Blueberries and Chemotherapy

Once cancer is diagnosed, you and your physician will decide on the best treatment for you. Treatment can range from strong medications, with strong side effects, to caustic chemotherapy drugs and radiation. It is said that fighting cancer is a marathon, not a sprint. The fight is long and hard, and you need all of your strength and a pristine mental attitude to run the marathon. Anyone who runs a marathon knows that the preparation is as important as the race itself. There are many things you can do to help your body handle the rigors of cancer treatment. Obviously if you smoke, quit, if you drink, stop and if you have any other vices that can harm your body, do everything you can to get rid of them. Get enough sleep, exercise when you can. All of these things will help your body help you.

One of the most important things you can do is to eat right. Giving your body the proper fuel to fight the disease is very important. Cancer treatments can make you sick, as the drugs are very powerful and they are working hard to rid your body of the cancer cells. Unfortunately at the same time, they are also attacking good cells, cells you need to help you get better. There have been foods that have been noted to have “cancer fighting properties.” One of those foods is blueberries.

Blueberries contain an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which research is showing can prevent cancer cells from forming as a prevention, and also stop or inhibit the rapid growth of cancer cells. Research has shown that blueberries can prevent and shrink cancer tumors, and have been known to kill the cells in triple-negative breast cancer, a very aggressive form of breast cancer.

Blueberries are a delicious fruit. They are rich in color and flavor, fat free and low in sugar. What a great way to take charge of your marathon.