What foods should I avoid during radiation?

Avoid raw vegetables and fruits, and other hard, dry foods such as chips or pretzels. It's also best to avoid salty, spicy or acidic foods if you are experiencing these symptoms. Your care team can recommend nutrient-based oral care solutions if you are experiencing mucositis or mouth sores caused by cancer treatment.
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What foods are good for radiation?

Eat a variety of protein-rich foods that are low in fat. Include seafood, lean meat and poultry, Greek yogurts, eggs, beans, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Some soy products are highly processed and not as good for you as other types of soy.
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What food should cancer patients avoid?

What foods should you avoid during cancer treatment?
  • Lightly cooked or raw fish, such as sushi.
  • Soft-cooked eggs or foods that contain raw eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise.
  • Unpasteurized cheeses and dairy products.
  • Unwashed fruits or vegetables.
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Can you eat before radiation therapy?

If you feel queasy before treatment, try a snack of dry toast, crackers and a clear beverage, such as apple juice or a carbonated beverage. If queasy feeling after radiation, try not eating for a few hours before treatment and a few hours after. Eat six small meals a day, rather than three larger meals.
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What should you not do before radiation treatment?

Ask your radiation therapy team before you use anything on the skin in the treatment area. Powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, body oils, ointments or lotions can irritate skin or may affect your response to the radiation treatment.
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What to Eat and What Should Avoid During Radiation Therapy? | Dr. Kanika Sharma (English)



Can you drink coffee while taking radiation?

The average radiation therapy patient needs 8 to 12 cups of water per day. If you are going to consume caffeinated drinks like tea or coffee, we recommend having no more than 1 to 2 glasses a day as it may make dry mouth worse. This is a common side effect during treatment.
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What vitamins are good for radiation treatment?

Some supplements, especially antioxidants, may change how radiation therapy works. Antioxidants include vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, and selenium, among others. Many people take antioxidants during treatment hoping they can protect normal tissues from treatment side effects.
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What time of day is best for radiation therapy?

New research from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, to be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019 in Atlanta, reports that administering radiation treatments in the morning as opposed to later in the day can significantly reduce severity of mucositis and its related ...
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What can you not do after radiation treatment?

What Kind of Skin Problems Can Radiation Therapy Cause?
  • Don't wear tight clothing over the area that's being treated.
  • Don't scrub or rub your skin. ...
  • Avoid putting anything hot or cold on the area unless the doctor tells you to.
  • Ask your doctor before you use any type of ointment, oil, lotion, or powder on your skin.
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Can I take vitamin D during radiation?

Not all vitamin and mineral supplements have antioxidants. For example calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are not antioxidants. These vitamins and minerals are safe to take during your radiation treatment.
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What foods worsen cancer?

6 Foods That May Increase Your Risk of Cancer
  • Processed meats.
  • Fried foods.
  • Overcooked foods.
  • Dairy.
  • Sugar and refined carbs.
  • Alcohol.
  • Foods that lower risk.
  • Summary.
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What is the best drink for cancer patients?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides the following list of clear liquids:
  • Bouillon.
  • Clear, fat-free broth.
  • Clear carbonated beverages.
  • Consommé
  • Apple/cranberry/grape juice.
  • Fruit ices without fruit pieces.
  • Fruit ices without milk.
  • Fruit punch.
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Is banana good for cancer patients?

Bananas. Bananas can be a great dietary addition for those recovering from cancer. They're not only easy to tolerate for those with swallowing difficulties but also a good source of many important nutrients, including vitamin B6, manganese, and vitamin C ( 15 ).
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What can I drink during radiation?

You can have high energy drinks such as milkshakes or soups. And you can add high protein powders to your normal food. Your doctor or nurse can prescribe these for you. It is important to drink plenty of fluids, at least 2 litres a day if possible.
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How do I reduce radiation in my body?

Gently washing with water and soap removes additional radiation particles from the skin. Decontamination prevents radioactive materials from spreading more. It also lowers the risk of internal contamination from inhalation, ingestion or open wounds.
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How long does radiation stay in your system?

The general effects of radiation therapy like fatigue, nausea, and headaches resolve fairly quickly after treatment. Your body just needs time to process the radiation but can recover within a few weeks.
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Do tumors grow back after radiation?

Normal cells close to the cancer can also become damaged by radiation, but most recover and go back to working normally. If radiotherapy doesn't kill all of the cancer cells, they will regrow at some point in the future.
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What are the worst side effects of radiation?

Specific side effects of radiation therapy that affect parts of the body
  • Headaches.
  • Hair loss.
  • Nausea.
  • Vomiting.
  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • Hearing loss.
  • Skin and scalp changes.
  • Trouble with memory and speech.
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Can you shower after radiation treatment?

Wash, shower or bath daily with lukewarm water during. Avoid the direct stream of the shower on your treated skin. Use a mild unscented, non-deodorant soap over skin, example: Dove or baby soap. Be gentle when cleaning skin in treatment area and areas where there are skin folds.
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How much weight do you lose during radiation treatment?

Weight changes during the radiotherapy were as follows: 78.7% of patients lost weight, 8.5% gained weight (0.7 −3.6 kg), and 12.8% had no weight change. Weight loss was significant (t-test two-paired, p-value <0.001) and ranged from 1.1% to 18.9%.
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What is the most common acute side effect of radiation treatment?

Fatigue is the most common acute side effect of radiation therapy. It is believed to be caused by the large amount of energy that is used by the body to heal itself in response to radiation therapy. Most people begin to feel fatigued about 2 weeks after radiation treatments begin.
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Can I take turmeric during radiation therapy?

Turmeric is likely safe for most people, but it should be avoided during chemotherapy, radiation or blood-thinning therapies.
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Can I take vitamin C during radiation?

Avoid vitamin C if you're on radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Vitamin C can interfere with these treatments and decrease their effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you're taking acetaminophen (paracetamol®). Vitamin C can increase the side effects of this medication.
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What is the best cream to use after radiation?

Aquaphor® is often recommended to patients for general skin care. (Your health care team will give you a sample and a coupon for Aquaphor). If your skin becomes dry or itches and your doctor approves, apply the product to the treatment areas after radiation. Do not apply the product to the treatment marking lines.
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