What is cancer?
Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. Cancer harms the body when altered cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumors. Substances that cause DNA mutations are known as mutagens, and mutagens that cause cancers are known as carcinogens. Particular substances have been linked to specific types of cancer. Diet in cancer plays a major role as the recommended dietary intake increases in such cases. RDA for certain nutrients goes as high as 10 times the normal RDA. Anti oxidants have a very special role to play as they eliminate the free radicals which may cause tumour generation. Protein, vitamins, minerals and over all energy requirement increases depending on the type and stage of the condition.
There is no a diet that could assure you a life free from cancer but there is a way to eat and live that could put the odds of preventing cancer in your favor.
The dietary habits that tend to increase our cancer risk come down to too much and too little:
Too much red meat, alcohol, fried foods, refined carbohydrates and sugars, and too much body fat; too few phytochemical-rich plant foods and too little exercise. (Of course, you already know you shouldn't smoke or get too much sun.)
To decrease our risk, for example, we want to eat whole grains (such as whole wheat, barley, and oats) and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many fruits and vegetables have cancer-fighting potential. For example, lycopene, a phytochemical found in cooked tomatoes and tomato products, has been shown to slow the growth of breast, lung, and endometrial tumors and to reduce prostate, stomach, and pancreatic cancer risks.
Weekly Diet Chart For Cancer Patients
Sunday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Paneer stuffed moongdal chilla-2+2 tsp coconut chutney+1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): 1 glass almond milk
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 1 cup pulao+2 roti+1 cup (150gm) chicken curry+1/2 cup aloo carrot sabji+1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): 1 cup vegetable soup(tomato/mushroom/sweet corn)
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 1.5 cup rice+1/2 cup rasam+1/2 cup snake gourd sabji
Monday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Mushroom paratha-2+2 tsp methi chutney+1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): Avocado(75gms)/ nuts (almonds- 4, raisins-6 walnuts-3) milkshake, {Milk-150ml}
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 4 multigrain((ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup methi dal+1/2 cup bhindi sabji+1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): Boiled bengalgram sprouts-1 cup+1 glass milk/ cup tea
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 4 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup egg bhurji+1/2 cup beet root sabji
Tuesday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Idly-4+1/2 cup sambhar+2 tsp groundnut chutney+ 1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): 1 glass banana milkshake
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 1 cup rice+2 multigrain((ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup rajmah curry+1/2 cup bitter gourd sabji+1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): 1 fist of roasted (peanuts,almonds,cashews)nuts+1 glass milk/1 cup tea
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 1.5 cup rice+1/2 cup methi butter milk+1/2 cup lauki sabji
Wednesday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Broken wheat khichdi-1.5 cup with vegetables+2 tsp coconut chutney+1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): 2boiled egg+1 glass milk
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 4 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup tomato dal+1/2 cup green peas and mushroom curry+1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): 1 glass date milkshake(7dates+150ml milk)
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 4 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup ridge gourd sabji+1/2 cup soya chunk and aloo curry
Thursday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Dosa-4+1/2 cup sambhar+2 tsp pudina chutney+1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): Roasted blackgram laddu-1+1 glass milk/1 cup tea
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 1 cup rice+2 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar) roti+1/2 cup sambhar+1/2 cup methi paneer sabji+ 1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): Boiled Chana chaat-1 cup+1 glass milk/1 cup tea
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 1.5 cup rice+1/2 cup rasam+1/2 cup tinda sabji
Friday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Grilled whole wheat bread(4 slices)+omelette-2+1 glass milk
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): Boiled green gram sprouts-1 cup
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 1.5 cup rice+100gm fish(sardine/salmon/mackerel/tuna) curry+1/2 cup yam sabjii
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): 1 cup poha+1 glass milk/1 cup tea
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 4 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup raw banana curry+1/2 cup cluster beans sabji
Saturday
Breakfast (8:00-8:30AM): Chicken keema Paratha 2+2 tsp tomato chutney+ 1 glass milk.
Mid-Meal (11:00-11:30AM): 1 glass of dry fruit(raisins,cashew,pistachio,almonds-each 5 in no.) milkshake
Lunch (2:00-2:30PM): 1 cup rice+2 multigrain(ragi,wheat,bajra,jowar)roti+1/2 cup egg curry+1/2 cup colocasia(arbi) sabji+1/2 cup packed curd
Evening (4:00-4:30PM): 4 multigrain biscuits+1 glass milk
Dinner (8:00-8:30PM): 1.5 cup rice+1/2 cup methi buttermilk+1/2 cup ivy gourd sabji
Diet Do's And Dont's
Dieting Do's:
Stay hydrated all the time.
Eat mixed foods (carbs, protein and fat).
Consume less dietary fat.
Include nutrient dense (macro and micro) foods in your meal.
Fibre has to be included as it plays a major role in gastro intestinal related cancers.
Consume Properly cooked vegetables and other food items.
Consume the fruits then and there after chopping.
Consume all varieties of foods from all food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk products, nuts, meat products).
Dieting Don'ts:
Avoid oily foods, junk foods, foods thaat include cream, mayonnaise, cheese.
Avoid salads, half cooked foods, unpasteurised milk/juices.
Avoid fatty/smoked/cured meats and meat products.
Never eat foods that are kept in refrigerator after cooking.
Food Items Safe To Have:
Cereal: Brown rice, whole wheat, oats, jowar, bajra, ragi
Pulses: red gram, green gram, black gram, bengal gram and beans like kidney, navy, pinto, back eyed, broad, cluster, french.
Vegetables: all gourds-bitter gourd, snake gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, ivy gourd, ladies finger, tinda,green leafy vegetables
Fruits: banana, citrus fruits-orange, mousambi, grape fruit, lemon; berries-strawberry, blueberry, black berry; cranberry, cherries, papaya, pineapple, avocado, guava.
Nuts & seeds: chia & flax seeds, almonds, walnuts.
Milk and milk products: low fat milk, low fat curd, low fat paneer.
Meat,fish & egg: Skin out chicken, egg white, fish like salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, tuna.
Oil: 2 tsp (10ml)
Sugar: 2 tsp (10gm)
Other beverages: green tea.