Eating with Cancer and Chemotherapy

Individuals who suffer from cancer are faced with many challenges with their condition. One of the bigger ones is to maintain good nutrition while they struggle with a lack of appetite and nausea often brought on by the chemotherapy needed to treat the disease.

While eating may be a challenge, it isn’t impossible. With some assistance from their physician, and nutrition that delivers the best vitamins and minerals, individuals who suffer from cancer shouldn’t have to suffer from malnutrition or extreme weight loss.

Some weight loss should be expected. Cancer cells actually have a faster metabolic rate than normal cells and they trigger the immune system which also increases the rate at which people burn calories. This, combined with a decreased appetite and a poor taste in their mouth, leaves people suffering from cancer struggling to eat enough food to maintain their body weight.

But, eating the right foods before, during and after chemotherapy is an important part of the treatment protocol. In years past, most physicians didn’t understand the importance of nutrition to the healing process; but today doctors recommend diets that are high in nutrition and taking a multivitamin to help the body absorb vitamins and minerals that they may not get from the diet.

The U.S. National Institute of Health recommends that individuals eat a variety of foods to get the most variety in vitamins and minerals. This includes fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, grains and protein sources.

Another food that has concentrated vitamins and minerals to help improve the nutrition of people who suffer from cancer is fresh vegetable juices. These juices are made at home to get the most from the enzymatic activity in the food. These enzymes, which help to support the body, are only active for 24 hours. This means that juices that are produced and packaged then sold in the grocery store aren’t as packed with natural nutrients like the ones you make at home.

Making these juices isn’t difficult or time consuming. They taste great and can add nutrient dense calories to a diet that is low in both.

Making juice at home requires the use of a juicer and fresh fruits and vegetables. There are literally hundreds of different recipes for these juices. Drinking a variety of fruits and vegetables can help people who suffer from cancer to get the nutrients they need without the added fiber and fullness that comes with eating the raw or cooked vegetables.

There are some tips and tricks that can help a person who is suffering from a lack of appetite or nausea to continue to take in nutrition to feed their body.

1.Stay calm, especially at mealtime.

2.Don’t hurry the meals but eat slowly.

3.Try to change the time, place or surroundings in which you eat your meals.

4.Set a colorful table and listen to relaxing music.

5.Eat whenever you are hungry, don’t wait for mealtime.

6.Add a variety to the menu.

7.Keep healthy foods handy to snack on during the day.

8.Try foods with different textures. Soft foods may be easier if you have a sore in your mouth.

9.Avoid citrus fruits or juice that can irritate the mouth

10.Cut foods into small pieces.

11.Mix foods with butter or gravies to make it easier to swallow

12.Sit or stand for an hour after eating to avoid heartburn