They can recommend high-protein foods to boost your intake. They may recommend a multi-vitamin that contains B12 and folate, as these vitamins are needed to produce WBCs. Some patients turn to herbal supplements to boost immunity, though there is no evidence to support their use.
Good quality protein is important for cancer survivors. Our bodies use materials from the protein we eat to make new WBCs. Some sources of quality protein are fish, eggs, poultry, beef, milk, Greek yogurt and beans.
Ways to Increase WBCs During Chemotherapy
Ensuring you're eating a healthy diet with enough protein, vitamin B12, and folate is essential, so talk to your doctor or another medical professional on your care team about referring you to a dietitian.
If the white blood cell count or ANC is too low, chemotherapy is sometimes stopped temporarily. Sometimes a lower dose of chemotherapy drugs is given to lessen the impact on white blood cell counts and reduce the risk of further delays in treatment.
Zinc is one of the best foods to increase white blood cells you can consume as it can help the body produce more WBCs and makes existing WBCs more aggressive. Foods rich in zinc include turkey meat, beef, crab, and oysters. Plus, you can also find zinc from fortified cereals and beans.
If you have neutropenia, you should avoid raw meat, eggs and fish, moldy or expired food, unwashed or moldy fruit and vegetables, and unpasteurized beverages, including fruit and vegetable juice, beer, milk, as well as unpasteurized honey.
Fortunately, the effect of these drugs on the white blood cell count is usually both predictable and short-lived. The white cell count generally falls below the normal range about seven to ten days after a chemotherapy treatment and recovers within about a week after that.
Between 7-12 days after you finish each chemotherapy dose—and possibly lasting for 5-7 days, your white blood cells are at their lowest numbers.
Can low white blood cells cause fatigue? Low white bloods cells likely aren't the cause of fatigue. If you have low WBC and are increasingly feeling fatigued, both are likely symptoms of an underlying issue.
Most citrus fruits are great sources of antioxidants and vitamin C which plays a major role in increasing your WBC. Try eating oranges, apples, grapefruits, strawberries, and lemons to develop immunity.
Fold increase in the numbers of white blood cells after exercise. Each dot represents one Individual. The increase in the numbers of leukocytes after exercise varies between 1-3 times.
Neupogen® (filgrastim) is a drug that has been used successfully for cancer patients to stimulate the growth of the white blood cells, making patients less vulnerable to infections, it is expected to help patients who have bone marrow damage from very high doses of radiation in much the same way.
Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider. Raw sprouts like alfalfa sprouts. Raw or undercooked beef (especially ground beef) or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry. Raw or undercooked shellfish, like oysters—These items may carry the hepatitis A virus and should be cooked thoroughly to destroy the virus.
Foods to avoid (especially for patients during and after chemo): Hot, spicy foods (i.e. hot pepper, curry, Cajun spice mix). Fatty, greasy or fried foods.
In other words, antioxidants in pill form have the potential to counteract the effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Common antioxidant supplements taken by patients include vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids (such as beta-carotene and lycopene) as well as selenium and Coenzyme Q10.
If you have a low white blood cell count, you may: Have repeated fevers and infections. Get bladder infections that may make it painful to pass urine, or make you urinate more often. Get lung infections that cause coughing and difficulty breathing.
Treatment can last for anywhere from 3 to 6 months. During that time, you would be considered to be immunocompromised — not as able to fight infection. After finishing chemotherapy treatment, it can take anywhere from about 21 to 28 days for your immune system to recover.
A steady intake of water increases hemoglobin indices, such as the MCH and MCHC, and decreases the MPV. As shown in Table 1, at the end of the study period, WBC, RBC, and platelet counts increased in the experimental group, as did hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, although the increases were not significant ( p >0.05).
Eating Vitamin C will help regulate the levels of white blood cells in your body. Fruits like lemons, oranges, and lime are rich in vitamin C, and so are papayas, berries, guavas, and pineapples. You can also get vitamin C from vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers.