CLL

[nashvillegal]

Just diagnosed with CLL and wanting to know about best foods to eat OR avoid.

[Kullie1974]

Hi,

I’ve newly been diagnosed too few things I’ve researched and doing at the moment

You can research yourself too online

2 pieces of fresh turmeric juice first thing early morning without brushing your teeth

2.5 kg off carrot juice on empty stomach drink over few hours before breakfast

1 fresh coconut water everyday

This will help with immunity and help bring blood count to normal I’ve been told

Avoid sugar at all costs it feeds the cancer

[cajunjeff in reply to Kullie1974]

I think there are many fruits and vegetables that do help our immune systems. I have read the more variety of color with fruits and veggies, the more cross section of nutrients and vitamins we get.

If we have cll, however, drinking carrot and tumeric juice is not going to bring our blood counts to normal. There is no science to support that. There are some studies that suggest tumeric can have provide some limited help and doesn't hurt, but its not going to raise your platelets or hemoglobin nor bring your wbc back to normal.

If only it were that easy.

Kullie when you do your research be wary of all the natural remedy websites. If a remedy is not endorsed by recognized cll specialists, its likely going to hurt your pocket book more than it helps your cll. Just my take.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Kullie1974]

While our Western society consumes far more sugar in processed foods and treats than is healthy for our weight/cardiovascular health, it's a myth that sugar feeds cancer: healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Likewise, you can't improve your immunity beyond eating a healthy diet. Supplements/foods that claim to improve your immunity generally do so (where there is actually any good evidence), by boosting lymphocyte production - and we don't want any more CLL lymphocytes!

Neil

[cajunjeff]

There is no cll diet of which I am aware like there might be for someone with high blood pressure or diabetes. You should eat a healthy diet just the same as anyone else.

You might get all sorts of opinions on here what constitutes a healthy diet, we have vegans, vegetarians, fasters, you name it on here.

I think a common sense diet is best with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Processed foods, foods with added sugar and fast food should be avoided or limited, but that is not unique to cll.

I personally don't like to eliminate any food groups, but rather practice common sense and moderation.

Disclaimer: I am no doctor or nutritionist, and I am also prone to rationalizing hamburgers, fries and pizza into my diet too much.

[Hidden]

You should avoid beets and turnips at all costs. Not because they will do anything bad.... but because they taste like might do something horrible.

[ygtgo in reply to Hidden]

Hey !!!!

Mashed tatties, minced ( Scotch)beef and turnip ... it should be made compulsory I tell ya !

ygtg ... mmmmm

[Panz in reply to Hidden]

Scott, I haven’t see you posting lately and I have been concerned about you. How are you doing?

Wishing you all the very best....we miss you! Take care.

Panz 🙏☘️💕😍💗🌞

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer in reply to Hidden]

ygtgo - I don’t know about your recommendation - would it work without beef for we vegetarians? - but beets? Have to have my beets!

[ygtgo]

hi nashvillegal

I agree with cajunjeff.

I have porridge - fruit/bran yogurt for breakfast and mainly anything I fancy for dinner.

As for junk food ... well it's all in the name really, but it's not 'forbidden'

What is forbidden would be the likes of 'salad bars' or unprotected 'self service' food. No sharing platters. I err on the side of caution when it comes to hygene, I even wipe any cutlery or glass tumblers etc ... it just becomes a habit.

When eating out I insist that everything is properly cooked ... no 'pink' meat ...

Eat well and exercise ... It's what we've been told to do all along.

ygtgo

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Welcome, and the advice in regard to diet is to eat a balanced diet, strive if you are not at this time "fit", to become fit through any changes in diet needed and with exercise.

Walking is a "fitting" exercise if done on purpose and regularly, so making that a habit is a good and cheap way to get and maintain fitness along with balancing food intake.

Doing so in the early stages of CLL, can put you in good stead for the side effects that "may" come in treatment.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo....

Best wishes for a long watch and wait.

[sllincolorado]

This just popped up on my email from lls.org (leuekemia and lymphoma society - US based).

pearlpoint.org/immune_system/

you can also get free nutrition counseling (again this is on the lls website so I assume they have been vetted)

pearlpoint.org/schedule-a-d...

Me, pretty much now only eat fish and dairy for animal protein. Drink more water. Drink tea for the caffeine. Still have a sweet tooth.

[HowardR]

I especially recommend four different kinds of foods because they contain ingredients that have been found effective against CLL in the laboratory:

1. Green tea -- This is the most effective of all. But green tea interferes with the anti-leukemia properties of the others when they are consumed within 4 hours of each other.

2. Cabbage family -- including cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower and broccoli seed sprouts. They are most effective if eaten raw or lightly cooked. Salads are ideal.

3. Some kinds of berries -- including blackberries, raspberries, rose hips, strawberries, pomegranates, and ground pomegranate seeds (called anardana - an Indian spice). Cooking only slightly reduces their effectiveness.

4. Turmeric -- most effective if eaten in dishes that also contain pepper. Anardana and turmeric have mild complementary flavors and complementary effectiveness, so I add them together with pepper to almost all the dishes that I cook.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to HowardR]

Howard, have you noticed any improvement in your CLL from your diet? As I've replied before, just eating these is most unlikely to achieve a high enough blood serum level to have a noticeable effect. It certainly won't hurt to have a broader diet, with cruciferous vegetables in particular appearing to have cancer preventive properties, but once we have CLL, it is remarkably difficult to eradicate, sadly. I just don't want members getting their hopes up only to be disappointed.

Neil

[HowardR in reply to AussieNeil]

AussieNeil,

You are correct. These foods in low quantities are not likely to have much of an effect, but at the same time they can't hurt . Exception: If you are on chemotherapy, ask your doctor. Just as green tea and turmeric consumed together prevent each other from being as effective, one of these could prevent your chemotherapy from being as effective.

All of these are legitimate healthy foods with anti-oxidant properties, and, in general, antioxidants tend to slow cancer growth. Also, eating them doesn't force you to neglect other healthy practices such as eating less sugar, living a less stressful life, and getting lots of exercise.

As far as my experiment on myself is concerned, I don't yet have any hard data. I started this diet (1 gram of EGCG from green tea with breakfast; lots of turmeric, anardana, and cabbage family for the rest of the day starting with lunch) after my last blood test, and that was only two months ago.

That said, I continue to be healthy, living an active life with lots of exercise while at the wait-and-see stage of my CLL treatment. It is unlikely that these foods will cure me, but they might be slowing my CLL's progression.

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer]

Over my 17 years dealing with my diagnosis , I have seen an amazing collection of diets and supplements suggested. I have seen a lot of people comment about the damage they’ve done to their pocketbooks, but am still waiting for the one that can be proven to work. Some “self fulfilling prophesy” stories, but everything seems to always come back to a balanced diet and exercise, with room for a reasonable amount of ice cream, chocolate, or whatever your favorite poison is. I learned, early on, to smile and say thank you when friends pushed their newly discovered cure for me, and sadly, in one case, cut off those who wouldn’t back off. Wonder if she is still a distributor for Noni Juice.

[HowardR]

One other type of food to consider: fish, especially if you don't get much sun. A lot of people are deficient in Vitamin D, and fish and sun are the best sources. Vitamin D deficiencies have been correlated with some kinds of cancer, and they correlate with other health problems, including osteoporosis.

I especially recommend salmon, oysters, shrimp and sardines, as they are relatively high in Vitamin D, as compared to their mercury content. On the other hand, I stay away from halibut, tuna and mackerel, as they are relatively low in Vitamin D as compared to their mercury content. (Mercury in large quantities can cause health problems.)

[GMa27]

I never changed my diet. My oncologist said enjoy and try to do moderation.

It never effected my CLL. Was on W&W 12 years. Chemo went well.

My Dad had CLL for 30 years with no treatment. He ate lots of junk.

Not saying anyone should follow that, but food has never effected me either way. I enjoy my fast food and red meat. I slip in fish and veggies to help balance it out.

I had been going to Acupuncture long before my dx. I continue going to keep building my immune system. Did gentle yoga till I needed rotator cuff surgery. So that's on hold.

I guess my advice is everything in moderation. 💕