What should I eat after chemotherapy?

After surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, extra protein is usually needed to heal tissues and help fight infection. Good sources of protein include fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products, nuts and nut butters, dried beans, peas and lentils, and soy foods.
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What should you not eat after chemo?

Foods to avoid (especially for patients during and after chemo):
  • Hot, spicy foods (i.e. hot pepper, curry, Cajun spice mix).
  • Fatty, greasy or fried foods.
  • Very sweet, sugary foods.
  • Large meals.
  • Foods with strong smells (foods that are warm tend to smell stronger).
  • Eating or drinking quickly.
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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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What meals are good for chemo patients?

Try high-protein foods that may taste better cold or at room temperature. Examples include cheese or cottage cheese plates; macaroni salads with shrimp, ham or cheese; tuna, egg, ham or chicken salad; cold meat or luncheon meat sandwiches; or cold salmon.
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How can I rebuild my immune system after chemo?

Roy Chemaly, M.D., our infectious diseases and infection control specialist, has these tips to boost you immune system.
  1. Eat healthy. Like any engine, your body relies on the fuel you give it. ...
  2. Get exercise. There's no getting away from this basic truth. ...
  3. Aim for good sleep. ...
  4. Eliminate tobacco and avoid alcohol. ...
  5. Reduce stress.
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What to eat during chemotherapy



How can I flush chemo out of my system?

Chemotherapy can be dehydrating. Drinking plenty of water before and after treatment helps your body process chemotherapy drugs and flush the excess out of your system.
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How many days after chemo do you feel better?

Most people say it takes 6 to 12 months after they finish chemotherapy before they truly feel like themselves again.
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Is milk good for chemo patients?

A protein found in milk can alleviate chemotherapy side effects, potentially bringing relief to millions of patients undergoing cancer treatment, according to US researchers.
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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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What is a good breakfast for cancer patients?

The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day, limiting red and processed meats, and choosing whole-grain instead of refined-grain foods. A healthy breakfast focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins.
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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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How many rounds of chemo is normal?

During a course of treatment, you usually have around 4 to 8 cycles of treatment. A cycle is the time between one round of treatment until the start of the next. After each round of treatment you have a break, to allow your body to recover.
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Do and don'ts during chemotherapy?

Take care not to get infections for up to one year or more after your chemotherapy. Practice safe eating and drinking during cancer treatment. DO NOT eat or drink anything that may be undercooked or spoiled. Make sure your water is safe.
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Can chemo patients have fresh fruit?

Do not eat raw fruits and vegetables . Ask for pasteurized fruit juices. Avoid “fresh-squeezed” juices in restaurants. Be sure that utensils are set on a napkin or clean tablecloth or placemat, rather than right on the table.
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What is the best cancer fighting foods?

The best cancer-fighting foods
  • Apples.
  • Berries.
  • Cruciferous vegetables.
  • Carrots.
  • Fatty fish.
  • Walnuts.
  • Legumes.
  • Supplements and medications.
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Can cancer patients drink milk?

The current evidence that dairy products can protect against cancer or increase the risk of cancer is not conclusive. Cancer Council supports that the proven health benefits of dairy foods outweigh the unproven harms. Dairy foods should be eaten as part of a varied and nutritious diet.
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Is cucumber good for cancer?

As a member of the Cucurbitaceae family of plants, cucumbers contain high levels of bitter-tasting nutrients known as cucurbitacin. According to an article in the International Journal of Health Services, cucurbitacins may help prevent cancer by stopping cancer cells from reproducing.
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Why is it important to drink water during chemo?

“Good hydration helps flush toxins out of the body and reduce treatment side effects, such as nausea, weakness, constipation and fatigue,” says Melissa Picchietti, RD, LDN, a Clinical Oncology Dietitian at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in Chicago.
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Is yogurt good after chemotherapy?

Like all yogurts, Greek yogurt contains water so it can add nutrients and flavor as well as hydrate you, which especially important during treatment. Greek yogurt can serve as one of your three recommended daily dairy food servings.
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Why can't chemo patients have ice?

You are being treated for cancer with a chemotherapy medication called Oxaliplatin. This medication has an unusual side effect called “cold dysesthesia”. This means that different parts of your body may be very sensitive to cold – cold drinks, cold food, and cool or cold outdoor temperatures.
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When are chemo side effects the worst?

Blood cell counts often reach their lowest level about 7 to 14 days after chemotherapy. Low blood cell counts is the most common and most serious side effect of chemotherapy. When it happens, the dose of chemotherapy is adjusted right away or chemotherapy may have to be stopped temporarily.
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What is the toughest chemotherapy?

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) is one of the most powerful chemotherapy drugs ever invented. It can kill cancer cells at every point in their life cycle, and it's used to treat a wide variety of cancers. Unfortunately, the drug can also damage heart cells, so a patient can't take it indefinitely.
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Is second round of chemo worse than first?

Overall, my second round of chemo went much better than the first... thanks to an adjustment Dr. Soule made based on my round one experience (she extended my steroid to be taken for three days after chemo, instead of just one, though with smaller doses on each day).
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How much water should I drink a day after chemo?

The day after your chemotherapy

Drink 8 to 12 (8-ounce) glasses of liquids every day for 1 week after your treatment. Take your anti-nausea medications as recommended by your doctor. Remember that it's especially important to drink enough liquids for the first 2 days after getting cisplatin chemotherapy.
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How much water should you drink a day while on chemotherapy?

Sip all day.

Some health experts suggest at least 8 glasses of liquid a day, even more if you have diarrhea or vomiting.
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