Healthy Diet for the Cancer Patient

One of the most common questions a person with cancer asks is what they should eat to help combat cancer. The truth is that a diet for cancer patient can be wide and varied. There are foods you can eat that keep your weight and nutrition up and there are foods you can eat that have the chance of fighting the cancer.

The first thing you must do is to rid your diet of processed foods, including snack foods and processed meats. These are foods that just add extra calories and don't give your body the nutrition you really need. Instead replace them with whole grain foods, lean meats, vegetables and fruits. It may mean that you cook more and "microwave" less but it is good for you to have foods that are nutrient dense. You may have problems with vomiting during cancer treatment so that the more nutrition in the food you eat, the better.

Diet for the Cancer Patient on Chemotherapy

Food should really be comforting but, with the ravages of chemotherapy, it can become a chore that you don’t want to do. You should stay away from beloved foods on chemotherapy days. This is because you might develop a negative association with food you used to love. Take anti-nausea drugs if offered to you. They will help you eat better without that nagging nausea.

Eat what you can stomach but beef it up so that it is packed with nutrition. For example, if you can only eat rice, cook it in beef or chicken stock for better nutrition. Eat a lot of protein, such as cheese, hummus or edamame beans. There are vitamins in these protein sources as well as fiber for your bowels. Make organic smoothies with yogurt, juice and fruit. They are healthy for you and taste great, too. Make popsicle treats out of fruit juices so you have something to suck on. These foods are a great diet for cancer patient.

Cancer-fighting food for Cancer Patient

It is believed that up to 30 percent of all cancers are related to having a poor diet. Fortunately, there is a diet for cancer patient that can make a difference in whether you are fighting cancer or letting it get the better of you. Think about the food pyramid and the fact that you need to get in at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Here are the best foods that should be included in the diet for cancer patient:

• Tomatoes—rich in lycopene, it lowers the risk of ovarian, cervical and prostate cancer. This includes spaghetti sauce, ketchup and tomato paste.
• Broccoli sprouts—contain sulforaphane, which reduces the risk of breast, stomach and skin cancer. Cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage are all in this family but don’t work as well as broccoli sprouts.
• Berries—contain anthocyanins. These are potent antioxidants that are protective against all types of cancers.
• Soybeans—seem to decrease the risk of breast and prostate cancers and protect the body from harmful forms of estrogen.
• Tea –contains catechins, which are potent antioxidants that block cancer growth.
• Pumpkin—this also includes things like squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers. These all contain beta carotene, which reduces all sorts of cancers.
• Spinach—contains a great deal of vitamin E and lutein. These are excellent antioxidants that are known to fight cancer.
• Garlic—when minced, it is known to fight of many varieties of cancer.
• Pineapple—This contains the antioxidant known as vitamin C. It also contains bromelain, which has been found to be effective in lung and breast cancers.
• Apple—This has antioxidants and contains Quercetin. Quercetin has been shown to attack cancer cells of the lungs and of the prostate.

A healthy diet for cancer patient can make a big difference. In the fight against colon cancer you need all the help you can get.

Written by Christine Traxler

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