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Tinned Tomatoes and My Diet

User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 17:34

I had a TURP in 2017 and when the removed tissue was examined it was found to be cancerous, Gleason 3-4.  The specialist advised no action and watch and wait.  After a couple of years I had a biopsy which revealed no signs of cancer at all.  The specialist believed all the cancerous tissue was removed with the TURP.  Since the original diagnosis I have maintained a diet of

Fish

Vegetables

Almost no meat

Brown rice

No cheese

Very little dairy

Use hazelnut milk for porridge each morning

Lots of fresh tomatoes

5 Brazil nuts each day

Quorn occasionally

I have started having Benecol cholesterol drink and Actimel immune drink each day.  They are dairy based

I was eating a tin of tomatoes each day but found I was putting on weight, probably because of the sugar.

 

My questions are:-

Is this a good diet to reduce the risk of the PC returning

Is it possible to have passata instead of the tin of tomatoes each day, if so how much should I have

Is there anything else I should have

 

Many thanks

Would it be risky to have lean chicken breast once a month

 

 

 

 

User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:45
Lindt chocolate tastes so nice it just has to be good for you ;)
User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 19:27
I’ve changed nada even though advanced aggressive cancer. Life’s for living right ? No offence meant but no Onco has ever advised on diet once. I eat and drink what I want. Life’s pleasures
User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 20:36
This looks like a good healthy diet that will help you to stay fit and well but the diet has not made your prostate cancer go away. If the more recent biopsy was clear, it was simply that there was no cancer in the area that was sampled. Basically, they are sticking tiny pins in and hoping to spear the important bit - there is a lot of chance involved.

I assume that your original cancer was found to be very small and of low risk or they wouldn't have said you were suitable for active surveillance. Keep on with the diet if you believe it is helping you but keep the following in mind:-

- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances

- any kind of processed tomatoes is best - passata, ketchup, tinned, grilled, are all better than fresh - and fresh is better than none

- a bit of chicken is okay - it is red muscle meats that cause concern (lamb, beef, pork)

- unprocessed meat is better than processed meat (sausages, cooked ham slices, etc are processed and often have other things added to them)

- non-muscle meat is fine occasionally ... kidneys, liver, etc

- onions, garlic, leeks are really good for you - and lots of broccoli

- as a simple guide, lots of a Mediterranean style diet is a good thing and a lot of an American style diet is a bad thing

You certainly don't need to eat a tin of tomatoes per day!

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 21:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

There is NO established causative link to cancer for any unprocessed red meat. All the quoted studies (Inc the latest Guardian article) are based on flawed " historical food diary" associations,... 

I pay very little attention to food scare stories. Once a decade eggs are either declared bad for you or good for you. I have no doubt the research was flawed and no doubt in another ten years it will be unflawed.

Eat a whole range of foods, some will be good for you and some bad for you, and some will be both good and bad for you at the same time. 

Dave

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 22:02

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Why? That sounds like propaganda from tinned food producers.

I tend to read all the research before sharing it with anyone else; I don't share propaganda and I can't think that I have ever seen Napolina use prostates in their marketing! There has been plenty of reputable research on prostate healthy foods over the last 30 years and the benefits of processed tomatoes, oily fish, garlic/alium, soya, etc (and of reducing dairy, muscle meats) have been consistent. See Prostate Cancer Research UK, the Plant diet, European Urology Society for some interesting reading. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 21 Mar 2021 at 09:44
Food tins are lined with plastic resin which contains BPA (Bisphenol A) as does most plastics. BPA is a known carcinogen. The acidity of the tomatos causes the BPA to leach out more than most foods.

I use tomato puree or passata in glass bottles or jars.

Cheers

Bill

User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:39
What about the benefits of beautiful chocolate .it’s almost Easter and I’m looking forward to the three Easter eggs that have my name on.
User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:55

Yes, dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa and a big glass of red wine. Bight one then slurp the other, and just repeat the process till there is none left. Then open another bar of chocolate and another bottle of wine. The cure for everything. 

Dave

User
Posted 27 Sep 2021 at 23:29

I wouldn't worry about it John, a popular past member here used to remind us regularly that life is for living. Diet isn't going to make any difference to you because most of your prostate was fried many years ago and your PSA is low and stable. 

The strongest research around diet and prostate cancer is that if boys ate less dairy & red meat and more garlic, tomatoes, etc before they hit puberty, they would be less likely to get prostate cancer in later life. Once you have hit puberty, it makes no difference. There is also some research to suggest that in men with advanced PCa, a prostate healthy diet may slow progression but those men are also going to be having active treatment so who knows how much of it is due to diet and how much to their hormone treatment or chemo? 

Edited by member 27 Sep 2021 at 23:35  | Reason: Not specified

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 18:21
I don't believe there's any convincing data to support the idea that changing your diet as an adult can prevent the recurrence of prostate cancer. Your diet sounds healthy but a little dull!

Best wishes,

Chris

User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 19:27
I’ve changed nada even though advanced aggressive cancer. Life’s for living right ? No offence meant but no Onco has ever advised on diet once. I eat and drink what I want. Life’s pleasures
User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 20:33
Lots of fruit and veg, otherwise eat what makes you happy.

Make sure they keep you on Active surveillance

User
Posted 09 Mar 2021 at 20:36
This looks like a good healthy diet that will help you to stay fit and well but the diet has not made your prostate cancer go away. If the more recent biopsy was clear, it was simply that there was no cancer in the area that was sampled. Basically, they are sticking tiny pins in and hoping to spear the important bit - there is a lot of chance involved.

I assume that your original cancer was found to be very small and of low risk or they wouldn't have said you were suitable for active surveillance. Keep on with the diet if you believe it is helping you but keep the following in mind:-

- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances

- any kind of processed tomatoes is best - passata, ketchup, tinned, grilled, are all better than fresh - and fresh is better than none

- a bit of chicken is okay - it is red muscle meats that cause concern (lamb, beef, pork)

- unprocessed meat is better than processed meat (sausages, cooked ham slices, etc are processed and often have other things added to them)

- non-muscle meat is fine occasionally ... kidneys, liver, etc

- onions, garlic, leeks are really good for you - and lots of broccoli

- as a simple guide, lots of a Mediterranean style diet is a good thing and a lot of an American style diet is a bad thing

You certainly don't need to eat a tin of tomatoes per day!

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 12:03

“- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances”

Your diet looks good. Cooked tomatoes are particularly good for you as cooking releases more lycopene.

Lyn, I presume you mean that advanced PCa may progress more slowly with a prostate healthy diet? 

Ido4

User
Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 13:30

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult

Interesting, that's been my strong suspicion, most particularly diet during puberty (when the prostate grows) rather than just as a child, but I didn't know there's any research backing it up.

User
Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 15:41
Largely based on analysis of prostate cancer rates in different countries. Japan, for example, has much lower prostate cancer rates than the west, and the reason for this believed to be primarily due to the Japanese diet. Prostate cancer rates are increasing as the typical Japanese diet becomes more westernised.

Chris

User
Posted 10 Mar 2021 at 21:31

Hi,

I don't want to spend all night looking at this, as it's possible and I know you didn't ask me to, but the mention of sugar in tins of tomatoes pricked my interest.

Checking I noticed there are about 12grams of sugar in a tin although it's natural sugar.  I was then brought to an article on diabetes that included some work by a doctor and Dr Michael Moseley who does the TV shows.

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/carbohydrates-and-diabetes/carbs-and-cooking

So all tomatoes have sugar.   Some experiments with potatoes and pasta shows cooking and cooling reduces sugar absorption and re-heating appears to reduce it further.

............................................................................................................................

I was wondering if your diet has enough protein.   The nuts probably have some and the fish.  But you need beans and lots of them.  It takes a real lot of beans to get the same amount of protein as meat.   Chicken and no red meat preferably.    A bit of cheese adds some.

There are dozens of types of beans, chick peas, lentils. 

A drop of rapeseed oil with onions in the frying pan, vegetable stock and a drop of red wine with lentils and carrots, plus some tinned tomato or similar.  Topped with mashed potatoes and a light cheese layer put in the oven.  Vegetarian Shepherds Pie. If you get it right you won't know it's not meat.

.............................................................................................................................................

The fish will provide vitamin D, preferably vitamin D3.  But D3 supplements are recommended.  If you're in Shetland then that's almost certain unless you eat a lot of fish according to common writings.  Vitamin D is generally good and lacking in northern lattitudes.

I'm only writing as someone who is aware of the health benefits of a good diet.  Although for some the pain of giving up what they like would undermine it.

Your body and gut will enjoy as broad a diet as you can eat except saturated fat above 15g, processed meat and red meat.

I'm not an expert and like to indulge from time to time but in between we keep an eye on what we eat with the aim of keeping able to get out of a chair without grunting and keeping our BMI healthy.  We're all different.

All the best, Peter

Edited by member 11 Mar 2021 at 10:35  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 12 Mar 2021 at 07:38

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member


- research suggests that a prostate healthy diet can help a boy to not have PCa as an adult, and there is some research that advanced PCa may progress less slowly with a prostate healthy diet but there is no evidence at all that it helps in your circumstances
- any kind of processed tomatoes is best - passata, ketchup, tinned, grilled, are all better than fresh - and fresh is better than none
- a bit of chicken is okay - it is red muscle meats that cause concern (lamb, beef, pork)
- unprocessed meat is better than processed meat (sausages, cooked ham slices, etc are processed and often have other things added to them)
- non-muscle meat is fine occasionally ... kidneys, liver, etc
- onions, garlic, leeks are really good for you - and lots of broccoli
- as a simple guide, lots of a Mediterranean style diet is a good thing and a lot of an American style diet is a bad thing

You certainly don't need to eat a tin of tomatoes per day!

 

British sausages are not processed meat!

Continental and American  sausages are processed!

What makes them processed is the addition of nitrates / salt to preserve them for months.

There is NO established causative link to cancer for any unprocessed red meat. All the quoted studies (Inc the latest Guardian article) are based on flawed " historical food diary" associations, none stand up when other factors eg BMI / lack of vegetables are included.

There is causative evidence linking sugar with pancreatic cancer, masses of evidence linking carbs to excessive BMI. BMI is a massive risk factor for many cancers Inc prostate.

 

So what to eat?

Avoid added chemicals

Eat lots of leafy vegetables

Don't over do fruit and root vegetables (carbs!) 

Eat reasonable amounts of grass fed meat of any colour.

User
Posted 12 Mar 2021 at 13:03

Many thanks for all the replies, very helpful.  I should just add the following

We eat a lot of beans and pulses, Vegetarian shepherds pie made with lentils is a favourite.  A lot of fish every week and a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables.  I am going to try chicken once a week, just lean breast meat.

To come back to the tomatoes and passata, how much passata should I eat each day, how many grams ?

I have a quarterly psa tests and see the specialist once or twice a year a year although I haven't been for 18 months because of the pandemic

 

 

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 19:25
Lyne and francij1,

What's wrong with fresh tomatoes?

JamesWS

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 20:35
There is nothing wrong with fresh tomatoes but if you are interested in a prostate healthy diet, processed or cooked tomatoes are even better than fresh.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 20:43
Why? That sounds like propaganda from tinned food producers.
User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 21:08
Further to the above I did a Google on tomatoes and PCa and found a recent study confirming the value of all kinds of tomatoes in reducing the incidence of PCa - by 20 per cent. Of course, this applies to before you get it: it's a bit late for us.
User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 21:29

Yes I just did a Google search and it says tinned tomatoes have more of an antioxidant called Lycopine. Which begs the question if tinned tomatoes are made from fresh tomatoes how do they end up with more Lycopine? 

Dave

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 21:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

There is NO established causative link to cancer for any unprocessed red meat. All the quoted studies (Inc the latest Guardian article) are based on flawed " historical food diary" associations,... 

I pay very little attention to food scare stories. Once a decade eggs are either declared bad for you or good for you. I have no doubt the research was flawed and no doubt in another ten years it will be unflawed.

Eat a whole range of foods, some will be good for you and some bad for you, and some will be both good and bad for you at the same time. 

Dave

User
Posted 20 Mar 2021 at 22:02

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Why? That sounds like propaganda from tinned food producers.

I tend to read all the research before sharing it with anyone else; I don't share propaganda and I can't think that I have ever seen Napolina use prostates in their marketing! There has been plenty of reputable research on prostate healthy foods over the last 30 years and the benefits of processed tomatoes, oily fish, garlic/alium, soya, etc (and of reducing dairy, muscle meats) have been consistent. See Prostate Cancer Research UK, the Plant diet, European Urology Society for some interesting reading. 

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 21 Mar 2021 at 03:51

My friend who is in his seventies, G 3+4=7, has successfully been on Active Surveillance for five years, and is convinced that his diet has contributed to the slight shrinkage of his tumour.

He visited the famous Mayo Clinic in the States, where they compiled a bespoke ‘cancer fighting’ diet especially for him. He seems to follow it quite slavishly, and it includes fish, nuts, loads of vegetarian muck and lots of lycopene derivatives. He washes away the nasty taste of all that with lots of fine wines (grape juice).

His urologist, Professor Whocannotbenamedhere, is impressed with his results. Not sure his hepatogist (if he had one) would agree that all of his dietary intake is necessarily healthy...

You’re a long time dead!

Cheers, John.

Edited by member 21 Mar 2021 at 07:59  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 21 Mar 2021 at 08:44
Quote from this venerable website:

"there isn't strong evidence for any of them, as different studies have had different results. This means we can’t say for sure whether any of these foods are likely to be helpful or harmful if you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer."

Don't be fooled by Seventh day Adventist funded propoganda

User
Posted 21 Mar 2021 at 09:44
Food tins are lined with plastic resin which contains BPA (Bisphenol A) as does most plastics. BPA is a known carcinogen. The acidity of the tomatos causes the BPA to leach out more than most foods.

I use tomato puree or passata in glass bottles or jars.

Cheers

Bill

User
Posted 28 Mar 2021 at 21:36

I see Bill's comments on BPA are echoed by the Mayo Clinic, which advises cutting down on food in cans in favour of glass, porcelain and stainless steel containers. I suppose pure tin is too expensive these days.

One point of interest to our community is the connection they mention to the brains and prostates of fetuses, infants and children. I was born and brought up in Johannesburg, which at 6000 feet high and surrounded by mildly radioactive mine dumps is correlated with our crab; but one wonders if BPA has made a more general contribution.

Edited by member 28 Mar 2021 at 21:38  | Reason: Mistyping

User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:39
What about the benefits of beautiful chocolate .it’s almost Easter and I’m looking forward to the three Easter eggs that have my name on.
User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:45
Lindt chocolate tastes so nice it just has to be good for you ;)
User
Posted 31 Mar 2021 at 17:55

Yes, dark chocolate, about 70% cocoa and a big glass of red wine. Bight one then slurp the other, and just repeat the process till there is none left. Then open another bar of chocolate and another bottle of wine. The cure for everything. 

Dave

User
Posted 03 Apr 2021 at 16:02
Chocolate OK, but I'm on Enzalutimide which I gather goes for the liver, just like alcohol.

I opened a bottle of M&S Pinotage last weekend. One glass was not enough and this Sunday it will have turned to vinegar.

Yet another cross for cancerous alkies to bear.

User
Posted 23 Sep 2021 at 16:44

M & S do a nice 100% cacao chocolate @£2 / 100g bar

A square a day and it lasts for 10 days :)

User
Posted 23 Sep 2021 at 16:57

10 squares a day lasts a day; that is the way I eat lovely chocolate.

Dave

User
Posted 24 Sep 2021 at 00:35
Fried or grilled tomatoes produce more Lycopene than uncooked and avoids contact with lining in tinned tomatoes.
Barry
User
Posted 24 Sep 2021 at 15:51

Lycopene is insoluble, so if you just eat a fresh tomato, most of the lycopene passes straight through you as fibre.

In order to absorb lycopene, it has to be dissolved in oil, and to do this, the tomatoes have to be cooked in oil (preferably with skins where the lycopene is most concentrated) and the oil consumed.

I don't know if tinned tomatoes have any oil in them, and they're often peeled too, so that's maybe not a good source.

The best sources tend to be tomato soup, tomato ketchup, and tomato puree. If you just want it as a supplement, quite likely a teaspoon of concentrated tomato puree (sold in tubes) is a good source, providing it contains oil.

User
Posted 27 Sep 2021 at 21:00

Hi Guys and girls,

I have not altered  my food or wine consumption since diagnoses in 2016 am i wrong. I could say that my white wine consumption has helped in my treatment for my prostate cancer and also my mental health, or was it was just picked up early and i was lucky.I do understand that my wine input  is to high and i have know idea what food is better for my prostate and have never looked into  it at all.

 This is a honest question please tell me what is the best diet but only if you know the answers ,none of my doctors have ever questioned this angle.

Ps don't say reduce the wine as i am hoping the liver may make it to mid 80,as that is my presumed maximum prostate cancer survival time.

John.

User
Posted 27 Sep 2021 at 23:29

I wouldn't worry about it John, a popular past member here used to remind us regularly that life is for living. Diet isn't going to make any difference to you because most of your prostate was fried many years ago and your PSA is low and stable. 

The strongest research around diet and prostate cancer is that if boys ate less dairy & red meat and more garlic, tomatoes, etc before they hit puberty, they would be less likely to get prostate cancer in later life. Once you have hit puberty, it makes no difference. There is also some research to suggest that in men with advanced PCa, a prostate healthy diet may slow progression but those men are also going to be having active treatment so who knows how much of it is due to diet and how much to their hormone treatment or chemo? 

Edited by member 27 Sep 2021 at 23:35  | Reason: Not specified

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 28 Sep 2021 at 10:00

Hi Lynn,

Thanks for that i was expecting a rash of negative comments but still time for them.It has been a difficult few years even with out the prostate cancer but it does make you estimate the end date at times.

I well expect a few more problems before then.We are slowly getting back to traveling again and at the moment sitting on a campsite in Leek after a great weekend at a car & aeroplane show.

Hope you and yours are doing well and thanks for all your support you give us all and a few laughs in-between

John.

 

 

 

User
Posted 16 Dec 2021 at 11:01
Low carb is looking promising
 
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