Breast Cancer and Nutrition

lifechanging2011

Hi all,

Embarrassingly enough, I am a 48 year old woman with the palette of a 4 year old.  I prefer to eat junk food and I have a horrible sweet tooth.  If I were good at nutrition I'd be a size 2, but I'm not. However since I've been diagnosed with breast cancer, I've been rethinking my daily diet.  While I am an emotional eater and want to comfort myself with food  through this journey, I'm concerned that my body won't get the nutritional needs it needs to repair itself through 6 1/2 weeks of radiation.  I'd love it if we could share ideas here about what you are doing nutritionally to help yourself through your treatment process.

Cyborg

No sugar or as little as possible. Taking vitamin D. Cruciferous vegetables everyday. Beans. Haven't had a drink in years. No dairy... Unless taking antibiotics--- no dairy. When taking antibiotics I drink kefir. No red meat. No cured meat if possible. Yes to fish. No processed bread, etc. Love brown rice pasta.

lifechanging2011

Hi Cyborg,

Thanks for sharing.  Did you always have that regeme or has that been since you were diagnosed? Do you notice a difference in how you feel?

Cyborg

No alcohol for over twenty years. I was a sugar hound and I ate dairy , pastry etc. I loved ice cream!!! I exercised so I was relatively thin. I was/am overly stressed at work so I would just eat sugar to help myself feel better. I was eating cruciferous vegetables for ever!!! Raw and for breakfast as I drove to work. I lost a lot of weight when I changed my eating habits.

peggy_j

lifechanging2011, I have a sweet tooth too (though I try to eat healthy in other ways. I'm mostly vegetarian, and tried to eat organic if it was convenient). When I was Dx'd I found some cancer-prevention cookbooks in the library and taught myself some new recipes. I liked THE CANCER FIGHTING KITCHEN by Rebecca Katz. She has a chocolate-banana smootie that feels like comfort food (like a chocolate shake, but more energizing). Also, I've made her ANYTIME BARS (like power bars, the base is nuts and dried fruit) and added chocolate and coconut. So they are treats but at least healthier than polishing off a box of cookies. Also, she has a section of other recipes you can make ahead when you have more energy (like on the weekend) and then eat during the week.

To answer your questions related to rads, after I asked the nurse, I upped my protein intake. (added in more fish and beans). Also, another nurse recommended walking 1/2 hour a day to boost my energy and immune system. I highly recommend walking. Even at the end of rads when I felt tired I made it a priority. (and it's a nice calming habit too, in the midst of Tx) Sometimes I walked with friends, which was nice, sometimes alone and it gave me time to think and decompress.