Lettuce

[pibikay]

Sorry to bother all of you again
While going through the diet charge given to my wife by the dietecian I found Lettuce included.But she has said no uncooked veg.I wonder if I can give lettuce salad

[ElaineM]

Most kinds of lettuce can be very lightly stir fried or steamed. I put cut up lettuce in stir fried veggies (at the end of the cooking process just before I turn off the stove) or steam it for one minute. It retains some of the nutritional value and is probably easier to digest. All fresh food should be washed well and cut up into small pieces when served to people with health problems.

[TanyaRD]

Pibikay,
Your wife may be restricted from fresh fruits and vegetables if her white blood cell count is too low. The fear is that uncooked fruits and vegetables my harbor bacteria that can be harmful to someone with a very compromised immune system. If this is the case, she should be able to resume eating fresh fruits and vegetables once her white blood cell count reaches a more normal level. Elaine's recommendation to cook/stir-fry vegetables is a good one. Your wife can continue to enjoy cooked vegetables during this time.

[pibikay]

Thanks Elaine & Tanya
The diet chart confuses me
It says no uncooked vegetables at the same time it mentions some fruits.Are fruits on a different footing than veggies?As suggested by Elaine I opted for steamed Lettuce.

[TanyaRD]

Fruit that is cooked (such as canned) is allowable when white cell count is low. If you are having difficulty with your food chart don't hesitate to call your dietitian. She/he will be happy to help you and knows your wife's situation best. As always, I am also happy to help in any way possible.

Best wishes to you both.

[StephN]

Hi -
I thought fruit that you peel was OK if it was first rinsed off well. That includes fruit that you can cut off the peels like apples and pears as well as those with thick skins like oranges and bananas.

This is also my rule when visiting certain countries.

[TanyaRD]

It really varies from facility to facility. If a patient's white count is low enough to warrant a neutropenic diet then we tend to err on the side of caution. Generally speaking, the duration should be fairly short as patients are often treated with colony stimulating drugs (neupogen, etc) or counts rebound on their own.