Colorectal Cancer Community

Dear Good Friend,
Please look into buying your friend Alpha Lipoic Sustain 300 with Biotin - promotes glutathione and antioxidant status (300 mg) and also Milk Thistle. This will help with the after effects of the radiation and chemo. She may have no side effects, but why take the chance? My husband is experiencing neuropathy in his hands and feet. He was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in September 2010, had chemo & radiation, surgery and more chemo. He's seeing a neurologist now who said he should have been given the Alpha Lipoic Sustain 300 throughout the treatment to prevent the neuropathy. Acupuncture is helping a little and he's taking mega doses of B vitamins from Wellness Support Group on the west coast - www.realfoodnutrients.com for the neuropathy. Speaking just from my experience with my husband - diet differs for everyone and she will probably go through cycles when she can only eat certain foods. My husband could only drink room temperature or hot drinks and could not touch anything cold during the radiation chemo treatment. I've heard soft drinks are bad - sugar doesn't help! Stay away from sweets. My husband for a time could only drink gingerale & rootbeer from a can, which we were later told was bad (although most folks know sugar is bad anyway). Lots of water is good. His acupuncturist said mineral water is good. Meat is full of toxins but if your friend likes meat, she probably should eat meat. Dr. Oz has good info on anti-cancer foods. Common sense healthy foods but sometimes his doctor said it was just important to eat - nausea comes and goes...After the surgery it's best to eat low fiber foods because of the healing process. My husband ate homemade chicken soup, chix & rice, apples, green tea, rice pudding, oranges, bananas...I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. I am still doing my own research on the internet - conservative doctors don't offer much info.

HI There "good friend"

I am an anal cancer survivor.

I had an almost impossible time eating during chemo. I found that I could tolerate Reeds ginger beer. It helped with the nausea and it is sweetened w/ pineapple juice, I also ate ground slippery elm bark in oatmeal daily for months following the treatment. My stomach lining felt ulcerated and this helped to heal my stomach. I suggest researching foods that reduce inflammation. Fish is particularly helpful. Also juicing is really helpful but hard to manage. I try to stay away from processed anything and only eat whole foods. I eat a lot of brown rice, vegis and good chicken (no hormones). I also take fish oil, probiotics and try to balance my emotional state (this is the more challenging part).
Yoga helps tremendously. If you want more specific advice I could look back through my files for food ideas. Please let me know and good luck!