Diet for Someone With Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cancer

Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer that affects your lymph system, the system of tubes that reach all areas of the body and help your body to fight off infections and disease. Treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation, clinical trials and surgery. According to Cancer Treatment Centers of America, optimal nutrition is also essential to effectively fight the cancer, because the disease and other treatments often rob your body of nutrients and diminish your appetite.

CAAT Diet

• At A.P. John Institute for Cancer Research, researchers have developed a diet as complementary therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma. The diet, which works with chemotherapy and radiation, is based on amino acid therapy called CAAT (Controlled Amino Acid Therapy), which is designed to use chemical reactions associated with food, amino acids and supplements to halt the growth and development of cancer cells. The program eliminates certain foods and replaces them with amino acids.

  Phase 1 of the plan involves the formulation of the amino acids. According to the A.P. John website, there is a specific mix that they determine at the time of your treatment in accordance with the type of Hodgkin's lymphoma you have. There are 5 different kinds, differentiated by how they appear under a microscope: mixed cellularity, nodular sclerosing, nodular lymphocyte-predominant, lymphocyte depletion and lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. The amino acid blend is a precise formula of amino acids, citric acid and sodium benzoate. The amino acid formula that you are given is designed to replace most of the your daily protein intake from fish, meat, nuts, dairy and beans, because cancer cells can derive energy from these foods.

  Phase 2 should be followed along with the amino acid formula. The natural nutrients in specific foods are designed to turn off cancer genes and starve cancer cells to kill them.

Sample Menu

• A sample breakfast includes half a grapefruit (which should be omitted if undergoing chemotherapy); one orange or 6 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice; whey-enhanced protein (A.P. John recommends the Vitamin Shoppe brand); one serving of grits (you can add butter and spices) and 1 cup black or green tea sweetened with fructose.

  A sample lunch includes four scoops of the amino acid formula mixed with water and fructose, sugar-free Kool-Aid, fresh lemonade, chicken broth, V8 juice, beef broth or diet ginger ale. This can be followed by a cooked vegetable (asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, string beans, squash or broccoli) with 2 tbsp. vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh fruit (such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, pear or orange); 1 serving of grits, corn, rice or pasta; 1 tbsp. coconut oil; eight to 10 green or black olives; and 1 cup black or green tea.

  A sample dinner includes four scoops of the amino acid formula mixed with water and fructose, sugar-free Kool-Aid, fresh lemonade, chicken broth, V8 juice, beef broth or diet ginger ale. This can be followed by a cooked vegetable with 2 tbsp. vinegar; 1/2 cup stewed plums sweetened with fructose and topped with fresh cream; avocado salad (lettuce, celery, onions, tomato and avocado tossed with lemon juice and either coconut oil or olive oil); and 1 cup black or green tea.

  For a mid-evening snack, mix 2 oz. fresh cream with 1/2 oz. coconut oil, 1/2 oz. olive oil and 1 tbsp. fructose. Additionally, you may enjoy sugar-free gelatin with whipped cream or one plum.

Disclaimer

• This is a sample menu created by A.P. John Institute for Cancer Research. You should work with your doctor and team of health professionals to determine your nutritional needs and to determine whether the CAAT diet is right for you.