During your treatment for cancer, there will be times when your body won’t be able to defend itself very well. This is because you might not have enough infection-fighting white blood cells for a while.
The following are some tips to reduce exposure and avoid infection and illness during and after cancer treatment.
Food-Handling Tips During Cancer Treatment
-Wash your hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before eating food.
-Use defrosted foods right away, and do not refreeze them.
-Put perishable foods in the refrigerator within 2 hours of buying or preparing them. Egg dishes and cream- and mayonnaise-based foods should not be left unrefrigerated for more than an hour.
-Wash fruits and vegetables well under running water before peeling or cutting.
-Do not eat raw vegetable sprouts.
-Rinse leaves of leafy vegetables one at a time under running water.
-Throw away slimy or mouldy fruits and vegetables.
-Do not buy products that have already been cut at the grocery store.
-Throw away eggs with cracked shells.
-Throw out foods that look or smell strange. Never taste them!
-Clean counters and cutting boards with hot, soapy water.
Safety Tips When Eating at Restaurants and Shopping For Food
Be sure that packaged and boxed foods are properly sealed.
Check “sell-by” and “use-by” dates. Pick only the freshest products.
Choose unblemished fruits and vegetables.
Do not eat deli foods. In the bakery, avoid unrefrigerated cream and custard-containing desserts and pastries.
Do not eat foods that are bought from self-serve or bulk containers.
Avoid eating yoghurt and ice cream products from soft-serve machines.
Do not eat free food samples.
Get your frozen and refrigerated foods just before you check out at the grocery store, especially during the summer months.
Avoid “fresh-squeezed” juices in restaurants.
Avoid buying food from street vendors.
Foods To Avoid During and After Cancer Treatment
Paying attention to food safety rules and being extra careful when handling, preparing and storing food is definitely important. However, some people who are receiving or have recently finished cancer treatment should avoid some foods entirely, even if they may have eaten them with no problems in the past.
These include:
Cold hot dogs or Deli lunch meat
Dry-cured, uncooked Salami
Unpasteurized (raw) milk and milk products, including raw milk yoghurt
Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk
Smoked fish
Unwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants.
Raw or undercooked meats
Refrigerated meat spreads or paté
Sprouts such as bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, or broccoli sprouts
Unroasted or raw nuts and seeds
Food from salad bars of buffets
Raw apple cider
Raw honey
Unrefrigerated cream-filled pastries
Undercooked eggs, such as soft boiled, over easy, and poached
The immune system is often weakened by cancer treatments, making the body more susceptible to foodborne illness. Be careful of your habits and always consult your doctor before making any changes in your diet.
About The Author
Pavtan Food Products have been made after years of scientific research based on Ayurveda and Medical Science.
Our ‘Cancer Care Aata’ has proved to be an ayurvedic gift to cancer patients, thousands of them have benefitted from it. The major ingredients include Raj Gira, Singhada, Savva, Kattu and Moong which help in curing cancer and preventing the cancer cells to grow further.
To know more, click here https://www.pavtan.com/pavtan-cancer-care-aata