A healthy diet is important for everyone, but nutrition for those with cancer is even more critical. Meeting nutrition needs can help strengthen cancer patients to endure chemotherapy treatments, protect against infections, keep body tissue from breaking down, and rebuild tissue. Eating well can also help those with cancer manage any side effects of cancer treatments and may even assist with handling higher doses of certain drugs.
Nutrition recommendations for those with cancer may emphasize eating more higher calorie, higher protein foods. The doctor may recommend drinking more milk or eating foods like cheese and cooked eggs. Other suggestions might include increasing the use of sauces and gravies, or changing cooking methods to include more butter, margarine, or oil. Sometimes, nutrition recommendations for cancer patients suggest eating less of certain high-fiber foods which can aggravate problems such as diarrhea or a sore mouth.
During treatment, cancer patients may suffer from lack of appetite. If that is the case, the recommendation is to try to eat any easily-digested foods to try to meet nutritional needs.
On treatment days, patients should:
- Talk with the nurse to learn about ways to relax if feeling sick before treatment.
- Learn the least difficult time to eat and drink. Some cancer patients feel better when they eat just a little right before treatment. Others feel better when they have nothing to eat or drink before treatment.
- After treatment, patients should wait at least an hour before eating or drinking.
Some foods and drinks that may be easier on the stomach during cancer treatments include:
- Clear broth
- Grape juice
- Baked chicken without skin
- Crackers
- Pasta
- White rice
- Baked potatoes
- Bananas
- Gelatin
- Yogurt
- Popsicles
A healthy diet is vital for a person’s body to work its best. In-home care from a professional agency, such as Hillendale Home Care, the top provider of senior home care in Walnut Creek, CA and nearby areas, can provide help to cancer patients by planning, shopping for, and preparing nutritious and delicious meals that meet their caloric needs. Contact us to discover more about how our California in-home care services can make you feel more comfortable as you go through your treatments.
