How to boost WBC without any supplements/meds

trigeek

How to boost WBC without any supplements/meds

trigeek

Hi,

I just finished my DD AC/Taxol and will be having Axillary node dissection along with expander exchange before rads.

Since I am off Neulesta I am suspecting that my WBC might need some kind of boost. I have about 3 weeks till the surgery, can you please enlighten me on how I can help my WBC recover before surgery ? Since I will have surgery they will not allow me to have any supplements/vitamins I am presuming.

Someone told me to avoid fresh fruit/vegetables cause they could have pesticides that would lower WBC. So I will be cooking them before eating. 

I want to go into this surgery as strong as possible cause 3 weeks after that I will start my daily tanning sessions (rads) 

Thanks  in advance !!!

dash

Congrats on finishing chemo! It wasn't too long ago when I was asking the same thing. Here's an article I ran across. I always take probiotics in addition to yogurt. I think surgeons just want you to avoid vitamins that are blood thinning like Vitamin E and fish oil --check with your surgeon tho.

Also may want to do some massage, accupressure or accupunture...

Best wishes!

Which Foods Best Boost Your Immune System?

By Judy Muller

Nnutrition experts say much of what our bodies need to fight off infection can be found in foods.

In its latest edition, Prevention magazine says a poor diet is a top factor in making us susceptible to illness. It then lists the top five foods that give your body the best immunity: beef, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tea and yogurt. While an all-around healthy diet is crucial, these particular foods help us best flex our immunity muscles, the magazine said.

Each of the foods should be eaten every day to boost immunity, nutritionist Heidi Skolnik told Good Morning America .

"We should eat these daily, as often as we can, especially in this weather," she said. Plenty of rest is also essential to keeping our immune systems up, she said. Health experts also advise a flu shot.

Beef It Up a Little

Of the five immunity-boosting foods, beef may be the most surprising, considering health experts recommend limiting our red meat intake. But moderation is still key.

"People should still not be eating a 24-ounce porterhouse on a daily basis," Skolnik said. "A three-ounce portion of beef -- and importantly very lean beef that is low in fat -- is an important source of zinc."

Zinc deficiency can greatly increase your risk of infection. Zinc helps develop white blood cells, the cells that we really need those to fight off foreign bacteria and viruses.

Vegetarians and those who do not eat red meat can look for their zinc supply in poultry, pork, fortified cereals, yogurt and milk. If you like oysters, they are also a fantastic source of zinc, Skolnik adds.

We should also be eating orange vegetables daily, especially this time of year. Sweet potatoes, or any of the orange vegetables, are a great way to add vitamin A to our diets. The reason? Vitamin A is important for our skin, which is the first line of defense for our immune systems, Skolnik said.

"Think orange, foods like sweet potatoes, and also carrots, squash, pumpkin," Skolnik said. "These are all great, especially because they are all in season this time of year. They all are great sources of beta-carotene, which the body quickly turns into vitamin A."

Although many of us eat carrots, it is often two or three days between servings, so we need to eat them more regularly, Skolnik said.

Mushrooms, Yogurt to the Rescue

To add to those 3-ounce lean burgers, mushrooms are another high-immunity food.

"Like beef, mushrooms help in the production of white blood cells in the body," Skolnik said. "Some recent studies have also found that they may make white blood cells act more aggressively against foreign bacteria."

The very best kinds of mushrooms are shiitake and maitake, which are available in most supermarkets.

In addition, the English may know something about fighting off a cold. Skolnik recommends a cup of black or green tea a day to muscle up our immune systems.

"Tea is a great source of polyphenols," Skolnik said. "Polyphenols clean up free radicals, damaging compounds that can hurt your DNA and accelerate aging."

Antioxidants take care of the free radicals, and tea has more antioxidants per part than fruits and vegetables.

Yogurt, another immunity-boosting food, is especially important to eat, particularly after you have been prescribed antibiotics. Brands that contain active cultures are a good source of healthy bacteria for your stomach.

"When we take antibiotics they destroy most of the bacteria in our body," Skolnik said. "The problem is that there are some beneficial bacteria that the antibiotics take care of as well. We need these, especially those found in our intestines, to help us break down foods."

The lack of those bacteria can make us vulnerable to germs that cause diarrhea, for instance.

Anonymous

Hi trigeek....I just came across this recipe in Runner's Worls....right up your alley!

Entrees: Flu-Fighting Chili Eating chili can help prevent colds and the flu if you make it with the right ingredients.

Eating chili is a delicious way to warm up after a winter run -- and it can also help prevent colds and the flu if you make it with the right ingredients. The following recipe, courtesy of Wake Forest University's Mara Vitolins, contains an arsenal of immunity-boosters. All of the vegetables (including the onions and garlic) offer immunity-boosting phytochemicals, but the tomatoes are particularly powerful. In addition to the phytochemical lycopene, tomatoes contain potassium and vitamins A and C. The tofu and beans supply an immunity-boosting isoflavone called daidzein, and the hot sauce will open up your nasal passages if you're congested. Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 1 sweet green pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp soybean or olive oil 1 16-oz package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled 1 or 2 19-oz cans of beans (kidney, pinto or white) 1 28-oz can of stewed tomatoes 3 medium carrots, sliced 2 tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp hot sauce salt and pepper to taste Directions: Sauté the onion, pepper and garlic in the oil over medium heat. Add the tofu and sauté until crisp and lightly browned (about 10 minutes). Add the beans, stewed tomatoes, carrots, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes. Serves 4.

~Marin

AlaskaDeb

My doc told me that beets were a good food to boost red and white blood cell counts...Can't hurt...

Deb C 

trigeek

Bay,

My lunch was : Portobello mushroom,steak salad with vineagrette.  baked sweet potato.. snack - activa yogurt.. with iced tea.. Did I cover all grounds? Thanks soo much..

Marin, thanks for saving me the trouble of  planning tonights dinner.. off to the market after work to get the stuff for that soup..

Deb how do you eat beets ? I never ate one

dash

Sounds like you did great! Keep it up!

I love beets and make them a few times a year--but I am not fancy about it. I boil them whole and then eat hot with some butter or let cool and slice on a salad.  

TenderIsOurMight

Our home site here has a brief article suggesting exercise helps boost red cells. That seems true to you and your family: you all look wonderful!



I eat beets, anything rich in colors: red ones or gold ones. For beets I just wash off the dirt, and cut the root off, and throw them in a slow cooker pot as they take a while. When fork tender, drain them, run cold water on them, and after cool, peel the tough outer shell. Eat them hot, warm or slice them, add small amount of vinegar and olive oil, and some onions and you have a nice healthy adjunct to a salad!



Tender