Dear Dr. Cutler,

Since having a cancerous colonoscopy biopsy more than a year ago, my friend has been fighting for his life. At the age of 38, he underwent radical surgery with radiation, which later had to be repeated to remove cancerous skin at the incision site. After returning to work, he had to go back into the hospital to have a blockage in his small intestine cleared. His doctors have told him he can’t eat fiber and have put him on a diet of broth and mostly unappetizing foods. Can you give us some suggestions for a nutritious yet appealing diet?

—Kimberly H.

Dear Kimberly,

Yes, I do have some suggestions for your friend. First, let me say that the doctors have restricted your friend from fiber because they think that fiber from foods such as lettuce and celery will be poorly digested, and will cause him to have gas. To get optimum amounts of fiber and nutrients, you can make a smoothie with fruit, veggies, almonds, walnuts and any other whole, living foods. These will not only be nutritious, but your friend shouldn’t have any trouble digesting it.

And here’s another tip. Find some fresh soup recipes that call for whole foods. That should give him even more options. Truth be told, they didn’t teach mainstream doctors much about nutrition and health in medical school—and it often shows in their food recommendations. I hope this information will be helpful!

All the best!
Michael Cutler, M.D.