When you’re dealing with advanced prostate cancer, eating well is a paramount part of your recovery.
According to health experts, choosing the right foods will help your body to remain strong while undergoing treatment and recover after your cancer is in remission.
Proper nutrition also makes it possible for you to be as physically active as your doctor may recommend.
What You Need To Include
The best foods for you at this point will be those that encourage a healthy prostate as well as overall health.
Studies show that there is a link between a healthy heart and a healthy prostate so keeping that in mind can help to make good food choices as well.
These are the ones you should add to your diet:
- Whole grains
- High-fiber foods
- Green tea
- Lean protein
- Red grapes
- Red grape juice
- Apples
- Berries
- Pomegranates
- Chili and jalapeño peppers
- Tomatoes
- Avocados
- Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Cantaloupe
- Nuts
- Citrus fruits
- Mangoes
- Grapefruits
- Leafy, dark-green vegetables
- Sweet peppers
- Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower
- Olive or avocado oil
- Cold-water fish like salmon, sardines, and mackarel
- Lean proteins
- Plant-based proteins
It’s recommended that you take supplements that contain selenium, folic acid, and B-complex.
With your doctor’s permission, you can also take a Vitamin E supplement.
Some health experts suggest switching to a vegetarian diet while tackling advanced prostate cancer.
If a complete switch won’t work for you, consider incorporating more vegetarian dishes slowly.
What You Need To Avoid
The foods you avoid are just as important as the ones you include in your diet. To make sure your health is at its peak, skip these:
- Red meat
- Foods that are high in animal protein
- High-dairy foods
- High-calcium foods
- Alcohol
- Sugary drinks
- High-dose zinc supplements
- Flaxseed oil
- Canola, corn, or soybean oil
- High-salt foods
- Pickled, processed, or highly preserved foods
- Foods that are high in trans fat like margarine, baked goods, and fried foods.
Since you’ll need to maintain good bone health, make sure to talk to your doctor about options for getting calcium without putting your overall health at risk.
Extra Tips For Eating Well
While your treatment is necessary to make you well, it might not always feel that way. Apart from sapping your energy, it can make it difficult for you to eat well.
Some typical issues that you can experience include nausea, gum infections, mouth sores, and changes in how things taste. To work around these problems, try:
- Flavoring your water to make it more palatable.
- Getting your water intake through fruits, soups, broths, and tea.
- Make smoothies when you’re dealing with sores.
- Eat small meals throughout the day instead of a few large ones.
- Use mints or chewing gum to fight nausea.
- Use flavorful herbs like garlic, cayenne, or chili peppers to make food less bland.
When you’re being treated for advanced prostate cancer, nutrition will always come up. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, though.
Fortunately, by using these helpful tips and making changes where you can, your body will get the boost it needs to stay healthy. Bear in mind that if you’re having a lot of trouble eating or keeping food down, always let your doctor know.