The Best Foods for Your Immune System During Chemotherapy

Nourishing Your Body

While necessary, chemotherapy is one of the toughest medical treatments to undergo. Many cancer patients experience various side effects, such as hair loss, digestive distress, lower blood cell count and more. Yet, time and time again, chemotherapy proves to be one of the most successful cancer treatment protocols.

Unfortunately, chemotherapy can damage the immune system, even decreasing the number of white blood cells in the body. In turn, this may make you more susceptible to infections and make infections worse when they do happen.

Yet, what you eat may help lessen these effects. Our diet lays the foundations for what resources, such as vitamins and minerals, our body has to rebuild and fight back. So, let’s review the best foods to boost your immune system during chemo. Here’s everything you should know.

What Should You Eat Before Chemo?

On chemotherapy days, it’s usually recommended to have light meals consisting of small portions. While it’s important not to skip any meals, it’s also important to forego fatty or greasy food that may be hard to digest. Below, we dig into further what the best foods are during chemo.

Keep things simple and fairly bland here. Since nausea is a common chemotherapy side effect, ensuring you don’t eat anything that interferes with normal digestion is important. We don’t want to add more stress.

• Try foods or snacks like:
• Plain yogurt.
• Fruit, such as bananas.
• Eggs and toast.
• Toasted bagel.
• Chicken noodle soup.
• Saltine crackers.

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Eggs are a great option due to their nutrient density. In particular, eggs contain choline and selenium, which are essential for proper immune function. One study even shows how choline regulates some immune cells. Meanwhile, other studies indicate how selenium can reduce inflammation and support the immune system.

Even during your session, it may help to have a small snack, like saltine crackers or fruit, with you to keep your energy levels up. And while these are plain, they won’t bother your stomach, which is key since many experience nausea with chemotherapy.

At some places, they even offer some food supplements, such as meal replacement shakes. These contain plenty of useful nutrients but also likely won’t cause further digestive issues.

If you are having trouble eating, it’s okay not to during treatment. At the same time, you may want to try drinking a little bit or having a small bite every half hour or so. This can ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs while also ensuring you won’t regurgitate what you ate or drank.

What Should You Eat After Chemo?

Stick to small meals as this is less likely to cause digestive distress. Colder food may also go down easier while providing your body with the necessary nutrients for your immunity and healing journey. Drinking fluids is also important, as becoming dehydrated can pose further problems.

Here are a few ideas:

• Root vegetables that are easy to digest, such as potatoes, carrots or beets.
• Low-salt broth.
• Fruit.
• Gatorade.
• Clear soups.
• Popsicles.
• Gelatin.
• Herbal teas, such as chamomile, ginger and mint.
• Homemade smoothies (but small sips!).
• Oatmeal.
• Avocado.
• Eggs.
• Fish.

Avocados and fish also contain healthy fats, as well as other nutrients like vitamin E, which further support immunity and help combat any potential viruses or bacteria. Healthy fats can further improve cognition or brain fog, also called “chemo fog,” which may be common during chemotherapy.

Nuts and seeds, such as almonds or pumpkin seeds, may also be beneficial if you can stomach them. Both almonds and pumpkin seeds contain zinc, which can support your immune function and prevent further health issues.

Is There Anything You Should Avoid?

Avoid added sugars and pre-packaged food items; this can take some stress off your body’s systems. Instead, focus on making vegetables, fruits or whole grains at least two-thirds of your meals. In turn, this can support good immune function and overall body function.

Additional Tips

Here are some additional help tips to consider when going through chemo:

• Take time to reflect and write.
• Pamper yourself with self-care, such as face masks.
• Sit outside. Vitamin D can do wonders for the immune system and your mood.
• Socialize with family and friends.
• Indulge in your favorite hobbies (as much as your energy levels allow).
• Drink plenty of water (as mentioned above, but a reminder never hurts!).

If you’re unsure about your diet or what you should eat, it can also pay to discuss your options with your doctor or a dietician. They can help you determine foods to boost your immune system during chemo, and help you balance your diet.

Read about the treatment guidelines for ITP right here.