POLOKWANE – Dietitian and founder of Polokwane Dietitians, Kulani Mtileni who works at RiaMed medical centre in Thabo Mbeki Street, gives some guidance and advice on the different types of food one can eat if diagnosed with cancer, and foods that can prevent or limit the chances of getting cancer or foods that cause cancer.
Foods one can eat to reduce the risk of getting cancer: carrots, red beans, broccoli, berries, cinnamon, ground nuts, olive oil, fruits, especially citrus fruit which have high anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties and can reduce the risk of getting stomach cancer. Mtileni explains that these foods are well researched and have anti-cancer properties.
“These kind of foods destroy the tumor cells, and it also limits the risk of getting cancer. All of us are exposed to cancer, and we must always bare in mind that anyone can get cancer, the only way to prevent it is eat the right diet,” he said.
He adds that tomatoes (which have lycopene in them) have an anti-cancer property in them as well and are very good for men as it decreases the chances of getting prostate cancer and also colon cancer in both males and females.
“Garlic, which has allicin compound, kills the cancer cells in both male and females,” he said.
What cancer patients experience when going through chemotherapy or radiation, and what they should eat:
“These patients usually have mucositis, which is a painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract,” Mtileni said.
• Reduce eating salty and spicy foods.
• The patients usually have a lot of weight loss; eat/drink energy-dense foods such as starchy foods.
• Vomiting and nausea; Avoid fatty foods.
• Loss of appetite; Eat small frequent meals, preferably eat with a large group of people or family in order to gain appetite.
• Metallic taste in foods; chew on something like chewing gum or even dried foods to decrease the metallic taste in food.
Foods that can cause cancer:
• Processed meat in general has cancer causing compounds.
• Microwave popcorn, limit microwaved foods in general.
• Acidic drinks.
• Caffeine.
• Refined sugar (eat honey instead).
• Genetically modified organisms (GMOs); fruit and vegetables that are injected to grow out of their natural sizes, and sometimes chicken as well.
• Food with a lot of colourings.
• Trans-fat; oil that’s used over and over again.
“If you want to eat healthier fruit and vegetables, find some time to grow your own little garden in your own home to avoid GMOs, it’s always safer and healthier that way. My motto as a dietitian is; food is medicine,” he concluded.
