Saturday 4 April 2015

Tips for Eating Healthy During Cancer Treatments

There’s nothing easy about being on the receiving end of cancer treatment. This is especially so if chemotherapy is a part of the treatment plan. Maintaining physical strength in as much as possible is important for helping with overall recovery. That means working to maintain a healthy diet is crucial during this period.

While that sounds elementary, the reality is eating right during chemotherapy treatments can be very difficult. Aside from the nausea that so commonly goes along with treatments, foods may taste different and mouth sores can complicate matters even more. Despite all that the need to eat right during treatment remains ever present.

Here are just a few simple tips that can help ensure nutrition is maintained during treatments:

•    Eat smaller, more frequent meals – Sitting down to multicourse meals at this time just isn’t likely to work. Instead, serve up smaller portions of foods and try to eat more frequently throughout the day.
•    Make foods tastier – Taste buds take a beating during chemo treatments and certain items, such as water and meats are likely to taste different. To combat this be sure to try different things, such as flavoring water, or selecting different sources of protein to ensure foods that taste good are maintained in the regular diet.
•    Use supplements – Nutritional shakes and drinks can help fill in the gaps when eating meals just doesn’t feel right.
•    Snack smart – It’s often easier to eat small snacks rather than entire meals. Avoid empty calories during this time and stick to healthy snacks such as raw vegetables, fruits and yogurt that provide valuable nutrients with every bite.
•    Don’t get discouraged – Maintaining appetite during treatments can be difficult, but don’t get discouraged. Experiment with different foods to find those that offer nutritional value while also tasting pleasant in the process.

Chances are your oncologist can recommend a great dietician that can help with meal and snack planning while also offering tips for ensuring that nutrition is maintained during treatments. Be sure to take advantage of this service for great insights on what might work for you.

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