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These are categories of some of the most frequently asked questions
that I receive at my speaking presentations or from visitors to this
website. Click on a category to see individual questions.
All of these Q&A's have been written by Diana Dyer, MS, RD since 1998. Beginning in 2012, the 50 Q&A's that are viewed most frequently will be reviewed and updated with new information (if needed) by oncology dietitians who are members of the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (ON DPG) of the American Dietetic Association (to be renamed The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics). After updating, each Q&A will be linked to the ON DPG website at www.ondpg.org.
All answers
posted on this web site provide general information only, not individualized
advice. Diana has no financial relationship with any food or dietary
supplement company, and the mention of any product does not constitute
an endorsement.
Nutrition
Services at my Cancer Treatment Facility
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Why
doesn't my cancer center have a Registered Dietitian? (this is
the #1 question I receive from patients and health care professionals
alike!) posted 8/03,
updated 10/03, 5/05 |
New
Cancer Diagnosis
|
I
have just been diagnosed with cancer. What steps do you suggest
I take?
posted
9/00 |
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I
have just discovered a lump in my breast. Do you have any pearls
of wisdom to help me during this difficult time?
posted 8/02 |
|
I
have read everything in your book and on your web page. I want to
do everything you suggest, but I am so overwhelmed. How do I start
on this cancer recovery journey? |
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I
have just been diagnosed with cancer. How do I organize all the
information I am receiving? posted
3/03 |
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What
treatments should I choose? posted
3/03 |
Bladder
Cancer
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I
am being treated for bladder cancer. I have heard that vitamins
that might help me reduce my risk of recurrence. Do you know anything
about this? posted
8/02 , updated 11/05
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Breast
Cancer
Carcinoid
Cancer
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My
mother has carcinoid tumors in the liver. Can you suggest foods
that won't provoke the diarrhea associated with carcinoid syndrome?
posted
3/03 |
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Should
I be following a low-residue diet after G-I surgery for carcinoid
cancer? posted
7/05 |
Childhood
Cancers
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Does
your book cover nutritional recommendations for children with cancer?
posted
10/03 |
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Do
you have recommendations for herbs and vitamins that children should
use to recover from a bone marrow transplant? posted
3/05 |
Colon/RectalCancer
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Do
you have diet suggestions for someone who has diarrhea after
radiation therapy for rectal cancer? posted
1/04, updated 4/04, 11/04, 1/05 |
ThyroidCancer
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Do
you have a good source for reliable information for someone who
needs to follow a Low Iodine Diet? posted
11/04 |
Uterine
(Endometrial) Cancer
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Is
soy safe to consume for women who have been diagnosed with uterine
cancer? posted 2/03
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Are
there any diet changes to help relieve bloating during abdominal
radiation? posted
4/03 |
Gastric
(Stomach) Cancer
|
Do
you know of any research, findings, suggestions, specific diets,
etc. for stomach cancer patients that have had a gastrectomy and
who are consequentially having symptoms of dumping syndrome?
posted
4/02
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Head
and Neck Cancer
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I
have head and neck cancer. My doctor is recommending a gastrostomy
feeding tube (G-tube). Should I do this?
posted
12/03
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What
cookbooks would you suggest for someone who has esophageal
cancer? posted
3/06 |
Lung
Cancer
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Can
you tell me if a product called Sun Soup is useful for patients
with lung cancer? posted
1/03, 1/05 |
Ovarian
Cancer
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Will
consuming dairy foods increase my risk for ovarian cancer
recurring?
posted
11/02, updated 3/05, 5/05 |
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Are
there any diet changes to help relieve bloating during abdominal
radiation? posted
4/03 |
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Should
I avoid soy foods if I have ovarian cancer? posted
11/04 |
Pancreatic
Cancer
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Is
there any specialized diet for people who have had the Whipple
procedure for pancreatic cancer? What dietary suggestions would
you make? posted
4/06 |
Prostate
Cancer
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My
husband has prostate cancer. Are your nutrition guidelines appropriate
for him, too? posted
4/01, updated 5/02 |
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My
husband has prostate cancer. I recently read that a high calcium
intake may cause prostate cancer. How high is too high? Should I
be restricting his calcium intake? posted
5/02, updated 9/02, updated
9/03 |
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My
husband had prostate cancer. Should he be avoiding flax? posted
4/03 |
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A few words of wisdom and encouragement from a man with prostate
cancer. posted 2/04 |
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Are
there some good web sites for prostate cancer information?
posted
4/04 |
Nutritional Concerns
during Cancer Treatment (related
to side effects)
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Can
you provide a list of all chemotherapy drugs called alkylating agents
that may potentially have interactions with antioxidant supplements
during chemotherapy? posted
10/02 |
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Dear
Diana, I am undergoing treatments for cancer and am not eating well.
What should I do? posted
7/01 |
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Can
I drink your soy shake recipes if my oncologist or dietitian has
recommended that I follow a neutropenic diet due to my low white
blood cell counts? posted
5/00, updated 7/01, updated 11/02, updated 8/03 |
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Should
I consume antioxidants during my cancer therapy? posted
12/01, updated 10/02, 1/04, 3/07 |
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Can
herbs interact with any of the chemotherapy drugs?
posted
4/01, updated 9/02 |
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Are
there any diet changes to help relieve bloating during abdominal
radiation? posted
4/03 |
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Do
you have diet suggestions for someone who has diarrhea after
radiation therapy for rectal cancer? posted
1/04, udpated 4/04, 11/04, 1/05 |
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Is
it safe to drink green tea if I have a port for administration of
my chemotherapy? posted
1/04 |
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Can
you tell me foods to eat to reduce the acid in my urine and
pain in my bladder and ureters? posted
2/04, updated 5/05 |
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How
can I eat a diet as healthy as you suggest if I need to be
hospitalized for more than a day or two?
posted
3/04 |
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My
husband is having chemotherapy treatments and has lost his sense
of taste after one treatment. Are there any foods I can prepare
that will give him some relief?
posted
9/04 |
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Is
there a good web site describing the nutrition related side effects
from chemo drugs? posted
10/04
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Should
I stop drinking green tea during chemotherapy to avoid consuming
too many antioxidants? posted 7/05 |
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How
can I use the diet recommendations on your web site and in
your book to both increase my intake of cancer fighting foods
for optimizing my cancer recovery and lose weight at the
same time? posted
3/06 |
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Is
vitamin E potentially helpful or harmful for breast cancer
survivors? posted
3/06 |
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Are
there foods to eat or to avoid in order to help recover from
C-diff? posted
4/06 |
Nutritional Concerns
during Cancer Recovery
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How
do you eat in restaurants and still maintain an ultra-healthy diet?
posted 12/99 |
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Do
you ever 'CHEAT' on your diet? posted
12/99 |
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What
do you eat for snacks? |
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What
is your opinion on other books on nutrition and cancer? posted
4/00 |
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Can
one eliminate dairy and meat (but not eggs) and still work with
your recommended dietary changes? |
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What
are your views about sugar for cancer patients? Does it *feed* tumors?
Should I avoid it in any form? posted
08/00 |
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What
can be done to relieve the fatigue I am still experiencing since
my cancer therapy has been completed? Will any dietary supplements
help me? posted
7/01, updated 9/03 |
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Please
give me your advice on microwaved food and cancer? posted
2/02 |
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I
have recently heard that Vitamin A may be linked to osteoporosis.
I see Vitamin A in nearly everything on food labels, even my soymilk.
What is the connection and how much should I be consuming? posted
5/02, updated 2/03 |
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Will
consuming dairy foods increase my risk for ovarian cancer recurring?
posted
11/02
|
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Diana,
what are the top 10 - 20 foods that you make sure you eat on a regular
basis? posted
12/02
|
|
Diana,
What 5 things have you changed in your diet that you think are the
most important for enhancing the odds for long-term cancer recovery?
posted
12/02 |
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Do
you have diet suggestions for someone who has diarrhea after
radiation therapy for rectal cancer? posted
1/04, updated
4/04, 11/04, 5/01 |
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Is
there any diet to alleviate lymphedema resulting from cancer surgery?
posted
8/04 |
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How
"strict" do I need to be with my diet? posted
5/05 |
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How
can I use the diet recommendations on your web site and in
your book to both increase my intake of cancer fighting foods
for optimizing my cancer recovery and lose weight at the
same time? posted
3/06 |
|
Are
there foods to eat or to avoid in order to help recover from
C-diff? posted
4/06 |
Canola
Oil
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Is
canola oil harmful to consume as I have been reading on the Internet?
posted 4/01
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Flaxseeds
Fish
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What
are some alternatives to eating farmed salmon in order to still
obtain omega-3 fatty acids from seafoods? posted
9/02 |
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Is
eating salmon healthy for our environment? updated
6/02, 7/02 |
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Have
you changed the amounts or types of fish you eat as new
information becomes available regarding the mercury content of
fish? posted
1/04
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Meat
|
Diana,
do you ever eat any meat (other than fish)? posted
11/02 |
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What
are your thoughts on the importance of consumption of organic foods
for cancer survivors? posted
4/04 |
Fruits
and Vegetables
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Which
fruits and vegetables are the best to eat? updated
6/02
|
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What
is your opinion of the vegie washes that are on the market? What
do you use on your fruit and vegetables? posted
4/03 |
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What
are your thoughts on the importance of consumption of organic
foods for cancer survivors?
posted
4/04
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Herbs
and other Dietary Supplements
Soy
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Will
eating soy foods decrease my thyroid function and energy level?
posted
1/01 |
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I
recall reading somewhere that eating a lot of soy could hamper fertility.
Is this true?
posted
5/01 |
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Is
soy safe to consume for women who have been diagnosed with uterine
cancer? posted 2/03,
updated 7/05 |
|
What
do you recommend for an anti-cancer diet to people who choose not
to eat soy foods? posted
2/04 |
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Do you have suggestions for more websites that have great recipes using soy foods?
posted 11/04 |
Soy
Shake and Blender Questions
|
Is
your soy shake's sugar content safe to drink for diabetics? posted
8/00 |
|
What
kind of blender you are using? Mine won't grind the carrots in your
shake recipe. Can you tell me what specifications I should look
for? posted
11/00 |
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My
blender won't blend the carrots. Do you have other suggestions?
posted 4/01 |
|
Your
shake recipe makes about 3 cups. Is that really just one serving?
If so, can I drink some of it later? Does it keep in the refrigerator?
Have you ever tried freezing it? posted
12/00 |
|
With
cold weather upon us, can you suggest something hot that would
have the nutrients that your shake has but would be more welcoming
during the winter? posted
01/06 |
Tea
|
Does
decaffeinated green tea still have the health promoting phytochemical
called Epigallo-catechin-gallate (EGCG)? posted
1/01 |
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What
other teas are healthful to drink in addition to green tea? |
|
Is
white tea better than green tea for cancer patients? posted
2/03 |
|
Can
green tea capsules increase chance of bleeding and bruising for
any type of surgery?
posted
8/03 |
|
Is
it safe to drink green tea if I have a port for administration of
my chemotherapy? posted
1/04
|
|
Can
drinking tea reduce the absorption of iron, contributing to low
red cell counts and iron-deficiency anemia? posted
8/04 |
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Do
flavored green teas have the same anti-cancer activity as plain
green tea? posted
10/04 |
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Should
I be avoiding all caffeine to help fight my breast cancer?
posted 11/04
|
|
Does
adding milk to tea reduce its anti-cancer benefit? posted
3/05 |
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What
you think about the Jason Winters tea? posted
5/05 |
|
Should
I stop drinking green tea during chemotherapy to avoid consuming
too many antioxidants? posted 7/05 |
Vegetarian
Nutrition
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What
are some other great web sites for great-tasting vegetarian recipes?
posted 1/01 |
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What
do you cook for big holiday meals to accommodate guests and family
members who are not vegetarian? posted
6/01 |
Vitamins
|
I
am being treated for bladder cancer. I have heard that vitamins
that might help me reduce my risk of recurrence. Do you know
anything about this? posted
8/02 , updated 11/05 |
|
Do
you have recommendations for herbs and vitamins that children
should use to recover from a bone marrow transplant? posted
3/05 |
|
Can
you provide a list of all chemotherapy drugs called alkylating
agents that may potentially have interactions with antioxidant
supplements during chemotherapy? posted
10/02 |
|
Should
I consume antioxidants during my cancer therapy? posted
12/01, updated 10/02, 1/04, 3/07 |
|
Should
I stop drinking green tea during chemotherapy to avoid consuming
too many antioxidants? posted 7/05 |
|
I
have recently heard that Vitamin A may be linked to osteoporosis.
I see Vitamin A in nearly everything on food labels, even my
soymilk. What is the connection and how much should I be consuming? posted
5/02, updated 2/03 |
|
I
have recently seen a lot of news articles about the relationship
between vitamin D and cancer prevention. Should we all run
out and get more Vitamin D supplements? posted
2/06 |
|
Is
vitamin E potentially helpful or harmful for breast cancer
survivors? posted
3/06 |
Other
Anti-Cancer Diets
|
Can
one eliminate dairy and meat (but not eggs) and still work with
your recommended dietary changes? |
|
What
is your opinion on other books on nutrition and cancer? posted
4/00 |
|
Are
the Renewal Diet and the Hallelujah Diet helpful for cancer patients?
posted
3/03 |
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What
are the pros and cons of juicing to help get rid of my cancer? posted
4/03 |
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What
do you recommend for an anti-cancer diet to people who choose not
to eat soy foods? posted
2/04 |
Clinical
Trials
|
Are
there any clinical trials recruiting participants that are
testing
any nutritional regimens to help treat various cancers or reduce
the odds of recurrence? posted
5/03, updated 5/04, updated 12/06 |
Miscellaneous
|
What
research studies have you funded with the proceeds from
the sale
of your book? posted
9/02, updated 09/05, updated 12/06, 9/07 |
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Has
your WBC count finally gone back up to normal? |
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What
do you think helped your WBC count finally get back to normal? posted
8/02
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Can
you recommend a web site or relatively user-friendly book that would
explain the particular lab tests I am having done, results and what
that means? posted
4/02 |
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Do
you ever drink coffee? I just cannot give it up!
posted
8/03 |
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What
did you eat during the recent black-out? posted
9/03, updated 10/03 |
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Diana,
do you have a favorite cookbook? posted
9/03 |
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I
am a student entering the field of dietetics. May I ask you some
questions? posted
10/03 |
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Why
don't you put calories and other nutrients on all of your recipes?
How can I figure this out myself?
posted 8/04 |
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I
could not get a flu shot this year. Are there immune-boosting foods
that you can recommend? posted
11/04, updated 1/05 |
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How
do you know you are cured? posted
5/05 |
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Can
you give me some advice about self-publishing a book? posted
7/05 |
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What
cookbooks would you suggest for someone who has esophageal
cancer? posted
3/06 |
|
Are
there foods to eat or to avoid in order to help recover from
C-diff? posted
4/06 |
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