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Getting Proper Nutrients While in Cancer Treatment
Getting Proper Nutrients While in Cancer TreatmentMiranda Moss has always had a healthy appetite. But after she started breast cancer treatment, eating enoughbecame a challenge.“The chemotherapy really affected my appetite in a couple of ways. One, is that it changed the way that mymouth felt and tasted. My mouth was very sensitive. Also, I often had a little bit of nausea and so I wasn't ableto eat portions as large as I wanted to or as I did in the past, or sometimes I didn't feel like eating at all.”Miranda, PatientMiranda’s experience is common. Cancer and its treatments can decrease your appetite through effects including:Nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, a sore mouth or throat, changes in taste or smell, fatigue, and depression.“If your appetite is affected for long enough, you can lose enough weight to cause muscle wasting.”-KariIkemoto, Registered DietitianStudies suggest that eating well during your treatment can improve your odds of survival and reduce the chancethat your cancer will come back.“How frequently do you have meals throughout the day?”- Kari Ikemoto, Registered Dietitian“Pretty frequently because I can’t eat a lot.”-Miranda, PatientA dietitian who specializes in cancer nutrition can recommend ways to get adequate nourishment, including eatingsmaller, more frequent meals or snacks… an approach Miranda found helpful.“Rather than trying to force myself to eat a breakfast, and a lunch, and a dinner, I started to break my meals upinto smaller snacks and tried to get something nutritious and beneficial to me in each of those snacks, even if itwas just a few bites.”-Miranda, Patient“Choose snacks that provide valuable nutrients, things like fruit, smoothies, whole-grain crackers, yogurt, trailmix, nuts, are all great options. However, it’s understandable if it’s hard to get enough food in, so it’s okay tosupplement your diet by adding things like powdered milk to drinks or high-calorie nutrition supplements.”- KariIkemoto, Registered DietitianThe ideal diet for people with cancer is in many ways the same as for anyone else. Eat at least two and a half cups ofvegetables and fruits each day. Mix and match colors. Good sources of protein include cheese; yogurt; eggs; beans;nuts and seeds; fish; lean poultry; and limited amounts of red meat. As for carbohydrates, choose a variety ofnutrient-rich sources such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.Page 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1000698 EN GettingProperNutrientsWhileInCancerTreatment.pdf© The Wellness NetworkGetting Proper Nutrients While in Cancer Treatment“These foods also provide fiber, which can help with cancer-related constipation. But if you have diarrhea,you also may need to take a break from whole grains until you return to normal.”- Kari Ikemoto, RegisteredDietitianChoose heart-healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, avocados, fish, and vegetable oils like olive and canola. Limitsaturated fats from meats and high-fat dairy products such as ice cream.Drink plenty of water and other fluids to prevent dehydration — especially if you’re vomiting or you havediarrhea. You can also get fluids from foods such as fruit or soup.“If you’re having trouble getting in enough calories and fluids, sugar-sweetened sodas may help. But thesedrinks don’t offer very, much nutrition, so healthier options may be more beneficial.”- Kari Ikemoto,Registered DietitianLimit how often you eat foods that contain a lot of calories but very little nutrition, like cookies candy, snackchips, and other processed foods.“I do sometimes just have this sensation of just not having a big appetite.”-Miranda, PatientIf necessary, your health care provider or dietitian might recommend an appetite stimulant—a drug that givesyou more of a desire to eat. You might also consider taking a vitamin or mineral supplement to make up forshortfalls in your diet but check with your healthcare provider first. Some supplements—includingantioxidants—can interact with your cancer treatment, or cause side effects.Most of the effects on appetite improve after treatment ends. In the meantime, Miranda is successfullymanaging them through trial and error.“I'm still figuring out what my diet is going to look like now, and in the future, it might change again, but I'mgaining weight, and so I feel like I'm doing something right.” -Miranda , PatientPage 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1000698 EN GettingProperNutrientsWhileInCancerTreatment.pdf© The Wellness Network
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Cancer Care
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