Nutrition carcinoid syndrome

 Proper nutrition helps support cancer treatment goals for improving outcomes, improving quality of life, and minimizing nutrition-related side effects. What, when, and how you eat can help ease burdensome symptoms associated with neuroendocrine cancer.

With neuroendocrine tumors, smart nutrition may not necessarily be the same as the “balanced diet” you needed before your NET diagnosis.

Your doctors and other members of your healthcare team, such as a dietitian, can help you determine a diet that’s right for you; however there are some common foods you may want to avoid.

You will want to avoid foods that contain high levels of serotonin, such as some nuts, bananas, pineapples and tomatoes, especially before having a 5-HIAA urine test.

Avoid foods that contain high amounts of mines, nitrogen-containing organic compounds, as they can trigger the release of serotonin and other hormones. These foods include fatty meats, smoked or salted fish, aged cheeses, and even chocolate.

There are other changes you can make to your diet to better manage symptoms. For instance, you will want to consider portion size in your meals, as smaller, more frequent meals will be easier for your body to digest. This may lessen the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome you experience.

Spicy foods, caffeine, fructose, and alcoholic beverages should be phased out of your diet to help you manage carcinoid syndrome symptoms.

Choose foods and drinks that are gentle on your digestive system.

What to avoid eating if you have NET symptoms

To reduce the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, try to reduce or cut out irritating food. If you’re experiencing digestive problems, avoid eating foods that are:

High fiber (insoluble fiber)

High amine

High fat

High sugar

High salt

High heat/hot spices (capsaicin)

High alcohol content

High in caffeine

Highly carbonated beverages

Highly processed foods

When and how to eat to help manage symptoms

Minor adjustments in when and how you eat can also help alleviate diarrhea for those with neuroendocrine tumors.

Eat small, frequent meals.  

Don’t drink while you are eating. Drink 30-45 minutes before a meal.

When and how to eat to help manage symptoms

Minor adjustments in when and how you eat can also help alleviate diarrhea for those with neuroendocrine tumors.

• Eat small, frequent meals.  

• Don’t drink while you are eating. Drink 30-45 minutes before a meal.

• Consume six to eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day. 

• Spread fluid out during the day, taking regular sips of water.  When you have diarrhea, drink no more than 4 ounces at a time.

• Freeze food items right away.  

• Dispose of aged, expired items. Throw out leftovers after 48 hours.  

• Pay close attention to food safety to avoid food-borne illness.

Vegetables & Fruit

Eat This

 

• Peeled, cooked vegetables

• potatoes

• squash

• carrots

• parsnips

• zucchini

• summer squash

• turnip

Avoid This

 

• Tomato and tomato products

 

Eat This

 

• Cooked vegetables

• asparagus

• string beans

• peas

• shallots

• onions

• green onions

• red bell pepper

Avoid This

 

• Corn

• cruciferous vegetables

• Broccoli

• cauliflower

• cabbage

• Brussel sprouts

 

Eat This

 

• Raw vegetables

• Leafy greens

• celery (with ribbing peeled)

• cucumber (peeled and seedless)

Avoid This

 

• Raw onions

• Pickled vegetables

 

Eat This

 

• Peeled fruits

• apple

• pear

• peach

• nectarine

• mango

• papaya

Avoid This

 

• Dried fruit

• Canned fruit in heavy syrup

 

Eat This

 

• Blueberries

• Strawberries

• Grapes

• Cantalope/Honeydew Melons

Avoid This

 

• Pineapple

• Overripe Bananas

• Watermelon

 

• Grains

• Eat This

 

• Oatmeal

• White rice

• White Bread

• Quinoa

Avoid This

 

• Wheat

• Dried beans

• Red

• Black

• pinto

 

Dairy

Eat This

 

• Lactose free if lactose intolerant (rice or almond milk)

• Low-fat

Avoid This

 

• Aged Cheese

 

Protein

Eat This

 

• Skinless chicken

• Fresh fish, seafood

• Eggs, egg substitute

• Lean meats

Avoid This

 

• Bacon, processed meats (luncheon meats)

• Fatty fish

• Nuts

• Smoked meats

 

• Fats and Oils

Eat This

 

• Unsaturated fats

• canola

• Safflower

• Sunflower

Avoid This

 

• Saturated fats

• Butter

• Shortening

• Coconut oil

• Fried foods

• Chips

• Pastries

• Avocado

 

Beverages

Eat This

 

• Water, flavored water

• Diluted sports drinks

• Diluted fruit drinks

Avoid This

 

• Caffeinated Beverages like coffee and tea

• Alcoholic beverages

• Fruit juice

You will want to avoid foods that contain high levels of serotonin, such as some nuts, bananas, pineapples and tomatoes, especially before having a 5-HIAA urine test.

Avoid foods that contain high amounts of mines, nitrogen-containing organic compounds, as they can trigger the release of serotonin and other hormones. These foods include fatty meats, smoked or salted fish, aged cheeses, and even chocolate.

There are other changes you can make to your diet to better manage symptoms. For instance, you will want to consider portion size in your meals, as smaller, more frequent meals will be easier for your body to digest. This may lessen the symptoms of carcinoid syndrome you experience.

Spicy foods, caffeine, fructose, and alcoholic beverages should be phased out of your diet to help you manage carcinoid syndrome symptoms.

When asked to describe a healthy diet, Dr. Mechanick said that in order to maintain a healthy body weight and a BMI (body mass index) between 18.5 and 24.9, one’s diet should include the following:

7 to 10 servings per day of fresh fruits and vegetables

Up to 25 – 30 grams of fiber

Phytonutrients (also known as phytochemicals, the antioxidant, immune boosting and other health-promoting properties of active compounds in plants) from sources such as grains, legumes, and teas

Protein from food that is not rich in saturated fat, including lean meats, egg whites, beans and fish

Healthy fat found in monosaturated fat, including olive oil, avocados and other plant-based foods

Minimize foods rich in saturated fats and eliminate foods containing trans fats, such as those found in fast food

A healthy diet should be modified based upon individual genetic makeup, based upon age, chronic degenerative disease, and medical conditions.

         

  

CHOOSE	INSTEAD OF
Animal crackers or pretzels	Butter cookies and doughnuts
Bland foods	Spicy foods (curry, hot pepper)
Chicken or turkey (skinless white meat), beef, or fish	Dairy foods (cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese)
Clear broth (chicken or beet)	Creamy soups
Decaffeinated beverages	Beverages that contain caffeine (coffee, tea, hot chocolate)
Hard candy or pound cake	Caffeinated foods (chocolate candy, brownies)
Jam or jelly	High-fat spreads (butter, cream cheese)
Lactose-free beverages such as soy milk or lactose-free dairy products	Milk
Non-alcoholic beverages	Beverages with alcohol
Noncarbonated drinks	Juices with pulp or carbonated beverages such as clear fruit juices with a lot of fizz
Pedialyte, Gatorade*, and other electrolyte-replacement drinks	High-sugar drinks or carbohydrate-Ioading sports drinks
Rice, pasta, or potatoes without the skin	High-fiber vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and beans
Rice, wheat, or oatmeal cereal	High fiber cereals containing bran or whole grain
Ripe bananas, pureed vegetables, and canned or cooked fruits such as applesauce or pears	Raw vegetables, fresh or dried fruits, pickles, relishes, nuts, and popcorn
Water	Milk
White bread	Whole grain breads