How To Eat Well When You Have Cancer

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, your life will, of course, change in massive ways. The way you live will alter as you go through treatment and as you battle this illness. However, thanks to medical advances, new technology, and lifestyle choices, you can still live a wonderful life filled with hope, love, and potential. Like any illness and disease, you must eat well to remain healthy as your body battles cancer, so if you’ve recently been diagnosed or you know someone who has, here’s a guide on how to eat well.

Oily Fish

Although the very best treatment for cancer should always come from professionals such as those at Augusta Oncology, using the latest medical innovations and eating the right foods can make you feel better about yourself. It isn’t a cure for cancer, but if it helps you get through chemo and radiotherapy, and it keeps you healthy in other ways, then it is something that needs to be taken notice of. Oily fish, for example, is an excellent food to eat if you have cancer. Fish oil contains long chain omega-3, which, when ingested, is a powerful anti-inflammatory (which means it relieves pain). Oily fish (particularly salmon, herring, and mackerel) also contains vitamin A. Vitamin A boosts the health of internal organs.

Ginger

Ginger – in its fresh, raw state – is another excellent anti-inflammatory. It lowers blood sugar levels, is full of essential minerals and vitamins, and is even anti-parasitic. You only need around 5mls of ginger each day (it can be used in food or in a smoothie) to feel its effects.

Carotenoids

You may not have heard the term ‘carotenoids’ before, but this group of fruits and vegetables are highly recommended for those with cancer. Carotenoids include carrots, red and yellow bell peppers, sweet potatoes, kale, apricots, beets, spinach, cherries, and many more. Anything that contains beta-carotene is a carotenoid. That beta-carotene converts into large quantities of vitamin A when consumed, which, as mentioned above, keeps our insides healthy and helps to fight cancer alongside medical methods.

Nuts

Nuts contain selenium, another potent addition to the cancer-fighting arsenal. Brazil nuts contain high amounts of selenium, and walnuts and almonds also contain fiber and good oils, which makes them a kind of superfood. Selenium helps the immune system by reducing the damage that free radicals can cause. Chemotherapy can lower our immune system, so being able to eat food that boosts it up again is a great idea, and will help recovery times.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes and particularly cooked tomatoes are an excellent item to add to your diet if you are fighting cancer. The reason? It’s the lycopene that is found within this delicious fruit (it’s also found in strawberries, carrots, and peaches amongst other things, so if you’re not fond of tomatoes, don’t worry). Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that repairs the body after it has been through some terrible diseases, including cancer.

Garlic

The active ingredient in garlic (which, because it is super versatile can be used in many different dishes) is allicin. This has been shown to stop the blood supply from getting to tumors, show they can’t grow as quickly. Besides that, garlic is an anti-inflammatory and kills microbes.