SURVIVING AND THRIVING WHEN YOU HAVE CANCER: THE BASICS OF GOOD NUTRITION AND HEALTHY EATING

On November 18, 2021, the Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation hosted a webinar on diet and nutrition as part of our Women with HCL webinar series. Our speaker, Lindsey Wohlford, MS, RD, LD, is an employee wellness dietitian at MD Anderson Cancer Center. MD Anderson is an HCL Center of Excellence.

Nutrition is one of the most significant and fundamental aspects of cancer prevention and risk reduction. It's also important when undergoing therapy and for the healing process. Proper diet is critical after treatment to help us renew our bodies and continue to recover.

Key Recommendations to Prevent Cancer from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR):

★     Be a healthy weight 

★     Be physically active

★     Eat a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans

★     Limit consumption of ‘fast foods’ and other processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars

★     Limit consumption of red and processed meat

★     Limit consumption of sugar sweetened drinks 

★     Limit alcohol consumption

★     Do not use supplements for cancer prevention 

★     For mothers: breastfeed your baby, if possible

★     After a diagnosis: follow recommendations if possible 

Reference: www.dietandcancerreport.org

Emphasis on lifestyle and overall habits: 

●      Be as lean as possible without being underweight

○      Being overweight is linked to 13 different types of cancers

●      Increase physical activity each day

○      Consider 60 minutes + of moderate activity/day OR 30 minutes + of vigorous activity/day

●      Eat a variety of veggies, fruits, whole grains and legumes 

●      Maintain a plant-based diet

○      Two-thirds of the plate should come from plants and consist of high vitamins, minerals and fibers

○      Helps to maintain stable blood glucose levels which is vital in retaining healthy treatment plans 

●      Eat high protein and fiber filled breakfast

○      Examples include oats, fruits, berries, yogurt, eggs, tofu scramble, etc. 

○      Eat majority of your calories earlier in the day 

●      Encourage the New American Plate

○      Eating nutritious foods from the rainbow is highly encouraged

Promoting Microbiome Gut Health and FIber:

●      Aim for 30 grams of fiber a day 

○      Fiber is great for blood glucose control and microbiome control (gut health)

●      Limit artificial sweeteners and flavors 

●      Eliminate processed meats and increase plant-based protein sources 

●      Regularly consume fermented foods

○      Examples include probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi, tempe, kombucha, beans, tofu, nuts, seeds, etc.

●      Consume Omega 3 fats - they enhance the good HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammatory responses

○      Examples include pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, etc. 

Avoid Sugary Drinks and Energy-dense Nutrition:

●      Refined carbohydrates, sugar and fats can lead to weight gain

●      Sugar is the number one inflammatory agent that should be avoided as much as possible 

●      Instead opt for water

Limit Red Meats and Processed Meats: 

●      Red meats such as beef, pork and lamb show convincing records of colorectal cancer risk 

●      Avoid fast foods and processed meats 

●      Even at very low levels of consumption, there is still an increased risk for cancer development

Limit Alcohol Consumption:

●      Alcohol in any form is a carcinogen and is linked to several types of cancers 

●      If you are to drink, the recommendations are:

○      Men: 2 drinks a day max, 4oz-5oz serving 

○      Women: 1 drink a day max, 4oz-5oz serving 

●      Dilute and mix drinks with unsweetened iced teas, low sugar fruit juices or club sodas, and drink lots of water simultaneously in between sips of alcoholic drinks

Do Not Rely on Supplements: 

●      The greatest source of nutrients comes from food and drinks 

●      High-dose supplements can affect cancer risks

●      Consult with healthcare providers about supplements before being treatment 

●      No regulatory standards exists for quality or purity of supplements 

Helpful Tips: 

●      Set realistic goals 

●      Changing food habits do not happen overnight; instead step yourself up for small goals that you know you can accomplish and maintain consecutively

●      Opt for making small changes at a pace you are comfortable with rather than making one big drastic change 

●      Keep a running list or journal of your self-care

○      For instance, note down a 10 minute jog, drinking x amount of water, meditating, etc.  

For more information on healthy diet, nutrition and healthy lifestyle, visit www.aicr.org.  

About the webinar speaker:

Lindsey Wohlford works at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as an employee wellness dietitian. She specializes in weight control, illness prevention, sports nutrition, and wellness as a registered and certified dietician and nutrition coach with over 20 years of expertise in nutrition and wellbeing. She earned a bachelor's degree in human nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in science and nutrition from Texas Woman's University in Houston. In addition, she earned credentials in adult weight management and obesity intervention. She is a certified health coach, a facilitator for the whole health development program, and a nutrition subject matter specialist on a range of issues. Lindsay is passionate about educating others how to eat well, create nutritious meals, and live a healthy lifestyle.

Author Information:

We’re grateful to HCLF Communications Intern, Felissa Rajkumar, for writing this post. Felissa is a student in Health Science with a Pre-Physician Assistant Track and Biology Minor at Pace University.