Food

Turmeric is a spice commonly used in traditional Indian cooking and medicine. It accounts for the deep yellow color of some curries. Curcumin is a chemical found in turmeric that has some activity against cancer cells in a laboratory. Turmeric is mainly used for its anti-inflammatory properties. A search of the National Cancer Institute database on clinical trials did not reveal any human trials on cancer prevention with turmeric. This is still being investigated in the lab, and if successful there, will move on to human trials.

White flour is highly processed as compared to whole grains. White flour and other processed foods should be avoided as part of a healthy diet. White flour and white sugar have a high glycemic index/load. When you eat them their sugar is immediately absorbed and causes a spike in blood sugar followed by a spike in insulin. This can ultimately lead to insulin resistance and the development of diabetes.

There were some early reports in the literature that soy foods may reduce the effectiveness of Tamoxifen in animal studies, but at least one study from the Univ of So Cal (wu, JCO, 2007) showed that soy food consumption had no effect on the active metabolites of Tamoxifen in Asian American breast cancer survivors.

As with radiation, anti-oxidants in supplement form can interfere with many chemotherapy treatments but there is no evidence that the anti-oxidants found in whole foods are harmful (againnot dehydrated, concentrated versions of what was once a whole food). If your chemotherapy will decrease your infection fighting cells (as most do) then your doctor or nurse will likely tell you to avoid unpeeled fruits and vegetables and sushi. There are also some foods that should be avoided with specific chemotherapies and your oncologist or chemotherapy nurse can tell you what these are if any.

In general, no. However, there may be reasons to avoid certain foods depending upon where the radiation is being directed. Your radiation oncology physician or nurse would be the best source of information for your particular situation. Although anti-oxidants interfere with radiation, there is no evidence that the anti-oxidants found in whole foods (not dehydrated, concentrated versions of what was once a whole food) are harmful during treatment.

I love this question because we as oncologists have changed our thinking in the past few years. My former recommendation was that patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer avoid soy in any form. This was not necessarily based on any hard science, but rather a concern that the phytoestrogens in soy could theoretically promote breast cancer in women with hormone receptor positive tumors. Now we have some pretty convincing epidemiologic evidence that soy food consumption is beneficial in breast cancer survivors (note soy food—not supplements). In a meta-analysis done by Trock, et al.(Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2006) soy protein intake was associated with a small but statistically significant decrease in the risk of breast cancer. Two other case-control studies (one in a European population and the other in a Japanese population) also showed no increased risk of breast cancer with soy or other phytoestrogen consumption (Am J ClinNutr, 2010, and Iwasaki, et al., JCO, 2008). The Shanghai Women’s Health Study also shed some light on the benefits of soy consumption and breast cancer prevention. In this study the highest consumption of soy was associated with the lowest risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer. In breast cancer survivors, soy intake was associated with a lower mortality and risk of recurrence with a 29% risk reduction for total mortality and 32% risk reduction for breast cancer recurrence (ER pos or neg).

Thanks for the info on whole grain and wheat. Is there anything you should know when looking for "Gluten-free"? I almost picked up a box of gluten free mix to make bread today ($7.00 on sale ouch!) but I wasn't sure if there was anything I should be looking for on the label to be sure it was truly healthy.

Great question! By removing unhealthy foods from the diet – foods such as refined and artificial sugar, processed foods and most animal-based foods – and increasing whole, plant-based foods I gained more energy, felt better and reached a healthy weight. Eating nutrient-dense real food also greatly decreased the stress on my body in terms of digestion and inflammation. And enjoying some good quality dark chocolate once in awhile helped, too.

Get tested for food allergies and/or do an elimination diet to determine what is causing the allergic reaction. There are many foods to boost the immune system. Think plant-based, whole foods, many colors and minimally processed.

I would recommend making regular stops to rest and sleep. Also eating whole, fiber-rich foods (as opposed to highly processed foods) will give you slow and steady energy throughout the trip rather than short bursts of energy followed by a crash (of energy, not your car).

There is that generalization about dairy & cancer going around.

Before throwing out the baby with the bathwater (or cream) here, it is important to distinguish between valuable and non-valuable dairy. First, any dairy/milk products (butter, milk, cream, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk, cream cheese, yogurt, kefir, 1/2 & 1/2, egg nog, ice cream, whipped cream, etc.) and/or anything with dairy in it (creamed soups, etc.) needs to be organic/from organic milk or from European, Australian, Canadian or Japanese dairy cows.

The hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is given to non-organic dairy cows to make them produce more milk. And it leads to higher levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the milk and milk products from those cows. This hormone is also a growth hormone for breast and colon cancers, and possibly for other cancers as well. It is forbidden to give rBGH to animals in the EU, Canada, Australia and Japan where it is banned.

Second, some people are allergic to dairy compounds (lactose or casein, or both) and can't absorb it. For others, it can cause increased phlem production. Some say raw milk may reduce these adverse effects.

If dairy is fermented (yogurt, kefir, sour cream, buttermilk, cottage cheese), it may be easier to tolerate since the lactose is broken down by the fermenting organisms. These provide probiotics which aid the digestive system, make some of the b vitamins and vitamin k, and boost the immune system.

For those who can tolerate it, dairy is rich in protein, calcium, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, good CLA fats (which may have cancer-
protective activity) http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/bauman/cla/human_health/c9t11_general.html and other benefits.

So, it may be a big mistake to avoid all dairy (unless you're allergic to it). But it must be organic or from rBGH-free sources.

Happy holidays. This is making me want to dig into some raw milk French blue cheese right about now! Whole Foods has a good selection of organic, raw & imported dairy products.

Beware sugar (a cancer growth factor) and its partner, insulin (also a cancer growth factor), in so many of our holiday foods.

Hello, congrats on NED. This is similar to another question about estrogenic foods. They are safe - studies have shown they may even occupy receptors the way tamoxifen does. Organic when possible (unsprayed).
We don't know any specifics to lower risk, what we have is a combination of foods - every color fruit and vegetable. NO SODA, fried foods, JUNK.

Avoid artificial ingredients of all kinds. Consider some exercise, a way to relax and enjoy, and some detox - using healthy cleaning products, avoiding parabens in makeup and the like.

Many supplments can build health but you need to get a baseline from an acupuncturist, naturopath or nutritionist to see what you personally may need. After treatment our DNA is messed up and definitely following a health path can help. Yoga is amazing too!

Estrogen in natural food (unprocessed has been shown like ORGANIC soy) to occupy receptors like tamoxifen does. It is not our enemy at all.

Healthy foods are the natural ones - real fruit (organic when possible, unsprayed), vegetables,all COLORS. The colors indicate the broad variety of healthy phytochemicals (plant-substances our bodies need).

NO SODA or JUNK food, less fried foods or NONE. Lower amounts of salt. Try to avoid food coloring, artificial flavors and preservatives. Our bodies do not recognize that stuff as 'food'/'nutrition'.

REAL food as often as possible in small amounts at a time.

Wild fish is better than farmed (they feed those poor fish all sorts of crap), free-range animals if you eat them also better.

This is good advice, particularly about the 'well-trained human'! I would add that although there are some common foods - sugar, processed foods - that all of us should avoid, we each have a unique chemical make-up whereby things that are beneficial to one person may cause inflammation in another person - even healthy foods.

For example, I'm allergic to raw garlic. Not extremely allergic with a violent reaction - but when I do eat it, I don't feel my best. Is raw garlic a healthy food? Absolutely. Is it a healthy food for me? Not really. Why? Because in spite of the health benefits of garlic, it causes inflammation in my body. And inflammation lowers the immune system.

So...that's the great part about getting a thorough allergy test by a well-trained ND or DC.

Most definitely any alcoholic beverage should be avoided if you are feeling depressed. Alcohol is a Central Nervous System Depressant and can make depressed emotions worse. People often have a hard time believing that because they use alcohol as a social lubricant, initially feeling more relaxed, less inhibited and less concerned over issues. However, that effect is usually short lived after a small amount of alcohol. When people drink more and more, they can become more emotionally erratic and experience the negative effects of hangover.

You may want to consider eliminating caffienated drinks due to the crash that can occur after the caffiene has cleared your system and high sugar drinks can affect blood sugar levels which can also impact mood. Replace these drinks with water, amking sure you drinnk at least 8-12 eight ounce glasses per day (more if you live in the desert).

From a food perspective, there are fewer absolute directives, but there is some evidence that eating highly processed foods (read "junk foods") that are high in sugar and fat could impact energy level and therefore mood.

Current theories on improving emotional wellness suggest that an holistic approach can be the most effective way to treat mood disorders. Looking at your diet, that means trying to eat as healthy as you can afford and eating foods as close to their original form as possible: raw fruits, raw or steamed vegetables, lean meats (fish and chicken) prepated by baking, grilling or other low-fat manner. Avoid eating TV dinners and eating out at restaurants as you can't be assured of how healthy the food was prepared. Make sure to include activity in your "diet." Get moving at least 30 minutes a day, getting your heart rate up over 120 beats per minute (based on what your doctor approves).

There isn't a magic fix from a food or drink perspective (or any perspective for that matter), but controlling what you can will improve your likelihood of a speedy recovery.

White bread is slow to digest because it has no enzymes to help you digest it. Its lack of enzymes also causes your pancreas to work harder. White bread also includes pizza, hamburger buns, etc. so keep an eye out.

Whole milk hard cheese takes a long time to digest as well. While yogurt is good for digestion, the density of hard cheese plus its high fat content can make you feel sluggish. It can take up to six hours for these foods to digest so that is six hours of blood going to your stomach instead of your brain.

What can give you energy? Eating breakfast everyday, drinking lots of water (you can add lemon or cucumber slices, mint or grated ginger to add some flavor).

There are also slow digesting foods that are good for you and can keep you alert: Oranges, apples, soy milk, yogurt,tuna, salmon, bananas, oatmeal, lean meats, Brown rice, buckwheat, whole-grain rye bread, sourdough rye bread, pita bread, sweet potato, most wheat pastas.

Foods to eat when you have diarrhea are:
- bananas have pectin which is a soluble fiber and bananas also have increased amount of potassium which replaces an important electrolyte.
- rice, white bread (dry toast), crackers, and mashed plain potatoes because they are low in fiber and digested without difficulty in the upper GI tract.
- drink lots of fluids including clear liquids such as water, apple juice, sports drinks, and teas such as peppermint and chamomile.
- steamed white meat of the chicken.
- cooked apples are a source of pectin, sugar, and nutrients.
- dried blueberries which are a source of soluble fiber and antioxidant, they contain tannins which may decrease loss of fluids.

Foods to avoid when you have diarrhea are:
- avoid dairy and milk products with the exception of yogurt with live cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum
- caffeinated beverages.
- sugar free foods and diet sodas.
- fatty foods.
- gas producing foods, such as beans, broccoli, or cauliflower.
- dairy products such as ice cream and cheese.
- alcohol.

I believe it is important to eat foods that are as high in nutrition as possible as well as making sure you have a balanced diet. Over time, you will probably want to vary your diet by being creative with various sauces and small amounts of spices to change things up.

Here are a list of nutritious foods to work into your diet:
- fresh or dried fruit and fruit juices
- fresh vegetables
- dairy products - cottage cheese, milk, eggnog, milkshakes
- soups
- drink lots of fluids
- try different types of meat with various sauces

You may want to avoid the following foods:
- spicy or hot foods
- acidic foods - oranges, tomatos
- hot liquids such as coffee or tea
- course foods like chips, raw vegetables, crackers, and nuts (you may soak some of these in liquid to soften)

It is extremely important to eat foods with a high level of nutrition. I would recommend avoiding junk foods. My appetite for food was diminished by the chemotherapy, so it became most important to eat highly nourishing foods whenever I did eat.