Nutrition Guidelines for Cancer Survivors After Treatment

Taryn Tennyson, RD, LD

Nutritionist, Georgia Cancer Specialists, PC

These guidelines are intended to help cancer survivors, following treatment, choose foods that will reduce risk of secondary tumors or recurrence of their cancer

Goal #1: Eat 5-9 servings of fruits & vegetables every day.

  • 1 serving = 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked or canned, ¼ cup dried fruit, 1 small piece of fruit or 4-6 oz 100% juice.
  • Limit fried vegetables, such as French fries, onion rings, and fried okra.
  • Choose these colorful foods more often for antioxidants & phyto (plant) chemicals:
    • Beta-carotene – ½ large carrot, ½ cup carrot juice, ½ cup cooked pumpkin, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cup spinach or kale, ½ sweet potato or yam, 1 cup cubed cantaloupe or mango.
    • Vitamin C – 1 guava fruit or red bell pepper; 1 cup Brussels sprouts, strawberries, papaya, grapefruit sections, broccoli, orange juice or kale.
    • Vitamin E – 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds, 24 almonds, 4 Tbsp wheat germ, 1 cup cooked soybeans or barley.
    • Selenium – 2 Brazil nuts, 1 cup tofu.
    • Anthocyanins –blueberries, strawberries, red cabbage, plums, cherries, raspberries.
    • Cruciferous vegetables – bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard, turnip and mustard greens; radishes, turnips.
    • Allium – garlic, leeks, onions, scallions, shallots, chives.
    • Lycopene – processed tomato products (salsa, canned tomatoes, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce, sundried tomatoes), watermelon, pink grapefruit.

Goal #2: If you drink alcohol, limit your intake.

  • If you drink, limit to 2 drinks per day for men, 1 drink per day for women.
  • (1 drink = 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquor)
  • Alcohol combined with tobacco increases cancer risk far more than either alone.
  • Women with a personal or family history of breast cancer should consider not drinking alcohol at all.

Goal #3: If you use tobacco, QUIT!

  • Tobacco causes 90 out of every 100 lung cancer cases.

  • Smokeless tobacco creates sores and white patches that often lead to cancer of the mouth.

  • The risk of lung cancer for pipe and cigar smokers is not as high as for cigarette smokers, but not as low as non-smokers.

Goal #4: Choose whole grains & plant proteins for more fiber.

  • Replace red meat and poultry at meals 3 days per week with dried beans, nuts or soybean based foods (Caution with soy if ER+ breast cancer, consult with your GCS Nutritionist).(1 oz meat = ½ cup beans, ¼ cup nuts, 1 oz texturized vegetable protein)
  • Replace white bread, spaghetti and white rice with whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole wheat bread.
  • Aim for a total fiber intake of 25-35 grams per day. Choose grains with 3 or more grams of fiber per serving.

Goal #5: Hold the salt.

  • Choose fresh foods as much as possible.
  • Eat less salted and pickled foods, canned soups and vegetables, soy sauce, Chinese cuisine, fast foods and frozen dinners.
  • Use pepper, fresh or dried spices and herbs instead.

Goal #6: Limit processed meats, pork and beef.      

  • Choose fresh fish, poultry and meat alternatives more often.
  • Purchase fresh or frozen meats.
  • Limit salted, smoked, cured and processed meats such as bacon, ham, pepperoni, sausage, Spam, luncheon and canned meats, hot dogs and jerky.
  • Select lean cuts of red meat and poultry and smaller portion sizes. Prepare meats by baking, steaming, or braising.

Goal #7: Monitor your food supply and limit food residues

  • Choose whole, natural foods over processed foods.
  • Limit refined sugars in donuts, pastries, sweetened cereals and sodas.
  • Grow your own foods when possible.
  • Use home and garden pesticides safely.
  • Wash and scrub all produce under running water.
  • Peel produce and discard outer leaves of leafy vegetables.
  • Trim fat and skins from meats, poultry and fish.
  • Eat a variety of foods. Choose organic, if affordable and available. The top fruits and vegetables to have the highest potential for pesticide residue are: peaches, apples, pears, green beans, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, spinach, tomatoes, and cantaloupe.

Goal #8: Eat less fat & choose healthy fats.

  • Eat foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout, tuna, swordfish, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, canola and soybean oils, walnuts, and wheat germ.
  • Bake, stew or steam foods instead of frying.
  • Choose olive, peanut or canola oil over margarine and butter.
  • Choose low fat/non fat dairy products.

Goal #9: Reach a healthy weight.

  • Aim for the healthy weight range for your height.
  • Be active for 30 minutes, 5-6 days per week.
  • Eat smaller meals and snacks to limit calories if you need to lose weight.
  • Buy a pedometer to track how many steps you take each day.  Aim for 10,000 steps (5 miles) each day.  (2000 steps = 1 mile) 
  • See your GCS Nutritionist for support and guidance.

Goal #10: Prepare food safely.

  • Steam, poach, bake, stew or microwave foods.
  • Cook meats at lower temperatures for longer periods of time.
  • Limit your intake of charred meats. Marinating meats before cooking, flipping frequently, removing all visible fat and microwaving for part of the cooking time, can help to significantly cut down on charring.

References

Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective, American Institute for Cancer Research, http://www.aicr.org/research/report_summary.lasso#dietaryrecommendations

Common Questions about Diet & Cancer, American Cancer Society Web Page, http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_3_2X_Common_Questions_About_Diet_and_Cancer.asp

Cancer Reference Information, American Cancer Society Web Page, www.cancer.org

Eat 5-A-Day for Better Health, The National Cancer Institute, www.5aday.com

Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts & Figures 2002, American Cancer Society Web Page, www.cancer.org

The Complete Guide – Nutrition and Physical Activity, American Cancer Society Web Page, www.cancer.org

Health Problems Pesticides May Pose, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov

Healthy, Sensible Food Practices, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/tips.htm

Melanoma Prevention,  WebMD Health ,  http://my.webmd.com/hw/cancer/hw206824.asp

The Survivor’s Handbook.  The Cancer Project.  http://www.cancerproject.org/cpands/handbook.html

University of Michigan Integrative Medicine Healing Foods Pyramid  http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/clinical/pyramid.htm