Cancer patients are often given some sort of diet to follow, but those who have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer have to be particularly cautious with iodine. A diet low in iodine may be prescribed to thyroid cancer patients in conjunction with radioactive iodine testing and other forms of treatment.
What Exactly is a Low-Iodine Diet?
The first thing to remember is that low iodine does not have much to do with sodium intake. Iodized salt is considered bad on this diet and non-iodized salt is OK. Milk and milk-based products are to be avoided for various reasons. First, commercial milking machines are typically cleansed with an iodine solution. Second, milk is considered to be an intrinsic site for biological concentrations of iodine.
According to Dr. Kenneth B. Ain of the University of Kentucky Medical Center, the low-iodine diet works very well in conjunction with radioactive iodine testing as well as other treatment options that may have been offered to the patient.
Foods to Avoid
Before radioactive testing, the patient will most likely be asked to avoid the following foods: iodized salt and sea salt (instead, use non-iodized salt); dairy products, such as milk, cream cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream; eggs; seafood and other fish; foods containing carragen, agar-agar, algin and algin-aites as an additive; cured and corn foods, such as ham, sauerkraut and corned beef; bread products containing iodite dough conditioners (patients are usually recommended to bake their bread themselves); foods and medications containing certain red food dyes (red dye No. 3 or erythrosine); chocolate (specifically milk chocolate); molasses; soy sauce, soy milk, tofu and other soy products.
Other Things to Know
The patient's doctor may recommend that he or she avoid eating out or in fast-food restaurants. This is because it is much harder to regulate food intake or know what has been put into your food. Many restaurants use iodized salt. Non-iodized salt can be used as needed. Most fresh-food products, such as fruit and vegetables or fresh meat, are OK on this diet. The patient's doctor should be consulted before making any major changes in her diet and should also be consulted before discontinuing any red medications.
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