Tinned Tomatoes and My Diet

User

Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 17:34

I had a TURP in 2017 and when the removed tissue was examined it was found to be cancerous, Gleason 3-4. The specialist advised no action and watch and wait. After a couple of years I had a biopsy which revealed no signs of cancer at all. The specialist believed all the cancerous tissue was removed with the TURP. Since the original diagnosis I have maintained a diet of

Fish

Vegetables

Almost no meat

Brown rice

No cheese

Very little dairy

Use hazelnut milk for porridge each morning

Lots of fresh tomatoes

5 Brazil nuts each day

Quorn occasionally

I have started having Benecol cholesterol drink and Actimel immune drink each day. They are dairy based

I was eating a tin of tomatoes each day but found I was putting on weight, probably because of the sugar.

My questions are:-

Is this a good diet to reduce the risk of the PC returning

Is it possible to have passata instead of the tin of tomatoes each day, if so how much should I have

Is there anything else I should have

Many thanks

Would it be risky to have lean chicken breast once a month

User

Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 18:21

I don't believe there's any convincing data to support the idea that changing your diet as an adult can prevent the recurrence of prostate cancer. Your diet sounds healthy but a little dull!

Best wishes,

Chris

User

Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 19:27

I’ve changed nada even though advanced aggressive cancer. Life’s for living right ? No offence meant but no Onco has ever advised on diet once. I eat and drink what I want. Life’s pleasures

If life gives you lemons , then make lemonade

User

Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 20:33

Lots of fruit and veg, otherwise eat what makes you happy.

Make sure they keep you on Active surveillance

User

Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 20:36

This looks like a good healthy diet that will help you to stay fit and well but the diet has not made your prostate cancer go away. If the more recent biopsy was clear, it was simply that there was no cancer in the area that was sampled. Basically, they are sticking tiny pins in and hoping to spear the important bit - there is a lot of chance involved.

I assume that your original cancer was found to be very small and of low risk or they wouldn't have said you were suitable for active surveillance. Keep on with the diet if you believe it is helping you but keep the following in mind:-

- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances

- any kind of processed tomatoes is best - passata, ketchup, tinned, grilled, are all better than fresh - and fresh is better than none

- a bit of chicken is okay - it is red muscle meats that cause concern (lamb, beef, pork)

- unprocessed meat is better than processed meat (sausages, cooked ham slices, etc are processed and often have other things added to them)

- non-muscle meat is fine occasionally ... kidneys, liver, etc

- onions, garlic, leeks are really good for you - and lots of broccoli

- as a simple guide, lots of a Mediterranean style diet is a good thing and a lot of an American style diet is a bad thing

You certainly don't need to eat a tin of tomatoes per day!

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 12:03

“- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances”

Your diet looks good. Cooked tomatoes are particularly good for you as cooking releases more lycopene.

Lyn, I presume you mean that advanced PCa may progress more slowly with a prostate healthy diet?

Ido4

User

Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 13:30

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult

Interesting, that's been my strong suspicion, most particularly diet during puberty (when the prostate grows) rather than just as a child, but I didn't know there's any research backing it up.

User

Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 15:41

Largely based on analysis of prostate cancer rates in different countries. Japan, for example, has much lower prostate cancer rates than the west, and the reason for this believed to be primarily due to the Japanese diet. Prostate cancer rates are increasing as the typical Japanese diet becomes more westernised.

Chris

User

Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 21:31

Hi,

I don't want to spend all night looking at this, as it's possible and I know you didn't ask me to, but the mention of sugar in tins of tomatoes pricked my interest.

Checking I noticed there are about 12grams of sugar in a tin although it's natural sugar. I was then brought to an article on diabetes that included some work by a doctor and Dr Michael Moseley who does the TV shows.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/carbohydrates-and-diabetes/carbs-and-cooking

So all tomatoes have sugar. Some experiments with potatoes and pasta shows cooking and cooling reduces sugar absorption and re-heating appears to reduce it further.

............................................................................................................................

I was wondering if your diet has enough protein. The nuts probably have some and the fish. But you need beans and lots of them. It takes a real lot of beans to get the same amount of protein as meat. Chicken and no red meat preferably. A bit of cheese adds some.

There are dozens of types of beans, chick peas, lentils.

A drop of rapeseed oil with onions in the frying pan, vegetable stock and a drop of red wine with lentils and carrots, plus some tinned tomato or similar. Topped with mashed potatoes and a light cheese layer put in the oven. Vegetarian Shepherds Pie. If you get it right you won't know it's not meat.

.............................................................................................................................................

The fish will provide vitamin D, preferably vitamin D3. But D3 supplements are recommended. If you're in Shetland then that's almost certain unless you eat a lot of fish according to common writings. Vitamin D is generally good and lacking in northern lattitudes.

I'm only writing as someone who is aware of the health benefits of a good diet. Although for some the pain of giving up what they like would undermine it.

Your body and gut will enjoy as broad a diet as you can eat except saturated fat above 15g, processed meat and red meat.

I'm not an expert and like to indulge from time to time but in between we keep an eye on what we eat with the aim of keeping able to get out of a chair without grunting and keeping our BMI healthy. We're all different.

All the best, Peter

Edited by member 11 Mar 2021 at 10:35 | Reason: Not specified

Notification

Join the online community now.