Tomorrow I am at Day +50 after my autologous stem cell transplant, and I want to celebrate with a cookout. I have been very good about my diet so far and wanted to see if there is a way to enjoy my summer foods while at the same time keeping the risk of a food infection very low.
I am planning to grill out on the 4th. We will make sure all the meat is very cooked. I do not plan to eat the tomatoes, lettuce, etc that I was told to stay away from.
One of the questions I have is that. if I were to grill the veggies, would that remove the bacteria and the risk with these veggies.
Also, with fruit like peaches, apples, etc., if I grill those fruits, would that remove the risk.
Lastly, for items like blueberries, if I washed and heated them to go over ice cream or yogurt (hand packed), would that also remove some my risk?
AC
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Aclinkboca - Name: AC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 46
Re: Summer eating - any suggestions?
I don't know what the dietary limitations are that you've been told to follow. But, I was only limited to not eating fresh fruits and vegetables while I was neutropenic. By the time I was discharged from the hospital, I was allowed to eat anything that I wanted to eat except uncooked or rare meats and fish. Ask your question of your doctor. From my point of view, you could eat anything at the cookout, but be wary of anything made with mayonnaise that has been sitting out unrefrigerated, such as potato salad and cole slaw.
Enjoy your holiday and celebrate having completed your stem cell transplant and are 50 days out,
Nancy in Phila
Enjoy your holiday and celebrate having completed your stem cell transplant and are 50 days out,
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Summer eating - any suggestions?
Hi AC.
My husband is on Day +29.
The advice on the neutropenic diet certainly is perplexing. During our stem cell transplant adventure, I've found myself asking our providers why our rules and recommendations are more lax and differ from other guides from several well known transplant centers. Our team says it is experience-based as opposed to evidence-based primarily, and that many of the rules haven't really been tested. We're no longer neutropenic, but they still want us to avoid some things until next week.
Our restrictions at this point are to avoid hard-to-clean raw foods, cook everything well, and avoid some leftovers, particularly leftover rice and beans (which apparently are rich culture mediums; so no hummus). We're not permitted bag lettuce or produce and are still not eating takeout. He is avoiding anything cooked more than 2-3 days ago, even for reheating, but that is a choice at this point more than a rule. It was 48 hours eaten or trashed from day 0-16+.
He has already started eating well prepped fruits, including berries. everything is organic and much is farmer's market and single grower (though i have been to costco), which has more to do with limiting cross contamination and the number of hands and fields in what we eat than anything else. nothing with a bruise or blemish.
Cherry tomatoes come from our garden as do many herbs and some greens. i grow loganberries and blueberries and strawberries but buy them as well. I am not yet doing raw salads (lettuce or cucumber or beans), but he is eating fruit and drinking smoothies. I made guacamole yesterday (his rawest food to date).
All fruits and most vegetables are triple washed. First water and a clean colander, then sprayed with a water:vinegar mix at 3:1 for a few minutes, then water again.
I don't worry so much about what i'm peeling or grating (like bananas and citrus, potatoes, carrots, onions, avocado, garlic, ginger).
I cook with some pretty dirty stuff - including celery and root vegetables and leeks - but i clean thoroughly, prep more, and cook through.
I also liberally use herbs and spices and garlic (as his stomach is tolerating), many of which are both antimicrobial and antioxidant rich. Google antimicrobial herbs and spices for some interesting reading.
If he wants a piece of fruit from our fruit bowl he washes it again before eating and it is usually with yogurt.
If you avoid cross contamination with your prep and grill, you should be OK. Tin foil is your friend!
We're eating raw cleaned peaches and berries (and got our doctors OK). but before I got the OK to use fresh/raw, I was cooking them in bread pudding and crumbles and sauces. I'm cooking a blueberry crumble and grilling local salmon on the 4th, with roasted miso butter corn on the cob and a vinegar based potato salad. I'm also planning some well done grilled beef and a roasted zucchini / corn / eggplant / tomato / onion orzo side. I'll be roasting the vegetables on a sheet in the oven, but grilling them through on a clean grill would have the same effect.
The cleaning is the key i think.
Happy 4th.
My husband is on Day +29.
The advice on the neutropenic diet certainly is perplexing. During our stem cell transplant adventure, I've found myself asking our providers why our rules and recommendations are more lax and differ from other guides from several well known transplant centers. Our team says it is experience-based as opposed to evidence-based primarily, and that many of the rules haven't really been tested. We're no longer neutropenic, but they still want us to avoid some things until next week.
Our restrictions at this point are to avoid hard-to-clean raw foods, cook everything well, and avoid some leftovers, particularly leftover rice and beans (which apparently are rich culture mediums; so no hummus). We're not permitted bag lettuce or produce and are still not eating takeout. He is avoiding anything cooked more than 2-3 days ago, even for reheating, but that is a choice at this point more than a rule. It was 48 hours eaten or trashed from day 0-16+.
He has already started eating well prepped fruits, including berries. everything is organic and much is farmer's market and single grower (though i have been to costco), which has more to do with limiting cross contamination and the number of hands and fields in what we eat than anything else. nothing with a bruise or blemish.
Cherry tomatoes come from our garden as do many herbs and some greens. i grow loganberries and blueberries and strawberries but buy them as well. I am not yet doing raw salads (lettuce or cucumber or beans), but he is eating fruit and drinking smoothies. I made guacamole yesterday (his rawest food to date).
All fruits and most vegetables are triple washed. First water and a clean colander, then sprayed with a water:vinegar mix at 3:1 for a few minutes, then water again.
I don't worry so much about what i'm peeling or grating (like bananas and citrus, potatoes, carrots, onions, avocado, garlic, ginger).
I cook with some pretty dirty stuff - including celery and root vegetables and leeks - but i clean thoroughly, prep more, and cook through.
I also liberally use herbs and spices and garlic (as his stomach is tolerating), many of which are both antimicrobial and antioxidant rich. Google antimicrobial herbs and spices for some interesting reading.
If he wants a piece of fruit from our fruit bowl he washes it again before eating and it is usually with yogurt.
If you avoid cross contamination with your prep and grill, you should be OK. Tin foil is your friend!
We're eating raw cleaned peaches and berries (and got our doctors OK). but before I got the OK to use fresh/raw, I was cooking them in bread pudding and crumbles and sauces. I'm cooking a blueberry crumble and grilling local salmon on the 4th, with roasted miso butter corn on the cob and a vinegar based potato salad. I'm also planning some well done grilled beef and a roasted zucchini / corn / eggplant / tomato / onion orzo side. I'll be roasting the vegetables on a sheet in the oven, but grilling them through on a clean grill would have the same effect.
The cleaning is the key i think.
Happy 4th.
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rick - Name: rick
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: nov 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 50
Re: Summer eating - any suggestions?
Thank you for all the comments. It is very confusing because all the recommendations are all over the place. Even asking the different stem cell doctors at the same place and my hematologist at the Cleveland Clinic, I receive different answers. Some say no problems, others say stay away.
All very confusing, but the information in the post were very helpful.
Happy 4th to everyone in the USA!
AC
All very confusing, but the information in the post were very helpful.
Happy 4th to everyone in the USA!
AC
-
Aclinkboca - Name: AC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 46
4 posts
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