|
Some kinds of cancer therapies cause low white blood cell counts. If you have a low white cell count, you must handle and prepare food carefully to reduce your exposure to bacteria. Wash your hands before and after preparing food and before eating. In addition, keep hot foods above 140o F and cold foods below 40o F.
What to Do
- Wash hands thoroughly with warm soapy water before and after preparing food and before eating.
- Use different cutting boards for meats and vegetables. Sanitize cutting boards well after each use. To do this, wash the board with warm soapy water and rinse well. Wash the board again with a solution of one tablespoon bleach in four cups warm water. Let the solution stay on the board for at least two minutes and then rinse with hot clean water.
- Keep hot foods hot (above 140o F) and cold foods cold (below 40o F).
- Thaw foods in the refrigerator or microwave oven and cook them immediately. Never thaw foods at room temperature.
- Refrigerate all leftovers within two hours of cooking them and eat them within 24 hours.
- Eat only well cooked foods. Avoid raw and undercooked foods.
- Substitute frozen pasteurized eggs or powdered egg whites for raw eggs in recipes such as eggnog, Caesar salad dressing, and meringues.
- Drink bottled water and commercially bottled soft drinks.
|
What to Eat When Your White Blood Cell Count Is Low |
| |
Recommended |
Foods that May Cause Distress |
|
High Protein |
Well-cooked bacon, beef, chicken, fish, ham, hot dogs, lamb, pork,
sausage, veal; canned fish; well-cooked pasteurized eggs or egg custard;
cream, cottage, or processed cheeses; pasteurized yogurt; cooked homemade,
canned, dehydrated, frozen soups |
Meat or fish salads with raw vegetables; raw fish and shellfish, such
as sushi and oysters; raw or rare meats, such as steak tartare; raw or
soft cooked eggs (includes "over easy," poached, soft boiled, and "sunny
side up" eggs, as well as Caesar salad, home-made eggnog made with raw
eggs, and raw cookie dough); Fresh blue or Roquefort cheeses and salad dressings;
Brie, Camembert, and other unpasteurized cheeses; cold, uncooked soups |
|
Breads, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta |
All breads, bagels, muffins, rolls, and cereals without dried fruits,
nuts or seeds; crackers, French toast, noodles, pancakes, pasta, potatoes,
and rice |
Macaroni or pasta salad or potato salad made with raw vegetables;
breads or cereals with dried fruits, nuts, or seeds |
|
Fruits and Vegetables |
Peeled thick-skinned, unblemished fruit (banana, citrus fruit, melon),
peeled apples, canned fruits, cooked dried fruits; well-cooked fresh,
frozen, or canned vegetables |
All other fresh or dried fruits; raw vegetables |
|
Beverages, Desserts, and Miscellaneous |
Processed fruit juice, pasteurized milk, instant breakfast, homemade milkshakes, nondairy
creamer, soda, coffee, tea, commercial liquid nutritional supplements
Fruit pies; cakes and cookies without nuts; flavored gelatin;
commercial ice cream, sherbet, popsicles pretzels; chips
Butter, margarine, cooked gravies, mayonnaise, salad dressing,
vegetable oils; plain peanut butter
Salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or honey (may be added to foods only
during the cooking process)
Sugar, jam, jelly, preserves, syrup, molasses, mustard, catsup; candy,
chocolate; pickles, relish, olives |
Fresh-squeezed fruit juice, unpasteurized fruit juice, unpasteurized
beer and wine
Noncommercial ice cream, sherbet, or popsicles; popcorn
Raw or roasted nuts; salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or honey added after
cooking |
Adapted from Walker MS, Masino K, Editors, Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Oncology Nutrition; Patient Education Materials. Chicago, Ill: American Dietetic Association; 1998
|
