grapefruit

nikola · February 2011

grapefruit

nikola · February 2011

Hello ladies,

one question. Was anybody told by their onc not to eat grapefruit? I was never told that, but a friend of mine just asked me if I missed grapefruit. I asked why and she told me she had not eaten grapefruit since her Dx three years ago. She said her onc told her that. I was on T/C chemo, she had A in mixture and she is on AI now. I am getting zoladex inj.

Thank You.

njmae · February 2011

I read about this yesterday, It was in an article on naturalnews.com about chrysin. In the article the author says that grapefruit inhibits an enzyme that breaks down and metabolizes sex hormones, leading to an increase in estrogen and other hormone levels. Not sure how valid it is.

nikola · February 2011

Great. I am living on grapefruits for the last three years. Just had one while typing my first post. Back to oranges.

barbe1958 · February 2011

Grapefruit interacts with a TON of medications!!! Be very careful!! I love grapefruit but haven't had any for over 20 years. It is actually dangerous to some meds.

Deirdre1 · February 2011

I have read a recent article on this, but the way the article reads it is the pulp of the grapefruit that is the most important.. so of course there are now supplements that are available that include the pulp I believe the name is MCP.. and it has been shown (in a small research setting) that it blocks metastacizing from occurring... Again be on guard as these are very small studies! Best, Deirdre

dlb823 · February 2011

It's interesting how our bodies often tell us what they need. Shortly after I was dx'd, I started craving grapefruit, which I rarely ate. The craving was so pronounced that I did a bit of reading on grapefruit, and was fascinated to learn that it's highly estrogenic, which made total sense in view of the fact that I'd had to get off the HRT I'd been on for many years, cold turkey.

After I finished my tx, I met with an integrative specialist to talk about diet & supplements going forward, and that was one of the foods I asked her about. She advised avoiding grapefruit juice, but didn't see a problem with an occasional piece of grapefruit. So I still eat it (like once or twice a month) and don't feel like it's a problem, especially in view of the recent research re. the anti-cancer benefit of citrus fruit pectins.

But these are decisions we each have to weigh in terms of what else we're doing or not doing. It's what feels right to you (after knowing the facts) that's important. Deanna

Valgirl · February 2011

Here's a link to a study on grapefruit and ER + breast cancer. I did read somewhere else to avoid grapefruit. I have not touched it since my diagnosis but I do miss grapefruit juice.

http://foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/grapefruit

IHOP · February 2011

I have always loved pink grapefruit juice and would drink the Texsun by the can. I stopped after one of my blood tests showed elevated liver stats and got a small scare about liver mets. They retested and I stopped drinking the juice and my liver stats returned to normal range.

barbe1958 · February 2011

I didn't even know it had ER issues. There is a chemical reaction that occurs between grapefruit and some of my heart meds (I think OTC allergy meds are the same) that doubles or triples the reactions so I can't have it on a regular basis. Buy hey, we know the sun is bad for us and we still go outside....so I'm like Deanna says; I don't go running and screaming from a buffet fruit salad because it has grapefruit in it! But boy! I do love it!!!!

nikola · February 2011

I knew there was a chemical reaction with grapefruit and some medications but since I was not on any of them I was eating 2-3/day. I started craving grapefruit and pumpkin seeds at the same time, about 2 years prior my Dx and was eating both of them regularly and in big amounts.

Deirdre1 · February 2011

This is just one of the places you can read about MCP

http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/DietandNutrition/modified-citrus-pectin

I thought it might be helpful... but again I want to emphasize that the research is only in animal studies... to date...

InTwoPlaces · February 2011

I'm trying to eat more healthy food and the last weeks I have finished my breakfast or dinner with a half Grape fruit. Embarassed

I also have started to drink Green Tea and today I read that this is REALLY bad for my type of cancer.

This is so crazy, I think I need to stop eating completely! It seems like anything I try to make has something in it which will cause the cancer to grow. It takes me hours to try to come up with healthy recipes and then driving around to different Grocery stores to find what I need. Undecided

Deirdre1 · February 2011

Oh "InTwoPlaces..." I remember feeling EXACTLY like you.. after my dx in 2007 I attempted to eat only what was "healthy" for me and although I had done a good job (relatively) to that point I also did much more research on supplements etc... I was exhausted!! The moment I found what I thought was a good food or a helpful supplement the next day or week there would be new information out and I'd have to discontinue that food or supplement... It's very difficult and every day someone else will tell you a new way to be healthy! I finally, after about a year, decided that I would do the best I could and that would have to be good enough!! I hope I don't pay for that decision down the line!!! Take care, Deirdre (I guess I am just saying I totally appreciate your frustration with this task!1)

lago · February 2011

I have read several places that you shouldn't eat grapefruit if you are taking herceptin. No mention of it in my chemo binder. Not sure how true this is.

Grapefruit interferes with targeted therapies?
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/targeted_therapies/2006_07/question_15.jsp

susand · February 2011

I am confused about the Green Tea issue that InTwoPlaces spoke of? My oncologist highly recommends green tea and even wants me to use supplements of it at well. I have never heard of it being bad for cancer before.

barbe1958 · February 2011

Depends on your hormone status. Us ER+ ladies can't have a lot of the "good" foods. Also depends on if you are in treatment as the antioxidants fight what the chemo is trying to do.

InTwoPlaces · February 2011

Yes,

it's like Barbe wrote.

My Onc nurses told me yesterday that they don't want BC Chemo patients to drink Green Tea and stay away for everything that is antitoxidants.

She also confirmed that Grape fruit should be avoided if you are HER2 and gets Herceptin. Same thing there, it fights the same thing that Herceptin is trying to do.

Remember that this while you are doing Chemo or Herceptin. It doesn't apply after you have completed the treatment.

barbe1958 · February 2011

But!!! Grapefruit does interact with many OTC drugs and prescription drugs as well....

prayrv · February 2011

Also shouldn't have grapefruit if one is on tamoxifen as they use the same pathway in the body to be utilized.

Trish

LuvRVing · February 2011

It is wise to limit your intake of grapefruit and grapefruit juice if you are on a statin drug. It can cause a higher concentration of the statin which can affect the liver.

Michelle

susand · February 2011

Thanks for clearing up the green tea issue! I did stop drinking it completely while I was receiveing chemo. As soon as I was finished I was told I could drink it again. I am ER+and PR+ but my oncologist does encourage me to drink it. No grapefruit for me anymore though.

shooshoo23 · February 2011

Uh-oh! I have been living on green tea! It's relaxing and comforting for me. I've already finished my chemo already but no one ever said anything to me about green tea. The only thing the nutritionist told me was not to take as much vitamin C as I normally do.

grapefruit

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