Basophilic Diet

Basophilia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia. No diet can cure this illness, but some foods can help keep the body in a healthier state. Chemotherapy can make your body deficient in antioxidants, so foods containing them can be helpful.

Nonprocessed Foods

• Choose natural foods rather than processed foods. Processed foods often contain additives and preservatives, so prepare fresh fruits, vegetables and salads, and cook meals from fresh ingredients. Basophilia sufferers need as many natural vitamins and antioxidants as possible to help combat secondary infections. The processing of foods can destroy their antioxidant properties.

Lypocene

• Try to enjoy plenty of tomatoes, fresh or cooked, as they contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which attacks free radicals and has been shown to have anticancer-producing properties. Free radicals damage certain types of cells in the body, and antioxidants and lypocene can counteract this damage.

Fruits, Nuts and Seeds

• Eat fruits with a high vitamin C content. Fruits containing antioxidants are sometimes referred to as super-foods; blueberries and raspberries are particularly good. Choose foods with low levels of saturated fat, and change to cooking with olive oil rather than butter. Fats from nuts and seeds have a much better nutritional value, and nuts are good antioxidants, too. A healthy diet is more important if you are fighting cancer because you will need your body to be in its best possible shape to cope with treatments.