What is good healing food for post op mastectomy?!
Question: My mother in law was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. She has already battled breast cancer 9 1/2 years ago and lost her left breast.
In a couple of days she is going to have her right breast removed. She asked me to stay with her a few days after the surgery. I'm more than happy to do so.
I want to know what would be good healing food for her afterwards. Teas and stuff like that...
Answers: My mother in law was diagnosed with breast cancer last month. She has already battled breast cancer 9 1/2 years ago and lost her left breast.
In a couple of days she is going to have her right breast removed. She asked me to stay with her a few days after the surgery. I'm more than happy to do so.
I want to know what would be good healing food for her afterwards. Teas and stuff like that...
Sorry to hear your mother-in-law has breast cancer again.
I would suggest that trying to provide what you already know to be a well-balanced healthy diet - plenty of fruit and veg etc - is all you can or should do.
Don't, however, press her to have foods she doesn't fancy, or press on her any foods or drinks or diets rumoured to help prevent or cure cancer or help healing. From my own experience I know that it's bad enough having cancer and cancer treatment without this, and in any case no particular food or diet has been proven to do this.
Giving her the food she feels will make her feel better, the food she wants, will do more to make her recovery comfortable; and you can make every effort to make sure most of what she has is healthy.
You sound like a marvelous daughter-in-law and friend; my best wishes to both of you.
The most important thing is having a diet low in fat. To reduce fat intake, avoid fried foods and butter or margarine and decrease dairy foods and red meats. This is because breast cancer can be estrogen dependent.
No alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts should be included as part of the diet.
High salt intake should be avoided, as it tends to lead to water retention, which causes post-surgery edema.
Chamomile tea can be given to help relief stress, plus it reduces the swelling of skin irritations.
I cannot suggest anything else, since a lot of herbal components have different effects that might not suit her. For this, you better contact a naturopath.