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Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients
Nutrition is an important part of life, cancer treatment, recovery, and prevention. Food is one of the few things you can be in control of during your treatment. The oncology certified registered dietitians at the Stanford Cancer Center are here to help you make informed choices about nutrition, answer your nutrition-related questions, and help you to achieve and maintain good health.
Care and Treatment
Prostate Cancer Nutrition Recommendations
RECIPES:
Check out our recipe gallery for recipes containing foods known to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Step 1. Fruits and vegetables
- Eat 8-10 servings (about ½ cup=1 serving) of colorful fruits and vegetable daily
(especially nutritious choices include: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, arugula, garlic, leeks, onions, carrots, sweet potato, berries, melon, citrus fruits, grapes, herbs and spices) - Consume adequate lycopene:
- ¾ cup of tomato sauce or 12 oz of tomato juice or 6 T of tomato paste
- Consider drinking pomegranate concentrate 1 oz per day
Step 2. Grains and legumes
- Limit processed and refined grains, flours, sugars
- Achieve 25-35 grams of fiber from food daily
- include 1-2 tablespoons per day of ground flaxseeds
- Avoid overconsumption of foods high in carbohydrates
Step 3. Fats and oils
- Limit intake of butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and whole milk/dairy
- Limit intake of linoleic acid found in corn oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil
- Instead, eat more olive oil, nuts & seeds (especially walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hempseeds, chia seeds, flax seeds), avocado, cold-water fish
- Eat 2 brazil nuts per day for adequate selenium (or may consume via halibut, sardines, and shrimp)
- Eat more wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds and hazelnuts for vitamin E
Step 4. Animal foods
- Limit red meat (beef, pork, lamb) intake to 18 oz of cooked weight per week.
- Avoid processed meats (ham, bacon, salami, hot dogs, sausages, pastrami).
- Limit intake of flame grilled meats (grilled veggies are a great alternative!). Instead, replace meats with soyfoods, try for 1 serving per day of soyfood (tofu, edamame, tempeh, soynuts, etc)
- Limit dairy intake to less than 2 servings per day, preferably lower fat versions (8oz of milk or yogurt, 1 oz of cheese, ½ cup of ice cream).
Step 5. Beverages
- Limit alcohol intake to 2 drinks per day.
- Increase consumption of green tea to 1-4 cups per day.
- Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks (like soda, juices, sports drinks, sweet teas).
Step 6. Other factors
- Consume adequate, but not excessive calcium.
- Total intake from foods and supplements not to exceed 1200mg per day.
- Only take calcium supplements if recommended by your doctor.
- Do not consume foods that were reheated in plastic containers in the microwave.
Step 7. Exercise
Try for 3 hours per week of vigorous activity such as biking, tennis, jogging, swimming, etc. Brisk walking can count, if it intense enough to increase your heart rate.
Step 8. Avoid gaining weight
(Unless you are underweight.) Lose weight if you are overweight.
Step 9. Quit Smoking, today!
Need help quitting smoking? Visit Stanford's Smoking Cessation Program to learn more.
Myths about nutrition and cancer
Dispelling some myths:
- Coffee does not increase your risk of cancer (but we are not talking Frappuccinos, here!)
- Lycopene, selenium, vitamin E supplements do not lower the risk of prostate cancer
- It's not as simple as "sugar feeds cancer"—Insulin is the key factor.
To control insulin levels in your body, choose minimally processed grains and include healthy fats; exercise nearly everyday; keep your body fat, especially belly fat low.
Major nutrition and prostate cancer studies and cohorts
- Health Professionals Follow Up Study
- CaPSURE Study
- SELECT Trial
- NHANES
Additional information
- Learn more about prostate cancer.
- View the NCI's Prostate Cancer, Nutrition, and Dietary Supplements guide.
Recipes
Cancer Fighting Recipe of the Week: Week 3
In honor of Colon Cancer Awareness month, we'll be featuring four colorectal cancer friendly recipes each week during the month of March.
Basil Broccoi
Broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are all cruciferous vegetables. This vegetable family contains powerful phytochemicals, including carotenoids, indoles and glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, which have been studied and shown to slow the growth of many cancers.
Grilled Vegetable Polenta with Pan Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce
Halibut with Citrus and Garlic
Hearty Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables
Herbed Polenta with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
Mediterranean Grilled Veggie Pockets
Molasses-Cured Pork Loin with Apples
New American Plate "Tetrazzini" Casserole
Peppers Stuffed with Barley, Parmesan and Onion
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Maple Mustard Sauce
Seared Scallops with Beet Puree and Arugula Salad
Soft Tacos with Southwestern Vegetables
Spicy Broccoli, Cauliflower and Tofu
Steamed Halibut on Spinach with Lemon Sauce
Summer Tofu Kebab with Peanut Sauce
Turkey Reuben Grilled Sandwiches
Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce
For Patients
PREPARE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
- Bring your photo ID and Insurance Card
- Maps, directions, parking, public transit options, and contact information
Ask your physician for a REFERRAL for a Cancer Center Nutrition Appointment
Our dietitians are available for 45 minute consults by appointment only, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Download our nutrition appointment flyer.
Questions about your appointment or need to make a change?
RESOURCES
For Health Care Professionals
Our dietitians are available for 45 minute consults by appointment only on: Mondays – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
HOW TO REFER
Call us at 1-650-498-6000 to refer a new patient for a nutrition consultation. If you wish to refer a patient to the Stanford Cancer Center, please call the Physician Helpline.
Download our nutrition appointment flyer.
Returning Patient
Questions about your appointment or need to make a change? Call:
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients at Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto
650-498-6000
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients at Stanford Cancer Center South Bay
408-426-4900