I have a relative which has been diagnosed with a colon cancer stage 4 just recently. We just wanted to know what are the food that is good for our patient to eat so we can prolong his life. Can you give us some list of food that we can give him? We are getting confused now, as per his doctor’s advised we are not allowed to give him apple or bananas and avoid red meats. I’ve been reading some article and it says that colon cancer patient should take fruits & vegetables that is rich in fiber,right??

Avoid:
1. Alcohol(NONE)
2. Smoking(NONE)
*3. High fat diets(might change if there is a lot of weight loss)
4. High saturated fats
5. Trans fatty acids(look at ingredients on food label, if it says "partially hydrogenated _____ oil" then it has trans fat in it, regardless of what the box might say)
*6. High calorie intake(unless a lot of weight loss is seen as a result of treatment)
7. Spicy foods
8. Processed foods

Eat(according to my diet therapy class)
1. A lot of fruits and veggies(for vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E which is an antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage and vitamin A which promotes a healthy immune system and is essential for the growth and development of cells)
*2. Enough fiber (according to mayoclinic.com recommended fiber intake for women is 21 to 25 grams a day and for men is 30 to 38 grams a day, amount can depend on if there are episodes of constipation, diarrhea, or inflammation)

Sources of vitamin E:
Vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables, avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains

Sources of vitamin A:
milk, eggs, liver, fortified cereals, darkly colored orange or green vegetables (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and kale), and orange fruits such as cantaloupe, apricots, peaches, papayas, and mangos

Sources of fiber:
there are cereals that give plenty of fiber (Fiber One, regular Raisin Bran), http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582 also gives a lot of examples

Ways to reduce fat intake:
eating less red meat, removing the skin from poultry, and avoid fried foods, use reduced fat margarine and salad dressings

If you ever experience diarrhea(loose stool for 3 days):
eat low fiber, may try soluble fiber (oats, barley, fruit pectins), replace fluids, electrolytes, follow the BRAT diet (banana, rice, applesauce, toast)

If you ever experience constipation(no bowel movement for 3 days):
high fiber, insoluble fiber (bran, skins and stalks of fruit and veggies), increase fluids, prune juice, coffee, fat in foods

I hope all of this helps. It’s all (with the exception of mayoclinic info) from my diet therapy class that I took this past semester and was taught by a RD.

I would also suggest becoming a vegetarian, meat is hard on you colon.

Good luck!