Patients with early breast cancer need to pay special attention to the following aspects in their diet:
• Eat a balanced diet: Eat a variety of foods to achieve balanced nutrition. Do not rely on a single food or food group. It is suggested to follow the eight dietary suggestions put forward by the Chinese Nutrition Society, including food diversity, cereal-based; moderate fish, poultry, eggs, lean meat; eating less fat and lard; balanced appetite and physical activity, maintaining appropriate weight; light diet with less salt; limited alcohol consumption; eating clean and hygienic food without deterioration; and eating more vegetables, fruits and potatoes.
• High-carbohydrate foods: Eat enough high-carbohydrate foods before surgery to supply enough calories, reduce protein consumption, prevent hypoglycemia, and increase the body’s resistance.
• Protein intake: Breast cancer patients should pay more attention to protein intake, because protein helps cell regeneration and increase muscle mass. It is suggested to eat tofu, lean meat and other foods at ordinary times.
• Low-fat diet: Breast cancer patients should stay away from high-fat diets, because excessive intake can lead to obesity, which may increase the risk of cancer recurrence.
• Eat more legumes: Legumes have soy isoflavones, which are similar to the role of estrogen. Proper consumption can help adjust the level of estrogen, so as to achieve the effect of preventing breast cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to eat more soybeans and black beans at ordinary times.
• Nutritional balance: meat and vegetable collocation, coarse and fine collocation, not partial to food, to ensure balanced nutrition.
• Increase dietary fiber: Cellulose can help remove toxins in the body in time to avoid the accumulation of toxins and affect the condition. Therefore, we should eat more foods containing cellulose, such as vegetables.
• Limit sugar intake: The total intake of sugars and added sugars should be limited to reduce the risk of excessive caloric intake and to avoid being overweight or obese.
• Focus on vitamins and minerals: Vitamins A, C, E and B play an important role in promoting wound healing and enhancing immunity, so you should eat more fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins.
• Avoid stimulating food: avoid eating too cold, too hot, greasy, spicy and other stimulating food, so as not to affect digestion and absorption.
• Eat healthy fats in moderation: Unsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil, can help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
• Mediterranean diet: The Mediterranean dietary pattern may play an important role in reducing the risk of breast cancer. It is recommended to be based on plant foods, including a large number of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, etc., and moderate intake of fish, poultry and olive oil. These are some of the key dietary considerations for patients with early breast cancer, which should be adjusted according to their own conditions and the advice of their doctors.
