Food question

Katie46

I'm a bit confused about food and what I can and can't eat. I know I need to avoid raw/undercooked meat and fish, deli meat and soft cheese, wash fruit and salad. But does cottage cheese and spreadable cheese fall into that category? Is couscous ok if I make it myself? I miss meredith goats cheese 😔 My taste buds are holding up and my appetite is ok at the moment.

arpie

Hi @Katie46 -

We were told similar when my husband was going thru chemo - it related more to infection control than anything else, as getting infections whilst having chemo can be really nasty, even lethal, if not treated quickly.  eg salmonella poisoning, clostridium botulinum (found in soil & on plants) and clostridium difficile (a gut bug) in particular - either from food or other sources.  Ordinary antibiotics often don't fix them - they need a special antibiotic regime to get rid of them, so need stool samples sent to identify the particular bug & which treatment is needed.

We were advised not to eat any undercooked food (fish or chicken in particular) or 'raw cheeses' like some of the soft cheeses .... and to make sure all veg were either peeled or washed well, to avoid bacteria entering his system & making him ill whilst his resistance was low.  Sadly, he did have one nasty infection & ended up in hospital.  

So soft cheeses made from pasteurized milk should be OK - but as some are made on unpasteurized milk (particularly if home made & sold at markets) - and that is where the danger is - in case you get a bug whilst on chemo. 

I don't know if Goats Cheese is normally pasteurized?  I know it is very strongly 'scented' ...   

Couscous should be OK as you've cooked it - what do you usually 'flavour it up' with tho?  Often it can be the 'add ons' or something simple (like unwashed salad bits) that can cause grief xx

Just wash all your fruit & veg & be wary of deli meats, soft cheeses & undercooked meats just now.  After your active treatment has finished, you can indulge again!     What a party that will be!  

take care xx

Blossom1961

I ate anything and everything, except oats as I couldn't tolerate them. Just so long as you take the precautions of washing your food and cooking it thoroughly there shouldn't be a problem. Commercial cheeses are treated correctly for safe food consumption. Many people, including medicos, are over cautious. You do what you feel safe with. Don't do without as this can cause issues itself.

GorgyS

As I lost my taste, I eat what I enjoy and could eat. Just making sure it is safe. I prefer small frequent meals. I found this booklet useful: https://www.cancer.org.au/assets/pdf/nutrition-and-cancer-booklet

Katie46

Thanks for the link @GorgyS