QUESTION:
I have stomach cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy. I like to eat crackers and cheese instead of eating three regular meals. My family keeps telling me that I'm not eating nutritious food and to eat more protein like red meat. I don't find meat very appetizing any more. What can I eat instead of red meat?

ANSWER: The primary nutrition goals during active cancer therapy are high calorie and high protein. Your snack of crackers and cheese is a great snack because the cheese is a good source of protein. High quality protein foods are important because they promote the growth and repair of cells as well as fight infection.

Since you don't find red meat appetizing at this time, you may want to try other concentrated protein food sources such as poultry, eggs, fish, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, nuts and nut butters, puddings, custards, beans, soy milk and tofu.

You didn't mention how often you eat crackers and cheese but if you are having difficulty eating three "regular" meals a day you are already on the way to small, frequent meals. You may want to try some of the protein sources mentioned above and try for other combinations with the grain and fruit group to achieve an eating plan that is high calorie and high protein. Cottage cheese and peach slices, yogurt and apple sauce, egg salad sandwich, peanut butter and jelly sandwich are some examples of high calorie and high protein snacks.

Remember, these are just suggestions. I hope these ideas can help you maintain good nutritional health during chemotherapy. If you are having other side effects from chemotherapy interfering with your ability to eat, please discuss these problems with your physician, dietitian, and/or nurse.

QUESTION:
I have always heard that omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial against heart disease but recently, I heard it was also protective against breast cancer. What are omega-3-fatty acids and is it true about the anti breast cancer properties?

ANSWER: Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that may be protective against heart attacks and possibly high blood pressure because they have anti-clotting properties. Omega-3 fatty acids also can help lower blood cholesterol levels when they replace saturated fats. They may also help control inflammatory responses in the body that cause arthritis and psoriasis.

As for omega-3 fatty acids and breast cancer, animal studies have shown that breast tumor production is less aggressive in lab animals fed fish oils. Recently, scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) put 25 women with breast cancer on a low fat diet. This diet also included 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day. The results showed that the ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to other fatty acids in the fatty tissue of the women's breast increased significantly. The proportion of omega-3 fatty acids also increased in the women's buttocks but not to the same degree. This finding suggests that fish oil does play a distinct role in the breast. Researchers feel that it's still too early to say whether fish oil lowers the risk for breast cancer or if it can halt the progression of breast cancer. Experts do not recommend consuming fish oil capsules due to increasing fat intake, the potential of consuming toxic levels of Vitamins A and D, and environmental contaminants that often concentrate in the fish's liver (i.e. cod liver oil). There is no evidence that taking fish oil supplements provide the same protection as eating fish.

The richest sources of omega-3 are mackerel, stripedbass, lake trout, herring, salmon, lake whitefish, anchovy, bluefish, and halibut. Most canned fish retain their omega-3 content. Fresh or canned, increasing your intake of fish provides a good source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

QUESTION:
Recently, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. My friend has recommended garlic supplements because they are supposed to cure cancer. What do you think about these supplements? Should I take garlic cloves instead?

ANSWER: The health benefits of garlic are interesting but inconclusive. Research findings suggest that garlic contains a substance that prevents blood clots and may help reduce cholesterol. Other studies suggest that garlic may have anti-cancer properties.

In China, they interviewed 1600 people about their consumption of garlic and onions. Those who consumed the most garlic and onions (about 53 pounds/year) were 60 percent less likely to have stomach cancer than those who rarely consumed these foods. Laboratory studies also have indicated that garlic can reduce the incidence of certain tumors and inactivate certain carcinogens. The Chinese study suggests that garlic consumption must be at least a pound a week and preferably raw to have an anti-cancer effect. This would be a problem in terms of working with the public and potential gastrointestinal distress.

Garlic supplements have been studied to see if it lowers cholesterol. The studies are inconclusive. Certain studies have shown a cholesterol lowering effect and others have not. The dose required to have any effect on cholesterol is six times the amount recommended on the box. The drawback has been intestinal discomfort, unusual body odor, and prohibitive expense.

The bottom line here is you can eat as much garlic and onions as you find palatable and tolerable. Scientific evidence does not support taking therapeutic doses of raw or supplemental forms of garlic.