, poultry, and eggs.

• Dairy products, nuts, dried beans, dhal and chickpeas.

• Fish and soy(especially for prostate cancer).

   

Carbohydrates: 

• Rice, chapatti, wholegrain bread,healthy pasta and noodles.

• Potatoes, oats, wholegrain crackers,corn, beansand dairy products.

• Honey (should be consumed in limited quantity so that its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties will possibly help in preventing infections).

   

  

Vegetables:

• Carrots, peas, tomatoes, pumpkin and turnips (vitamins and fibre).

• Parsley (especially good for prostate cancer), tomatoes and tomato puree.

• Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage contain certain chemicals that will help to convert bad oestrogen into good oestrogen, and hence diminish cancer risk as well as the risk of deterioration.

• Asparagus and Brussels sprouts for detoxification.

• Bitter gourd (helps in lowering the blood sugar levels).

• Green leafy vegetables (calcium and iron).

   

Fruits:

• Oranges (vitamin C).

• Bananas, mangoes, kiwi, peaches, pears and strawberries (vitamins and fibre).

• Guava, apricots,avocadoes, figs, prunes and raisins (helps in regaining energy).

    

   

Foods to avoid:

• Grilled, barbequed, deep fried, baked meats (since exposing animal protein to high heat creates carcinogenic by-products called heterocyclic amines and causes damage to system).

• Excessive consumption of sugar, saltand extreme oily foods.

• Red meat and processed meats such as ham, sausages, bacon.

• Preserved foods like pickles, kiamchye (salted mustard green), jams and century eggs (contains nitrites which are carcinogenic).

• Minimise alcohol consumption.

   

Furthermore, patients must avoid unbalancedconsumption of vitamin supplementsas they act as antioxidants and may hinder with chemotherapy treatment when taken in large doses.

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Author- Yamini Koneti