PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Daisy Fernandez has a family history of breast cancer. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with the disease.
"You need to do the mammogram every time, every year," Fernandez said. "That saved my life."
After Fernandez's diagnosis, doctors at Memorial Cancer Institute began to treat her using an integrative medicine approach, which included chemotherapy and assessing Fernandez's nutritional needs to ensure better outcomes.
"We follow them throughout their entire cancer treatment, because everything comes with side effects and we try to help them deal with those side effects," said oncology dietician Leyla Silverman.
Although some patients experience weight loss as a side effect of treatment, Fernandez gained weight.
Silverman suggested she eat small, frequent meals, along with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
"We recommend a variety, and that's probably the key," Silverman said.
Beneficial foods include whole grains and lean cuts of meat, with no more than 18 ounces of red meat per week, as well as a healthy amount of plant-based proteins, such as beans, nuts and seeds.
Silverman also suggests eating low-fat or fat-free dairy products, as well as more fish because of the anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Plenty of water throughout the day is a must.
"It helps with fatigue, which is another big side effect from treatment, so eating well and drinking enough will help them deal with that," Silverman said.
Fernandez heeded all the advice and is thriving.
"I lose 15 pounds, and I feel with more energy," Fernandez said said.
Fernandez is done with her chemotherapy treatments and is now a breast cancer survivor.
"I try to do the best every day, because I have a life," she said.
