Nutrition During and After Cancer

Cancer and Nutrition

Proper nutrition, combined with an active lifestyle avoiding sedentary behavior, forms the basis of cancer prevention, but it remains equally important during oncological treatment and after recovery from this disease. Excess weight, for example, is a deposit of cholesterol, which is harmful to the individual's health. The risk of cancer also increases with slight overweight, and not just for obese individuals. Excess weight cannot and should not be considered a simple aesthetic problem: it presents serious health risks and is a risk factor for cancer, its recurrence, and slows down the healing process.

Mitigating the Side Effects of Cancer Therapies with Nutrition

Loss of Appetite or Altered Taste

Consume water between meals, drink little at the table, and replace water with fennel seeds, star anise, or preferably green tea. It can be helpful to chew food well and slowly to facilitate digestion. You can also try using plastic cutlery and glass jars to store food to reduce the perception of metallic taste.

Inflammation of the Mucous Membranes

In case of an inflammatory state of the oral cavity and intestine, it is preferable to use the following products:

• whole grains and legumes (red lentils and whole legumes) in cream form
• brown rice
• green vegetables
• oily fish
• unsalted dried fruits
• soy
• olive oil.

Avoid red meat and canned foods, eggs, fried foods, salty snacks, raw tomatoes, fatty cheeses, sweets, chocolate, pizza and refined flours, baked wholemeal products, spicy or hard foods, sugary or caffeinated drinks, citrus fruits and alcohol.

Nausea and Vomiting

It is advisable to divide meals into 5-6 snacks so that the stomach is never empty, and to chew food slowly and at room temperature. Choose mainly salty and dry foods. Avoid fried or strong-smelling foods, cooked cereals, sugary foods and drinks, and animal proteins. Do not consume large quantities of liquids during meals. Instead, take small sips of ginger tea.

Eating Healthy to Reduce the Risk of Cancer Recurrence

Foods to Limit After Cancer

Here's what you should definitely limit after having cancer:

• consumption of sugars, but also the consumption of dairy products and products high in saturated fats such as meats and fresh and processed cheeses, as their saturated fat content, if consumed in excess, can alter insulin secretion in the body.
• Simple sugars, foods containing large amounts of omega-6 fatty acids such as dried fruits (except nuts) and all foods of animal origin except fish would be foods promoting inflammation.
• Growth factors such as IGF-1 are always stimulated by proteins, particularly animal proteins, and are mainly contained in milk. Therefore, as a precaution in case of neoplasm, it is advisable to reduce the consumption of foods of animal origin and to limit, or even exclude, milk.

Phytoestrogens and Soy

Legumes, particularly soy, contain phytoestrogens, molecules whose structure is similar to that of estrogens and which have been shown to be key elements of a preventive diet, but whose reverse effect in the case of estrogen-dependent cancers has raised doubts. To date, the consumption of soy-containing foods as part of a healthy diet in patients with hormone-sensitive tumors has been shown to be protective, but caution should still be exercised by avoiding excesses and consuming them concurrently with hormone therapy.

Polyamines in Fruits and Vegetables

Finally, regarding polyamines, there is not much data. Polyamines are known to be essential molecules for cell proliferation (of all cells, including cancer cells), which is why, in case of neoplasms, although there is no clinical data on this, it is recommended, as a precaution, to avoid (or at least reduce) the consumption of foods that contain large amounts of polyamines, such as oranges and grapefruits, Solanaceae (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers), tropical fruits and crustaceans.

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Are There Anti-Cancer Foods?

There are foods that can prevent certain dangerous cancerous diseases. They should therefore never be missing from your table. The main ones are:

• Legumes: they contain isoflavones (phytoestrogens) that modulate the action of sex hormones, thus hindering tumor growth.
• Seeds and dried fruits: walnuts, almonds, and prunes are rich in potassium and anti-cancer compounds, such as laetrile in almonds, phytosterols in peanuts, omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, selenium in Brazil nuts, or vitamins A and E in sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds.
• Vegetables and fruits: vegetables are particularly effective against colorectal cancer. Dark green leafy vegetables (e.g., beetroot) or yellow-orange leafy vegetables (e.g., carrot and pumpkin) should be consumed. Bulbs such as leeks, garlic, or onions are also excellent. Finally, it is preferable to consume fruits in season and without adding sugar or other sweeteners.
• Fish: especially oily fish (sardines, anchovies, mackerel), which provide omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, coenzyme Q10, and selenium.

What are the Types of Breast Cancer Treatment?

Some treatments remove or destroy the disease in the breast and nearby tissues, such as the lymph nodes. These include:

• Surgery: For most people, the first step is to remove the tumor. An operation called a lumpectomy removes only the part of your breast that has cancer. It's sometimes called breast-conserving surgery. In a mastectomy, doctors remove the entire breast. There are different types of mastectomies and lumpectomies.
• Radiation therapy: This treatment uses high-energy waves to kill cancer cells. Most women under 70 who have a lumpectomy also get radiation therapy. Doctors may also recommend this method if the disease has spread. It helps destroy any cancer cells the surgeon couldn't remove. Radiation can come from a machine outside your body, or you might have tiny seeds that emit radiation placed inside your breast where the tumor was.
• Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to kill cancer cells. You take the drugs as pills or intravenously. Most people get this after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. Doctors also prescribe it before surgery to shrink tumors. Chemo works well against cancer, but it can also damage healthy cells.

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