Sweet potato or not to sweet potato. Is the ques... - MPN Voice

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Sweet potato or not to sweet potato. Is the question?

Camelian profile image
20 Replies

Is it true sweet potato increases platelets? Just after eating a big sweet potato I read a post saying they do?? Wow no more sweet potato.

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Camelian profile image
Camelian
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20 Replies
Ebot profile image
Ebot

I seriously hope not! Feeling a bit dubious about this one! How much sweet potato would you need to eat??!!!

piggie50 profile image
piggie50

I’d never heard of this so consulted dr google.

Foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes and kale will boost your platelet count, in addition to providing a host of other health benefits. Folate, aka vitamin B9, is essential for cell growth and reproduction, and its deficiency in the body could lead to a reduction in blood platelets.21 May 2018

Foods that decrease platelet count

quinine, which is found in tonic water.

alcohol.

cranberry juice.

cow's milk.

tahini.

12 Dec 2017

None of this with make me change what I eat. All in moderation me thinks. Except maybe I could become an alcoholic 😂

Tico profile image
Tico

Hi camelian, understand your concern, i saw the post but i take everything with a pinch a salt unless i have evidence of it. I agree with piggies reply, everything in moderation. Carry on eating! Atb,tina.🤗

cheeks1 profile image
cheeks1

I eat sweet potatoes a lot and this has made no difference to my platelet count when I attend for check ups - I hope this helps xx

BloodZero profile image
BloodZero

I think you would need to eat it every meal every day to make a difference. Every then it probably wont effect your platelets as much as stress and worry does.

Deefen profile image
Deefen in reply toBloodZero

How true!

Deefen profile image
Deefen

I mentioned this to my haem a few mths ago (not sweet potato, but kale due to its high K2 content, which increases platelets) and he said that no food has a big enough effect to be concerned about. I have a cup of organic kale in my daily smoothie every day.

Jacqx17 profile image
Jacqx17

Totally agree with everyone above, and to add my 2pence, last year I was told by a nurse friend not to eat Beetroot if you have PV (which I have) as it raises Htc, I asked my Haem and she said, Unless I am told specifically by her to eat/drink or not to eat/drink something, then I should carry on enjoying a balanced diet of all food groups, because excluding some foods can have a detrimental effect to our bodies and mental wellbeing on the whole.

So enjoy your sweet potatoes until your told otherwise by your haem.

😊

Tico profile image
Tico in reply toJacqx17

Hear,hear.

Helena303 profile image
Helena303 in reply toJacqx17

I hate beetroot but I do think eating healthy is good.

Anag profile image
Anag

I went Paleo and started eating a sweet potato for breakfast 5 days a week. They made me truly happy. I also ate a whole papaya in a week and felt I was back in Columbia. Big mistake. My thrombocytes soared from 300,000 to almost 600,000 within a month! My Anagrelid was increased from 4 to 6 /day. It was 3 months after my diagnosis so I was quite upset. In the middle of the night, I researched and found the foods that increase platelets are : Number 1: Papaya leaves, Number 2: Papayas, Number 3: sweet potatoes. I stopped eating them and the thrombocytes plummeted. I got down to 3 Anagrelid/ day. I still eat a sweet potato twice a month, because I just love them! But it’s ok. Also, too much vit K should be avoided. I stopped the broccoli and kale. I eat dark greens, like dandelion and salad, but try to keep a check in the vit k amount. I have consulted 5 hematologists (4 are university professors) and also other mainstream doctors. They knew NOTHING about nutrition. Of course there are some few who do and I now go to them instead. Hope this helped you!

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toAnag

I have low platelets and I'd like to raise them. What foods would you suggest I eat more of? I am not a usual member of this community. I have advanced prostate cancer so my desire to raise platelets my be the opposite of folks on this community.

thanks,

George

Anag profile image
Anag in reply toGeorgeGlass

Hi George. You are like my mother-in-law. She is now 93. she had 45,000 platelets. I told her to eat papaya every day. She doesn’t like them but eats them nevertheless. She now hovers around 80-85,000. but! It is important to know why they are low. Chemo? Or other reasons. For general cancer help, please get off all carbs completely. No grains, no sugar or milk products. All these convert to sugar in the blood and blood is cancer‘s food. The cancer cells suck that up immediately. Meat weakens the system so try to reduce. Eat tons of cruciferous and root vegetables and All foods that have flavonoids. Use lots of good omega3 oils. Friends of mine who accompanied their conventional treatments with curcumin were very successful. It’s been proven to boost chemos success up to 40%. The good American cancer clinics like the Anderson hospital in Texas give patients curcumin and they continue long after they are cancer free. Please look into these. Get yourself a good holistic doctor who can navigate you through this to accompany your present treatment. My uncle had advanced prostate cancer 3 times. He made it to 92. I will pray for solutions and peace of mind. Enjoy every little blessing in your life, every day. All the best, George! Anag

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toAnag

Thanks anag, i eat very healthy and take supplements. I do eat some carbs in the morning with fruit and nuts. All the organic healthy for prostate cancer. I eat salad with that breakfast. I eat the other items you mentioned too. MD Anderson never have me turmeric. I take that at home already though. I do need to find a good holistic doctor though. I pray everyday and appreciate your prayers!

George

Anag profile image
Anag in reply toGeorgeGlass

So good to hear from you! Sounds like you’re really in charge of your health. That’s so wonderful. So glad you have your spiritual self also in good hands! 😁

Stay well!

Anag

Anag profile image
Anag in reply toAnag

Oh, yes, careful with the fruit that are high in sugar. Btw, my mother-in-law’s thrombos were up to 93. She out of the danger zone. She’s really vibrant in the brain, therefore enjoys her life. She’s a great role model for us and for our 15yr old daughter. Cheers. Anag

Swede profile image
Swede

Hi there. well well well...I guess some things increase the platelets and some decrease them...but it evens out in the end and as we dont check ourselves every day, after eveerything we have eaten, I am not sure we can blame this or that unless we eat or drink a lot and often of somethings....I am sure if I only has melon (for example) 5 times a day, for 3 months, it would effect me in some way, but it is a matter of having things now and then. Try not to worry too much about everything as that is no good either!

Superwoman profile image
Superwoman

I love sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, carrots in fact most fruit and veg, and my bloods two weeks ago when tested again were all in the normal range again. Little bit of what you fancy is good for your mood and health, otherwise we would not eat anything other than rubbish foods because what else is left, the only thing I do avoid is cranberries not a lover of these.

Jean

Timjonze profile image
Timjonze

Spoke to my doc about this. Food that can increase platelets only does so for those unable to make enough platelets naturally, it’s not something to worry about if you have an MPN as your body adjusts

Timjonze profile image
Timjonze in reply toTimjonze

(Although of course everything in moderation is a wise rule)

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