Bristol Cancer Centre

Bristol Cancer Centre

The approach towards eating which is recommended at the Bristol Cancer Help Centre is one of Healthy Eating in order to strengthen ourselves:

· physically,

· emotionally,

· mentally,

· spiritually,
and to promote healthy immune and repair functions. One major consideration is that your eating is enjoyable and not in any way stressful to you.

If you decide to make any changes, do so gently, exploring and enjoying the changes rather than feeling pressurised to make them. We are all unique individuals and our nutritional needs are different. The guidelines provided here are generalised and may well need to be modified according to your particular requirements.

There are ways in which diet is used as a therapy in its own right for people with cancer, eg the Gerson Diet, Macrobiotic Diet, Naturopathic Diet and Juice and Fruit Fasting. Whilst the Centre doctors will support those opting for dietary therapies, these particular therapies are not available at the Bristol Cancer Help Centre.

Guidelines and Recommendations

Aim to eat a large variety of fresh vegetables and some fruits. Try to include some salad and raw vegetables with each meal.

Aim to increase the range of whole grains you eat, eg brown rice, barley, wheatberries, quinoa, millet. Include wholewheat bread and pasta in your diet.

Aim to include some beans and lentils in your meals, at least 3 times a week and more as you become more familiar with them. These foods are an important source of protein and dietary fibre. Added bran should be avoided as it can be too irritant to the bowel.

Nuts and seeds are an important source of nutrients, so sprinkle some daily. If you are unsure of how to include them, try filling a pepper grinder with a mix of sesame, sunflower, poppy and pumpkin seeds and use at each meal.

Only use cold-pressed plant oils for cooking and dressings, eg olive or sunflower oils.

Start to include freshly made fruit and vegetable juices using organically grown chemical-free produce where possible.

Drink lots of filtered or spring water. 2 litres daily is a good goal; try to drink between meals.

Avoid in general the following:

Red meat, ie beef, pork, lamb, and veal.

Saturated fat, eg milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt (substitute soy products).

Smoked and salt cured foods.

Refined sugar, ie any crystal form of sugar (use honey if necessary)

Processed and refined foods (they will always contain preservatives and additives, salt, and sugar).

Caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate and coca cola.

Excess alcohol.

Sweet fizzy drinks.

How you feel about your food and whether you are enjoying it are very important - so there is no need to let your eating become a penance! Give yourself time to eat slowly, enjoy your meals and relax afterwards if possible.

If you have particular problems with eating, please consult an holistic doctor or nutritional therapist. Meanwhile here are some guidelines which may help:

Special Recommendations
Underweight or Losing Weight?
It is very important for you to eat enough carbohydrates to maintain your weight whilst on a wholefood diet. These are available in the form of wholefood biscuits, cakes, pasta, rice, cereals and starchy vegetables. If weight loss is a problem keep poultry, fish and occasional eggs in your diet as well. Try to eat a minimum of 50 gms (2oz) of protein per day. High protein drinks (eg "Build-Up Drink" , made by liquidising silken tofu with bananas and soya milk and apple juice concentrate) are a good idea to help increase weight. These drinks can be taken between meals for this purpose, and can be used as an alternative to commercially available dairy and sugar-based products. The recipe for this drink is available from the Centre.

Abdominal and Pelvic Radiotherapy
Gut mobility and the mucosal lining of your intestines may be affected by these treatments, and it is best to have a relatively low fibre diet whilst being treated.

Chemotherapy may also affect the gut lining, and it may be necessary to modify the diet during treatment, to mild and easily digestible foods only. Natural remedies to help this problem include slippery elm powder, Aloe Vera juice and comfrey tea. Acidophilus and peppermint tea also help to restore normal gut function after treatment.

For more information on nutrition and healthy eating, CanHelpNow, the trading company of the Bristol Cancer Help Centre, has books, videos and wallcharts available, including:

The Healing Foods Cookbook by Jane Sen at £12.99
More Healing Foods by Jane Sen at £12.99
Healing Foods Videos by Jane Sen at £10.00
- Delicious and Dairy Free
- Sweet but Unrefined
- Juicing and Raw Power

Here are some ideas for menus by Jane Sen, extracted from her book The Healing Foods Cookbook, and reproduced with her permission.

Breakfast Ideas

Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice
Hot porridge made with soya milk and oats or brown rice (other grains are good, too: try cracked wheat or millet) served with dried fruits (prunes, apricots, figs, dates, raisins, apples, pears) soaked overnight in apple juice or water with or without some chopped mixed nuts.

Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice
Granola style cereal with soya milk and a sliced banana or two, or some fresh figs
Slice of wholemeal bread, spread with Vitam R or Vecon and piled with thick sliced fresh tomato and a drizzle of olive oil then popped under a hot grill for 5 minutes.

Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice
Compôte of dried fruits (apricots, dates, figs, pineapple, mango, prunes, berries, apples, raisins) either soaked overnight in apple juice or water, or cooked very gently until soft, eaten warm or cold. Serve with oat or rice milk or, for extra luxury, nut cream and/or pancakes

Main Meals

Creamy leek and mushroom croustade
Ginger and sesame carrots
Lightly cooked green vegetable
Tomato and cucumber salad with a parsley vinaigrette
Fresh pears with almond "cream" or soya dessert

Stir-fry of asparagus and brazil nuts
Brown rice or noodles, with grated raw carrots and chopped spring onions stirred in before serving
Shredded Chinese leaf, celery and bean sprouts with orange and sesame dressing
Compôte of dried apricots (just cover with apple juice and simmer gently until soft) served with orange spice cream

Moroccan-style braised vegetables and beans
Steamed couscous or bulgar
Mixed green leaf salad with garlic vinaigrette
Fresh strawberries and peaches, or apples and oranges served with banana "cream"

Light Meals

Fresh sweetcorn chowder
Hot granary bread
Warm red cabbage salad with watercress and toasted pecans
Two pieces of your favourite fruit

Parsnip "dabs" with sweet red pepper sauce
Steamed or lightly cooked broccoli
Mixed sprout and nut salad with lemon and cumin dressing
Fresh pineapple and oranges

Grilled aubergine with salsa verde
Middle Eastern rice salad
Fresh peaches, plums or apricots

The Bristol Cancer Help Centre, Grove House, Cornwallis Grove, Bristol BS8 4PG, UK.
Tel: 0117 980 9500 Fax: 0117 923 9184

	Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice Hot porridge made with soya milk and oats or brown rice (other grains are good, too: try cracked wheat or millet) served with dried fruits (prunes, apricots, figs, dates, raisins, apples, pears) soaked overnight in apple juice or water with or without some chopped mixed nuts.
	Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice Granola style cereal with soya milk and a sliced banana or two, or some fresh figs Slice of wholemeal bread, spread with Vitam R or Vecon and piled with thick sliced fresh tomato and a drizzle of olive oil then popped under a hot grill for 5 minutes.
	Fresh fruit and/or vegetable juice Compôte of dried fruits (apricots, dates, figs, pineapple, mango, prunes, berries, apples, raisins) either soaked overnight in apple juice or water, or cooked very gently until soft, eaten warm or cold. Serve with oat or rice milk or, for extra luxury, nut cream and/or pancakes

	Creamy leek and mushroom croustade Ginger and sesame carrots Lightly cooked green vegetable Tomato and cucumber salad with a parsley vinaigrette Fresh pears with almond "cream" or soya dessert
	Stir-fry of asparagus and brazil nuts Brown rice or noodles, with grated raw carrots and chopped spring onions stirred in before serving Shredded Chinese leaf, celery and bean sprouts with orange and sesame dressing Compôte of dried apricots (just cover with apple juice and simmer gently until soft) served with orange spice cream
	Moroccan-style braised vegetables and beans Steamed couscous or bulgar Mixed green leaf salad with garlic vinaigrette Fresh strawberries and peaches, or apples and oranges served with banana "cream"

	Fresh sweetcorn chowder Hot granary bread Warm red cabbage salad with watercress and toasted pecans Two pieces of your favourite fruit
	Parsnip "dabs" with sweet red pepper sauce Steamed or lightly cooked broccoli Mixed sprout and nut salad with lemon and cumin dressing Fresh pineapple and oranges
	Grilled aubergine with salsa verde Middle Eastern rice salad Fresh peaches, plums or apricots