Diet & NHL

DIET

Please note: all information on this page is lay-gathered. You may want to verify its accuracy with your health care givers. In addition, the current info on this page is very opinionated. In time, the page will be expanded to include references to research.

During my first 6 months after diagnosis, I embarked on some pretty radical dietary changes. Very low fat & salt vegetarian diet. For more than one reason, I ended up feeling unbelievably bad. The worst summer in my life. Since then, I have become an advocate of some moderate changes -- it's hard enough to do... My perspective is this: if these are the last years of my life, do I want to spend them eating stuff I find icky? No way. I want to eat better than I had in the past, and in a way that will help me stay healthier, but I also want to eat things that I find delicious and fun. So... this is the current way I look at eating.

I think all diets, even pretty crazy ones, work for some people. Just think of the Eskimo diet -- heavy in fats and meat, almost no fiber or veggies, and they have no heart disease to speak of. Go figure. The main thing is, finding out what works for you. I recommend the advice given by Ian Gawler, the Australian vet who cured himself of metastatic osteogenic sarcoma with lifestyle changes. He followed the Gerson diet for a short time, then developed his own. He says (in his book You Can Conquer Cancer, 1984): 1) set time limit on collecting information, 2) take what is written in his book or some other similar system and add what you have learned and what makes sense to you, 3) assess all the information, 4) make a decision, 5) commit to a period of time to try the new diet, 6) at the end of that time period, reassess and plan again based on your experience, and 7) repeat the steps 5 and 6 regularly.

Eventually, I would like to add Dr Block's lymphoma diet to this page. Also, Dr Ornish (who showed that heart disease can be reversed by lifestyle changes) has just embarked on a new trial studying prostate cancer patients. The control group will continue with their usual habits, while the other group will undergo the following changes: a low fat vegan diet based on soy protein (otherwise same as the diet he advocates for heart disease); moderate exercise for an hour 4 times a week; a relaxation protocol for an hour each day; and participation in a support group once a week. The study will follow both groups for a year and announce results. If this study shows positive results, perhaps some day someone will study diet in lymphoma as well.

If I were to make only one dietary change, it would be the addition of fiber. I firmly believe this addition has a huge number of benefits and by itself leads to a much better nutrition overall.

Water

I signed up for a distilled water delivery in my first year, after researching the options, but this proved to be a major pain. It was difficult to find a company that used glass bottles, their delivery was unreliable, and they switched from glass to plastic anyway. There was the expense, and I also wondered what I was really getting since the water industry is so little monitored. In retrospect, I feel dubious about a delivery service -- how do I know where that water has been? What about cleaner residue? Hygiene of the workers? Cleanliness of the distilling and filling equipment? And the reaction of the water with the plastic?

I think now that clean, tested well water is the best. If I were again on city water, I would get a filter based on the water analysis of that particular location, and one that filters chlorine and fluoride as well. The Brita and similar cheap filters found nowadays in supermarkets seem to improve the taste but often do not filter out chemicals. (Chlorine is also absorbed through the skin, so it pays to have a filter for the shower also. A recent study identified chlorine as a big culprit in breast cancer -- if it can be replicated, chlorine will emerge as a major carcinogen.)

Keep in mind -- the lymphatic system needs a lot of water to function properly. I believe that 8-10 cups of water (or similar liquid) a day is important. It has been a real struggle for me to drink this much. I have to keep reminding myself all the time, and carry small bottle of water with me.

Tea

Tea is emerging as an important health-promoting beverage. There have been many studies in Japan, and more and more are being done in the West, on the beneficial effects of black and green tea. Both black tea and green tea come from the same plant -- tea leaves are steamed to make them "green." Both teas have beneficial effects but green tea is more potent.

Green tea is so chock full of good stuff that I have become a green tea drinker despite its weird taste. I try to drink at least 2 cups a day.

For more information, check out the recent file of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative at
www.breast.cancer.ca/english/alt/gtea_ec.htm

The Wellness Web has good information at
www.wellnessweb.com/ALTERN/herbs/greentea.htm

Coffee and chocolate

Several alternative cancer diets advocate staying away from coffee and chocolate. (I remember when the health conscious were against black tea as well on account of its caffeine content.) My impression of the health food scene is that there is a significant "true believer" element that insists that virtuous food is bland food, and that fun foods like the above must be suspect. I myself stay clear of this philosophical perspective, and maintain staunchly that recreational drugs such as the above can be used in moderation.

Fiber

Fiber is the foundation of my diet. Fiber is amazing stuff, so incredibly good for so many things. And it functions in conjunction with many other beneficial nutrients. The addition of some extra fiber to my diet some years back finally licked my irritable bowel syndrome...Though I was pretty savvy to the whole idea of eating whole grains, I had not realized to what extent our food is robbed of fiber until I began to read labels for fiber content. My breakfast cereal has only 2g of fiber -- gasp! They really have to work on taking it all out... The current mainstream recommendations are about 20-35 g per day. More radical groups say 40 g is better.

Fiber comes in two varieties: soluble and insoluble. Hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignins are insoluble, whereas psyllium, pectin, gums, brans are mostly soluble. Both kinds of fibers are found in vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts. Chitosan is a fiber-like substance derived from the chitin of shrimps and other sea creatures. This fiber is also insoluble. Insoluble fiber promotes intestinal peristalsis. Both types of fibers absorb various undesirable substances in the gut and eliminate them. There is research that shows fiber mops up and eliminates excess fats, free radicals, concentrated bile, and toxins from the gut. The addition of fiber can lower cholesterol, and prevent the development of certain types of diabetes, among other things. It is thought to be an important preventive dietary factor in a number of cancers. I have not seen any research specific to lymphoma, but it makes sense to me that this would be an important factor since the work of the lymphatic system is hindered by the presence of a "toxic gut." (The main work of the lymphatic system is janitorial -- the much publicized "warfare section" is merely a small pest-control subsidiary of Lymphs-R-Us, Inc.)

It takes a good deal of effort to get enough fiber in the diet. I discovered that even with fiber supplements, I only stashed away some 20+g of fiber. These foods can be used to get fiber into one's diet: beans (incl. sprouts), veggies & fruits, prunes & figs (& other dried fruits), whole grain products, high fiber breads, seeds (esp. flax seeds), nuts, popcorn. I also take the following supplements: psyllium seeds and Rainbow Light fiber system (1 tsp in the morning mixed with a glass of water), Solgar oat bran tablets with meals, and chitosan capsules prior to meals. This adds about 10g to the total. Even with effort, I have been unable to go better than about 30 g of fiber per day. 40 grams is a real challenge for me, and I will report here on my progress.

By the way, add fiber only gradually or you will bloat. And make sure your body moves it all out regularly as well. (If you are constipated, use a laxative in the early stages of the process.)

Several fiber info pages:
www.am-osteo-assn.org/health/17128.htm
www.aafp.org/patientinfo/fiber.html
www.bsd.ufl.edu/dining/fiber.htm

Foods

I think what makes most sense is cutting down on fat, meats, and nitrite-preserved foods, adding lots of vegetables and fruits, using olive oil some of the time (some say to avoid corn and soy oils, and some advocate staying away from refined oils altogether and using olive oil and animal fats), and adding some soy and rye foods. I have tried a dairy-free diet, but the amount of hassle it takes to be completely dairy free is just not worth it for me. I do best when I keep dairy consumption occasional. (Decent milk substitutes are now available in health food stores and some supermarkets in the form of "milks" made from nuts, grains or soya.) And also I feel that food grown with the least amount of chemicals, bought (or grown) and prepared fresh is best.

There are several interesting pages at the Oncolink on dietary topics: oncolink.upenn.edu/causeprevent/diet

Salt

I have learned the hard way that people with low blood pressure do not do well on low salt diets. After some research, I have concluded that low salt diets, with the possible exception of some people with serious hypertension, do not make sense. I think moderate salt intake is good for humans. It may be a good idea to balance it with extra potassium though.

When I feel dehydrated or poorly, I supplement with electrolyte drinks such as Naturelyte (found in baby sections of supermarkets). I recently saw a reference to some research indicating that people with lymphoma can develop problems with fluid and electrolyte balance.

Sugar

There seems to be evidence that tumor growth is encouraged by the ingestion of refined sugars, since tumors are dependent on high glucose intake. Some sources also say that refined sugar intake impairs the immune system. It makes sense to cut down on sugar, and experiment with alternative sweeteners like honey, stevia, fructose, sucanat, or licorice extract. Stevia tastes kinda weird, but I am getting used to it in tea. It is better than nothing. Don't buy the powdered stuff if you want to use it in drinks. Buy the liquid.

Fasting

I have experimented with fasting in my life, and find that it does not agree with me. I think it's been more harmful than helpful. I would recommend that if you wish to fast, to do so at one of the health retreats with experienced supervision. I do feel it helpful to do a raw foods day once in a while. Research seems to indicate pretty firmly that eating low on the calorie tree makes for longevity and better health. Keeping trim, and staying away from the ol' stuffing habit is a good thing.

Juicing

Some diets advocate intensive juicing in order to get lots of nutrients and enzymes into the body in a short time. On the other hand, some other sources argue that taking all that fiber and throwing it away wastes some of the most important stuff the fruits and veggies have to offer. So some advocate pureeing fruits and vegetables instead.

I love carrot juice and drink a cup a day. (I turn yellow if I drink more than that.) I am planning to add some purees to my diet soon, once I find the right machine. For juicing, I am very happy with Krups VitaMini -- it is super easy to clean and reassemble, and it makes one cup of juice, exactly what I need. They also make a bigger machine.

"Live foods"

I took a workshop on the Wigmore diet which advocates "living foods" high in enzymes and lifeforce. They use fresh wheat grass juice from grass grown at home (I can't bear the taste), and various purees made with sprouts, slightly sprouted seeds and nuts, and fermented foods like home made sauerkraut and rejuvelac, a drink made from fermented wheat berry sprouts. I think there is something to be said for the addition of "living" foods to the modern diet. Soaked almonds are a delicious addition to morning cereal, and rejuvelac is easy to make and tastes quite pleasant. I haven't yet worked up to fermenting cabbage but might.

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Written by Vera Bradova © 1998
Updated 8-10-1998

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