What we eat has a tremendous impact on our health, a fact especially important to remember when fighting a disease like ovarian cancer.
“While there are no foods that can ‘cure’ ovarian cancer, eating a diet that is mostly plant-based and includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is believed to strengthen the immune system to help fight the disease,” says Dana Klein Davis, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and volunteer nutrition consultant at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge New York City — Jerome L. Greene Family Center.
Ovarian cancer patients should aim for at least five fruits and vegetables a day in a wide variety of colors — red, orange, yellow, green, and purple — to get the best array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other potential disease-fighting nutrients.
Planning an Ovarian Cancer Diet
Davis recommends the following foods in particular to add to an ovarian cancer diet:
Certain foods should be limited and perhaps avoided, including white flour and sugars — eat whole-grain foods instead. Limit or eliminate hot dogs, bologna, bacon, and other processed meats, and other foods that are generally high in fat. Also limit alcohol consumption to one alcoholic drink a day.
Choosing the Right Cooking Methods
Low-fat cooking methods such as baking, steaming, and roasting are best for ovarian cancer patients and non-cancer patients alike. Steaming or microwaving vegetables is particularly beneficial because these methods help preserve vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
For meat, poultry, and fish, avoid cooking techniques that involve high temperatures, such as frying, broiling, or grilling, says Davis. This will help prevent cancer-causing compounds, known as heterocyclic amines or HCAs, from forming. Instead try braising, stewing, or microwaving.
What to Eat During Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Ovarian cancer treatment can produce side effects. Specific dietary advice depends on your individual situation, but in general Davis suggests choosing foods high in protein and calories, such as cheese, peanut butter, and yogurt; drinking juices, milk, milkshakes, and smoothies instead of low-calorie or diet beverages; cooking with butter, margarine, or oil to add calories; and eating small portions every two to three hours rather than three big meals.
These suggestions can help with specific treatments:
Chemotherapy can often cause a loss of appetite, change in taste, and even constipation. To combat calorie loss, eat high-calorie, high-protein foods, like homemade chicken or egg salad, and keep snacks handy. If foods taste differently after chemo, choose tart foods or drinks like orange juice and lemonade, and add condiments like barbeque sauce, hot sauce, or lemon juice to dishes. Cook with spices, especially sage, rosemary, and basil. To help with constipation, eat foods with lots of fiber, like whole grains and beans, and drink plenty of liquids — using a straw may make drinking easier.
Radiation therapy can cause nausea and perhaps diarrhea. To fight off nausea, try simple foods like crackers, toast, pretzels, or dry cereal. Other good choices are plain or vanilla yogurt, cold hard-boiled eggs, plain noodles, and ginger. Eating foods cold or at room temperature may be more appealing than hot foods. Many of these same foods can be helpful with diarrhea. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Another possibility to consider is adding a nutritional supplement such as Ensure or Boost. “These drinks may be used to help maintain muscle mass, strengthen the immune system to fight the disease and infections, and increase strength and reduce fatigue related to insufficient calorie intake,” says Davis.
Ultimately, while it’s important to listen to your body and respect your taste buds, eating enough calories and the right kinds of foods can be equally critical in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Click the link to read the full article from Everyday Health. http://bit.ly/1ra8N2b
“While there are no foods that can ‘cure’ ovarian cancer, eating a diet that is mostly plant-based and includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is believed to strengthen the immune system to help fight the disease,” says Dana Klein Davis, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and volunteer nutrition consultant at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge New York City — Jerome L. Greene Family Center.
Ovarian cancer patients should aim for at least five fruits and vegetables a day in a wide variety of colors — red, orange, yellow, green, and purple — to get the best array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other potential disease-fighting nutrients.
Planning an Ovarian Cancer Diet
Davis recommends the following foods in particular to add to an ovarian cancer diet:
- Carrots, sweet potatoes, and other deep orange fruits and vegetables that contain carotenoids; each serving size is ½ cup.
- Broccoli, kale, and dark-green leafy vegetables with flavonoids, which are antioxidants, and folate, the B vitamin; serving size is ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw.
- Wild salmon and other fatty fish with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids; serving size is 3 to 4 ounces, ideally twice a week.
- Egg yolks, an excellent source of protein plus vitamin D (low levels of vitamin D may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer); serving size is 1 egg.
- Ginger may also play a role in the prevention of ovarian cancer and can possibly help with management of nausea from treatment; serving size has not been established.
Certain foods should be limited and perhaps avoided, including white flour and sugars — eat whole-grain foods instead. Limit or eliminate hot dogs, bologna, bacon, and other processed meats, and other foods that are generally high in fat. Also limit alcohol consumption to one alcoholic drink a day.
Choosing the Right Cooking Methods
Low-fat cooking methods such as baking, steaming, and roasting are best for ovarian cancer patients and non-cancer patients alike. Steaming or microwaving vegetables is particularly beneficial because these methods help preserve vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
For meat, poultry, and fish, avoid cooking techniques that involve high temperatures, such as frying, broiling, or grilling, says Davis. This will help prevent cancer-causing compounds, known as heterocyclic amines or HCAs, from forming. Instead try braising, stewing, or microwaving.
What to Eat During Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Ovarian cancer treatment can produce side effects. Specific dietary advice depends on your individual situation, but in general Davis suggests choosing foods high in protein and calories, such as cheese, peanut butter, and yogurt; drinking juices, milk, milkshakes, and smoothies instead of low-calorie or diet beverages; cooking with butter, margarine, or oil to add calories; and eating small portions every two to three hours rather than three big meals.
These suggestions can help with specific treatments:
Chemotherapy can often cause a loss of appetite, change in taste, and even constipation. To combat calorie loss, eat high-calorie, high-protein foods, like homemade chicken or egg salad, and keep snacks handy. If foods taste differently after chemo, choose tart foods or drinks like orange juice and lemonade, and add condiments like barbeque sauce, hot sauce, or lemon juice to dishes. Cook with spices, especially sage, rosemary, and basil. To help with constipation, eat foods with lots of fiber, like whole grains and beans, and drink plenty of liquids — using a straw may make drinking easier.
Radiation therapy can cause nausea and perhaps diarrhea. To fight off nausea, try simple foods like crackers, toast, pretzels, or dry cereal. Other good choices are plain or vanilla yogurt, cold hard-boiled eggs, plain noodles, and ginger. Eating foods cold or at room temperature may be more appealing than hot foods. Many of these same foods can be helpful with diarrhea. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Another possibility to consider is adding a nutritional supplement such as Ensure or Boost. “These drinks may be used to help maintain muscle mass, strengthen the immune system to fight the disease and infections, and increase strength and reduce fatigue related to insufficient calorie intake,” says Davis.
Ultimately, while it’s important to listen to your body and respect your taste buds, eating enough calories and the right kinds of foods can be equally critical in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Click the link to read the full article from Everyday Health. http://bit.ly/1ra8N2b
