Eating Right After Breast Cancer Treatment

Health & Medical Blog

After you've ended your breast cancer treatment (at a center such as Southwest Oncology Centers), you may find yourself motivated to make lifestyle changes that will help you avoid a future recurrence of the disease. Knowing how to eat right can help your body stay healthy and fit. These tips will help you make positive changes to your diet. 

Reduce Fat Intake

Fat is said to increase estrogen circulation in the blood, and since estrogen is the hormone associated with cell division in the breasts, it's a good idea to avoid extra estrogen production after breast cancer. The following tips will help you change your diet and reduce your fat intake:

• Avoid red meat.
• Snack on fruits and vegetables.
• Read food labels and avoid foods with trans fats (like margarine and shortening).
• Avoid fried foods and foods drenched with gravy. Simply prepared foods (baked, broiled, etc.) are less likely to have fattening added ingredients.

Eat Foods that Fight Cancer

Since you're changing your eating habits, it's a good idea to start eating foods that are thought to help fight cancer. Some of these foods include:

• Phytochemicals. Found in plants, phytochemicals help protect cells from harmful chemicals in the environment. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will help you increase your intake of phytochemicals. Broccoli, in particular, is a very healthy food rich in phytochemicals.
• Antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules that stop other molecules from oxidizing. Oxidation is a process that can produce free radicals, which can cause damage to your body's cells. Foods rich in antioxidants include blueberries, purple or blue grapes, leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, nuts, fish and beans. Green tea and coffee are also known for being rich in antioxidants.

Eat Organic

The relationship between pesticides and cancer is unclear, but some commonly used pesticides can mimic estrogen in laboratory animals. To be safe, it's a good idea to eat organic foods whenever possible. While organic fruits and vegetables are often available in super markets, nearly all foods can now be bought organic. Finding organic foods besides fresh fruits and vegetables can be tough unless you go to a specialty grocery store, so you may need to look up specialty food stores in your area that carry organic items.

For more tips and advice on the best ways to prevent a recurrence of cancer after your breast cancer treatments end, talk to your oncologist. He or she can give you lifestyle advice that will help you keep your body healthy.

Share

8 April 2016