nutrition/ diet during treatment

argos1019
argos1019 Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
I am wondering what you all have learned about nutrition during treatment. I know there is a lot of stuff out there, but I am just calling out to you for your feed back. I bought a juicer to use when I am feeling too sick to eat. Are any of you taking whole food vitamins like Juice Plus? Are you taking other supplements that are approved with chemo? Vitamin D? Folic acid? Anyone gone Macro biotic?

Comments

  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650 Member
    #2
    Diet
    From what I've read - eat healthy, but there are certain supplements that are antioxidants and shouldn't be used during treatment because they interfere with the chemo - A, C, and E. Fine to take after chemo, though.
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    Eat right and exercise
    You do not mention what your treatment is, but I will assume that chemotherapy is a part of it.

    With that in mind, stayingcalm's advice is good, but I would take it a step further: before taking any supplement or alternative to normal diet, please check with OncoMan to make sure it does not work counter to the chemo. Any number of vitamins negatively influence chemo, as stayingcalm indicates, and in addition to negating the positive effects of chemo may cause additional health problems.

    It also happens that the steroids that are generally included with the chemo 'soup' have different effects on people. Some folks, many folks, seem to develop an enormous appetite and find that they contribute to phenomenal weight gain, while others say the net results of chemo are weight loss.

    In either case, the best thing to do is to eat healthy and to exercise. If you think about it, the best thing you can do for your lungs, if possible, is to work them. A walk in the park, a stroll through the mall, whatever it takes to get you moving. Again, though, check with doc before upgrading any of your former activities.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • argos1019
    argos1019 Member Posts: 11
    #4
    soccerfreaks said:

    Eat right and exercise
    You do not mention what your treatment is, but I will assume that chemotherapy is a part of it.

    With that in mind, stayingcalm's advice is good, but I would take it a step further: before taking any supplement or alternative to normal diet, please check with OncoMan to make sure it does not work counter to the chemo. Any number of vitamins negatively influence chemo, as stayingcalm indicates, and in addition to negating the positive effects of chemo may cause additional health problems.

    It also happens that the steroids that are generally included with the chemo 'soup' have different effects on people. Some folks, many folks, seem to develop an enormous appetite and find that they contribute to phenomenal weight gain, while others say the net results of chemo are weight loss.

    In either case, the best thing to do is to eat healthy and to exercise. If you think about it, the best thing you can do for your lungs, if possible, is to work them. A walk in the park, a stroll through the mall, whatever it takes to get you moving. Again, though, check with doc before upgrading any of your former activities.

    Take care,

    Joe

    Thanks for the advice
    I am doing chemo, then if I am lucky, surgery, then more chemo and radiation. I am thinking to aim to be all organic, cut out alcohol and coffee. I was not sure about the food based supplements, so I will ask the oncologist. Also about vitamin D. Thanks for your help. Yes I have been exercising. I was a runner. Go figure.
  • stayingcalm
    stayingcalm Member Posts: 650 Member
    #5
    argos1019 said:

    Thanks for the advice
    I am doing chemo, then if I am lucky, surgery, then more chemo and radiation. I am thinking to aim to be all organic, cut out alcohol and coffee. I was not sure about the food based supplements, so I will ask the oncologist. Also about vitamin D. Thanks for your help. Yes I have been exercising. I was a runner. Go figure.

    Strict diet
    Mara,
    Don't make yourself miserable with a strict diet - moderation is good. Now, if only I could take my own advice...;)
  • Dapsterd
    Dapsterd Member Posts: 291
    #6
    stayingcalm said:

    Strict diet
    Mara,
    Don't make yourself miserable with a strict diet - moderation is good. Now, if only I could take my own advice...;)

    Diet
    Steamed Kale topped with Anchovies and Coconut M&M's does wonders ! (Just kidding!, although I have been eating Kale, never heard of it until two months when I was told I have the Big C.)
  • argos1019
    argos1019 Member Posts: 11
    #7
    Dapsterd said:

    Diet
    Steamed Kale topped with Anchovies and Coconut M&M's does wonders ! (Just kidding!, although I have been eating Kale, never heard of it until two months when I was told I have the Big C.)

    Juicer rocks!!
    I just juiced a ton of kale with carrots and apples and an orange. DELICIOUS!! Really! Plus it was super cool to see how much I threw into the juicer to get a nice cold cup full of vitamins. An entire bunch of kale, one whole bunch of carrots, three apples, one peeled orange and a handful of spinach. If I eat all that the coconut M&M don't even count!!

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