Foods For Surgery

If you are about to undergo breast-cancer surgery (or any type of surgery), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recommends eating as much spinach and red beets as you can at least two weeks before the operation. This will help increase blood volume.

Seafood, especially shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, and mussels, are also good additions to pre-surgery meals because they strengthen kidney energy. Any type of soup stock made from bone (for example, beef stock) can also help increase blood volume and strengthen the overall immune system.

Foods For Chemotherapy and Radiation

While undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) recommends eating mostly fresh fruit and lightly cooked vegetables, especially: pears, almonds, kiwis, dandelion greens, and carrots. These foods help detoxify the body and cool the excess heat caused by the treatments.

Other good foods include clams, mussels, oysters, quail eggs (either fresh or canned), and sugarcane juice.

For breakfast, have two kiwis and a handful of toasted almonds, and over the course of the day eat at least four pears (either whole or juiced). Other meals should consist of one or more recommended vegetables and, if possible, shellfish, which are particularly effective for reducing internal heat.

When eating for healing, the goal is to maximize the nutrients your body can absorb from the foods you eat while minimizing the energy required to digest them. To this end, try to eat a varied diet that consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, some grains, and some seafood. Avoid red meat, poultry, and pork, which require a great deal of energy to digest.

Start by gradually modifying your existing diet to incorporate as many of the recommended foods as possible. For example, use honey instead of sugar in your tea. Or rather than having oatmeal in the morning, opt for a bowl of Chinese barley soup and a kiwi. Many small adjustments can collectively have a measurable impact on your health.