New to CLL-no treatment-what to eat?

Hello @ksmith8771 Our immune system takes a hit when we have a blood cancer so anything we can do to keep up a healthy diet with plenty of antioxidant, nutrient dense foods is vital to our health. Avoid process foods, fried foods, sugar and ‘bad’ fats.
As for supplements, there are theories surrounding the benefits of ECGC (green tea extract). I’ve posted a link to the discussion in the forum below.
However, it is not recommended to take these supplements without discussing it with your hematologist because there can be some serious complications with a high dosage of this extract.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-lyphocetic-leukemia/

I had AML which, in my case, was a very aggressive blood cancer. Prior to that diagnosis, I lived a really ‘clean’ life for decades with a super healthy diet, didn’t smoke, seldom drank alcohol, exercised and at 65 was walking 10 miles daily. I still got this blood cancer…totally random mutation that tricked my immune system. That occurrence then clipped me off at the knees in seemingly 3 weeks time. To that point, I had no symptoms though it would have started a few months before my diagnosis). Diet and a healthy life had no bearing on what happened to my immune system. However, it did impact how well I thrived through chemo and a bone marrow transplant. My medical teams have all stated that my previous life greatly and positively impacted my new life in that I recovered quickly and now, 4 years later, still in a durable remission. (And at 69, still walking at least 8 miles daily).

So you’re on the right track for finding foods and a lifestyle which will keep your compromised immune system as robust as possible. You may not require treatment for a long time, if ever, but in the meantime keep up your health with exercise, diet and a positive mental attitude.

I found this article that’s relevant to your CLL and question of diet and supplements.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-diet

There’s no magic bullet of foods and supplements. If there was, none of us would have to worry about our bone marrow churning out defective cells. But it’s important to keep moving forward and do the best we can. I read about your “Perfect Bars” from Costco. I’ll have to give them a try! Do they come in different flavors?

Jump to this post

Even if you are very determined and have strong will power, there are time you may not eat the best you shoild. I also have a healthy diet most of my life and look for labels of ingredients with low sugar. I had a stage II cancer and fould medical science is changing toward holistics.
I used this information to become cancer free and now take maintenance doses. Doctors told me anything water soluble could be taken in very high dodes with little risk as long as there were no side effects. I took 1000 mg doses every 4 hours to continually replace what is flushed from my body in that time.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3893060/

Jump to this post

Hello @ksmith8771 Our immune system takes a hit when we have a blood cancer so anything we can do to keep up a healthy diet with plenty of antioxidant, nutrient dense foods is vital to our health. Avoid process foods, fried foods, sugar and ‘bad’ fats.
As for supplements, there are theories surrounding the benefits of ECGC (green tea extract). I’ve posted a link to the discussion in the forum below.
However, it is not recommended to take these supplements without discussing it with your hematologist because there can be some serious complications with a high dosage of this extract.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/chronic-lyphocetic-leukemia/

I had AML which, in my case, was a very aggressive blood cancer. Prior to that diagnosis, I lived a really ‘clean’ life for decades with a super healthy diet, didn’t smoke, seldom drank alcohol, exercised and at 65 was walking 10 miles daily. I still got this blood cancer…totally random mutation that tricked my immune system. That occurrence then clipped me off at the knees in seemingly 3 weeks time. To that point, I had no symptoms though it would have started a few months before my diagnosis). Diet and a healthy life had no bearing on what happened to my immune system. However, it did impact how well I thrived through chemo and a bone marrow transplant. My medical teams have all stated that my previous life greatly and positively impacted my new life in that I recovered quickly and now, 4 years later, still in a durable remission. (And at 69, still walking at least 8 miles daily).

So you’re on the right track for finding foods and a lifestyle which will keep your compromised immune system as robust as possible. You may not require treatment for a long time, if ever, but in the meantime keep up your health with exercise, diet and a positive mental attitude.

I found this article that’s relevant to your CLL and question of diet and supplements.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-diet

There’s no magic bullet of foods and supplements. If there was, none of us would have to worry about our bone marrow churning out defective cells. But it’s important to keep moving forward and do the best we can. I read about your “Perfect Bars” from Costco. I’ll have to give them a try! Do they come in different flavors?

Jump to this post

The advise you posted a link to lists as the first thing to do is see a dermatologist annually. WHY A DERMATOLOGIST? That was listed before seeing an oncologist or a PCP.

Jump to this post

hi @normahorn. I’m not seeing any reference to a dermatologist in this discussion on CLL and what to eat. Can you help me out? To which comment were you referring?

Jump to this post

I read the link provided by Coleen Young which was the one right before my question. I did not watch the video to see if the advise was repeated there

Jump to this post

I see @colleenyoung’s link to Mayo Clinic hematologist, Sameer Parikh, M.B.B.S. The video is well worth watching for new CLL patients, and explains why patients with CLL or any blood cancers should see a dermatologist.
When we have a blood cancer, we are at a greater risk for skin cancers because our immune systems are weakened.
If diagnosed with CLL or a blood cancer, it’s likely patients have already been seen or are actively in treatment with a hematologist. A dermatologist becomes an important part of the healthcare team…they are anyway, but even more so with cancer patients.
Does this help explain why it’s been suggested to see a dermatologist in the article?

Jump to this post

Thank you. My hearing is not that good so trying to listen to a video by someone with an accent is a frustrating challenge. Plus he seemed to be repeating the text in the short time I did try to listen. If my oncologist suggests it, then I will consider seeing a dermatologist

Jump to this post