Hello!

Welcome back to my weeky blog tracking my personal ‘experiment’ to test a theory that the side effects of chemotherapy can be reduced by fasting or restricting calories before and after treatment.

Fasting and calorie restriction is more common these days as a result of books and television programmes by, for example, Dr Michael Moseley, best known for his 5:2 diet. But still, it can be a daunting prospect for people (me included!), especially when faced with possibly the biggest battle of your life…

So, why fast for chemo?

I mentioned in an earlier post that I noticed a distinct worsening of side effects after my last chemotherapy treatment when I had, shall we say, relaxed my approach to fasting.  I may have eaten a few too many calories and included some starchy carbohydrates (potato and bread) in my diet from day 2 onwards.  The combination of these two factors may have triggered my cells to enter growth and divide mode, which would leave them vulnerable to chemotherapy, resulting in more agressive side effects.

How Many Calories and for How Long?

Scientific papers already published suggest 350 calories for 48 hours before and approximately 48 hours after treatment could be sufficient. Looking at data about the length of time it takes the body to dispel EC Chemotherapy, I decided to restrict calories for 96 hours after treatment, increasing calorie intake to a maximum of 500 for the last two days.

I favour eating little and often and focusing on eating as much protein with low calorie vegetables like celery, cucumber and courgette as possible within the calorie limit.

At the end of this period, it is tempting to have a blow-out meal, but personally I find that this is a bit much and prefer to continue the ‘little and often’ approach so the body can get used to more ‘normal’ amounts of food again.

How does fasting make you feel?

The first 12 hours are probably the hardest part for me as my blood sugar level drops. There is a moment around hour 12 when I tend to feel grumpy and emotional, but I have a cup of tea and push on through! Once I have passed this point, the hunger pangs disappear and are replaced by a spaced out and slightly surreal, buzzy feeling.

Side Effects with and without Fasting

I think it is useful to list both the side effects I experienced from the treatments where I believe the fasting was effective and where I may have broken my fast too soon. I recognise that correlation is not causation and that a whole range of factors like the anti sickness medication I am on and the cumulative impact of chemo may impact side effects.

Personal Side Effects following Rigorous Fasting (350 cals for 2 days before treatment and 2 days after; then 500 cals for a further 2 days):

• Nausea for the first 3-4 days whilst the chemotherapy is at its most active in the body, managed using anti sickness drugs
• On one occasion, vomiting on day 1 when the chemotherapy is at its most active in the body
• Hair loss (approximately 60% to date, I am currently sporting a grade 1 crop!)
• Sleep disturbance

Personal side Effects following Less Rigorous Fasting (350 calories for 2 days prior to treatment and 1 day after, then increasing to 500 cals on day 3, with starchy carbohydrate in diet from day 2 onwards)

• Nausea whilst the chemotherapy is at its most active in the body, managed using anti sickness drugs
• Nausea for up to 11 days after treatment, managed using anti sickness drugs
• Gastrointestinal disturbance through the entire system, managed using anti acid drugs
• Signs of dry and cracking skin on the fingertips
• Watery eyes
• Random shooting pains
• Sleep disturbance
• Fatigue

So What’s the Approach for the Next Chemo Session?

• A maximum of 350 calories each day for 48 hours prior to treatment and 48 hours after
• A maximum of 500 calories each day for a further 48 hours
• Eliminating starchy carbohydrates such as potato, rice, pasta and bread, and focusing on protein-rich foods (such as chicken, white fish, and cheese) accompanied by low calorie vegetables (such as celery, courgette, cucumber, and mushroom)
• Eating little and often to discourage cells entering growth mode
• Drinking plenty of water, herbal teas and regular tea and coffee for that extra ‘lift’

Sample Fasting Recipe: Simple Thai Style Broth 

Serves: 2 people

Calories: 197 per serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 pint home made chicken or fish stock (or stock cube)
• 250g white fish like pollock
• 100g onion finely chopped
• 200g courgette finely sliced
• 100g mushrooms quartered
• 25g red pepper diced

For the paste:

• Zest of half a lime
• Juice of 1 lime
• Bunch of fresh coriander, to taste
• 1x lemongrass stem
• 2cm cube galangal ginger or regular ginger
• 1 tbsp Thai Nam Pla or fish sauce

Method

1. Blitz the paste ingredients with 100ml water in a Nutribullet or similar blender until smooth
2. Bring the chicken stock to the boil with the onions
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the vegetables are tender
4. Serve with a scattering of coriander and enjoy…

If you are going through a similar experience, I wish you well. Do get in touch if you have information to share about fasting for chemo.

Della x

Disclaimer

The information contained in this post or any other post on this blog is based on personal experience and should not be viewed in any way as medical or other advice. If you are considering fasting for chemo, please consult your healthcare  provider.

Copyright © 2015 Johnson