[rabbitParticipant]

Hi all,

There are an awful lot of quacks and questionable material online about healthy eating for cancer patients. Obscure types of mushrooms, weird and expensive supplements, you name it.

I have slogged my way through peer reviewed research and reputable sources to try to find anything that would be of value to mywloma patients.

I have myeloma myself, and have no financial interest in any of this.

I am thinking of posting what I have found on this forum in instalments. Please let me know if that would be of interest.

The first instalment is high level.

https://healthtree.org/myeloma/community/articles/what-to-eat-if-you-have-multiple-myeloma

Regards
Rabbit

[morwennaParticipant]

Thank you Rabbit, that was very helpful. Please continue posting

[rabbitParticipant]

Morwenna, thanks for the feedback.

Regards
Rabbit

[labladyParticipant]

I only wish I could get my DH to eat healthy, living on fish fingers, chicken soup, toast, steak and pasta, chocolate mousse and ice cream at moment. Anything healthy suggested gets a look like I’m trying to poison him lol 😆 I wouldn’t care but before myeloma we ate a very healthy varied diet but he just can’t tolerate so many foods especially veg of any description, tomatoes are a huge no no, any meat other than steak or chicken are just a few examples. He’s never been a fussy eater in his life oh and he’s gone off coffee and is drinking tea which he’s hated all his life, really strange. These chemo drugs are sure playing havoc with his appetite and digestion.

[rabbitParticipant]

Hi Lablady,

I have been there. For a few months – I think it was around the time I was in consolidation – I wanted mostly rice pudding, yoghurt and ice cream. The ironic thing is that I had never liked ice cream until then.

Taste buds, appetite and nausea can really affect what someone with MM wants and can eat. Based on my own experience (although of course everyone is different), it should ease off over time.

Nowadays, my only food related issue can be keeping up with my appetite! Somehow maintenance chemo has increased my hunger, so I eat a huge amount (two lunches a day is routine) but my weight is stable.

Regards
Rabbit

[blobgobParticipant]

Hi Rabbit,

I’ll be reading, so please post your output on Healthy eating!

Regards,
Derek

[blobgobParticipant]

@lablady

I went off coffee for 9 months during my initial treatment and then Stem Cell Transplant. Both coffee and beer were just not of interest to me! And I was a regular coffee drinker before that.

But gradually the coffee taste came back to me and I now drink it regularly, with the occasional tea!

[tbdParticipant]

I listed to an interesting talk on diet for myeloma patients provided by the 50’s and under support group.
In a nutshell, they spoke about the benefits of a plant-based diet which limits red and processed meat and ultra processed foods. Some people talk about aiming for 30 different plants a week (includes fruit, veg, seeds, herbs, spices and nuts) for a good gut microbiome. Wholegrains and beans/pulses are also very important.
Key points were the importance of fibre intake which should be around 30-35g per day, Omega-3 in fish oils and seeds, vitamin D and curcumin/turmeric supplements. Alcohol and sugar should not be part of our diet. Good hydration and exercise are a must.
Of course we all understand that at different points in our treatment, we don’t always feel like eating certain foods but these guidelines should be a framework for when we can.
Personally, I also found helpful the book ‘Anti-Cancer: a new way of life’ by Dr David Servan-Schreiber which I’ve been using since 2013 when I lost two dear friends to cancer. There may be new theories developed since then but it’s still a really good book focusing on other aspects beyond diet too.
Good luck all!

[rabbitParticipant]

Hi tbd,

Much of what you mention is very consistent with the link in my post above.

The one thing which I am surprised about is turmeric: in large doses it can be problematic

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/liver-damage-turmeric-supplement-woman-hospitalized-rcna217578

[tbdParticipant]

Hi rabbit,

yes, I also heard about possible toxicity of curcumin. In the article you sent, we don’t know the quality or the quantity of the supplement this person was taking. In the talk, the dose mentioned was 4-8g and the studies are still fairly inconclusive. I think one should be careful with supplements in general.
Personally, I take a spoonful or turmeric with two spoonfuls of olive oil and some black pepper (essential to activate the components) to which I add hot water too make a ‘tea’, sometimes adding lemon. I drink this most mornings. My partner adds it to his breakfast yogurt! But I’m not so keen on the taste of it in food. Asian diets use turmeric all the time so if you enjoy it, you can add it to dishes like curries and dhal.
Again, this is my personal experience, not scientifically verified… so it might not work for everyone.
Best, TBD

[Author]

Posts