How to Make a Healthy Smoothie When You Have Cancer (2024)

FAQs

How to Make a Healthy Smoothie When You Have Cancer? ›

Organizations like the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommend including drinks in your diet that provide vitamins and phytonutrients that have demonstrated anti-cancer effects. What are some examples? Coffee, green tea, red wine, and 100 percent vegetable and fruit juices are among the best choices.

Organizations like the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommend including drinks in your diet that provide vitamins and phytonutrients that have demonstrated anti-cancer effects. What are some examples? Coffee, green tea, red wine, and 100 percent vegetable and fruit juices are among the best choices.

All you need to do is choose a food, blend it by itself with pure water, and see how your body tolerates it. Some good foods to consider blending and eating include bananas, apples, peaches, pears, plums, avocados, oats, rice, sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, peas, chicken, turkey, and beef.

Citrus fruit, like grapefruits and oranges, may have a role in preventing certain cancers. One large study in Japan found that people who had citrus fruits or juices 3-4 days a week were less likely to get cancer than those who had them 2 or fewer days a week.

Some of the best foods to eat during chemotherapy or other cancer treatments are plant-based proteins. They offer the highest levels of vitamins and minerals, Rajagopal says. This means eating lots of vegetables as well as beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.

If you're currently undergoing cancer treatment and losing weight, now is the time to indulge in comfort foods. Macaroni and cheese, chicken noodle soup, meatloaf, mashed potatoes and ice cream can be great options as their high calories, creamy textures and low-fiber content make them easy to chew and digest.

Ketogenic diet

Ketones become the energy to cells in the body. Early (preclinical) studies showed that some cancer cells can't use ketones as energy. So, changing the diet to be high in fat and low in carbohydrate will lower glucose levels and starve cancer cells. Normal body cells adapt and can use ketones to survive.

"Cancer-fighting foods"

The list is usually topped with berries, broccoli, tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and other vegetables, fruits and nuts. "If you look at the typical foods that reduce cancer risk, it's pretty much all plant foods that contain phytochemicals," says Wohlford.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) block chemical messengers (enzymes) called tyrosine kinases. Tyrosine kinases help to send growth signals in cells, so blocking them stops the cell growing and dividing. Cancer growth blockers can block one type of tyrosine kinase or more than one type.

Should cancer patients drink protein shakes? ›

For people with cancer, they can provide necessary protein to the diet and help maintain muscle tissue during treatments when experiencing a lack of appetite for eating meats or other high-protein foods. Avoid protein powders that contain other ingredients such as creatine, vitamins, minerals, etc.

Different cells fight different types of cancer. For example, one way the immune system fights cancer is by sending out a special form of white blood cells called T cells: The T cells see cancer as “foreign” cells that don't belong in the body. The T cells attack and try to destroy the cancerous cells.

Chicken, turkey and fish tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than their red meat counterparts. And they're often lower in calories, which can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risks for many types of cancer. Try replacements.

While the research proves that the chemicals found in potatoes have properties that can fight off cancer, there is no evidence that suggests eating a certain amount per day will kill cancer cells — or even if a healthy diet might prevent them to begin with. What do you think?

Pomegranate juice: Fruit and vegetable juices that contain pomegranate juice have polyphenols. These naturally occurring chemical compounds have anti-inflammatory properties that can suppress cancer growth. Orange juice: Acidic liquids may not sound or feel good, especially if you have mouth sores from chemotherapy.

You can make your own energy filled drinks. Blend milk, fresh fruit, yoghurt, honey or sugar and ice cream into a smoothie or milkshake. You can use dairy free alternatives such as silken tofu or smooth nut butters. It will improve the protein content of homemade drinks.

OCF highly recommends that you consider the purchase of a Vitamix blender, even if oral cancer/eating issues are not part of your world. The versatility of the machine will make it one of the most used appliances in your kitchen.

Products such as double strength milk, whey protein powder, pea protein isolate, soy protein, or hemp protein powders are good options to supplement your meals. A Registered Dietitian can assist with determining which protein supplement may best meet your needs.