Dietary Therapy for Leukemia
1. Provide abundant high-quality protein
Leukemia patients should consume a high-protein diet, especially selecting animal proteins and legume proteins with high quality, digestibility, and absorption rates, such as poultry eggs, dairy products, fish and shrimp, lean meat, animal blood, organ meats, tofu, bean curd, dried bamboo shoots, soy milk, etc., to meet the body's protein needs.
Liver contains rich protein, various vitamins, and essential minerals. Every 100 grams of liver contains 21.3 grams of protein, 35% more than lean meat and 30% more than eggs. Trace elements like iron, selenium, and copper are also abundant in animal liver. Additionally, liver contains significant amounts of nucleic acids, which may play a potential role in cancer prevention. Regular consumption of moderate amounts of animal liver in daily diet can be beneficial for disease recovery. For patients who are severely underweight or have severe anemia, bone broth, tortoise shell gelatin, donkey-hide gelatin, fish scale gelatin, bee royal jelly, ginseng royal jelly, placenta powder, or deer antler can be used.
2. Provide sufficient vitamins and fluids
Clinical data show that about 70%-90% of malignant tumor patients have varying degrees of vitamin deficiency. Foreign medical research indicates that consuming vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C can prevent cancer cell formation and spread. High intake of vitamin C can also enhance local tissue resistance and overall immune function, thereby helping control and treat cancer. Foods rich in vitamin C include Chinese cabbage, winter purslane, tomatoes, baby bok choy, leeks, shepherd’s purse, hawthorn, citrus fruits, fresh jujubes, kiwi, sand thistle, and lemon. Vitamin A can stimulate the immune system, activate the body’s anti-cancer mechanisms, and resist invasion by pathogens.
3. Provide iron-rich foods
The main manifestations of leukemia include anemia, bleeding, and fever. Therefore, during drug treatment, encourage patients to frequently consume foods rich in iron and those with blood-nourishing, blood-producing, and blood-activating effects.
4. Small meals, easy to digest
Leukemia patients, especially during chemotherapy, often experience digestive reactions such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In such cases, adopt a strategy of small, frequent meals, or add some small-sized, high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods between main meals.
5. Choose foods that enhance immune function
Consume more natural foods with anti-cancer properties, such as sea products including sea cucumber, fish milt, turtle, kelp, seaweed; dairy products like milk, goat milk, mare milk; edible fungi such as shiitake mushrooms, lion’s mane mushrooms, white fungus; and animal blood such as pig blood, goose blood.
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