Nutritional Care Essentials for Cancer Patients

What Is Nutritional Intervention

Nutritional intervention is integral to discovering, preventing, and treating malnutrition in cancer patients. The objectives of nutritional intervention will differ with a patient’s medical history, type and stage of cancer, and response to treatment. This is why individualized nutritional coaching should be a vital part of your cancer care. Proper nutrition can not only alleviate symptoms during treatment but also supports cancer survivorship.

Nutritional Guidelines for Cancer Treatment

Before Treatment

Start eating healthy before you begin your treatment. It is hard to predict how the treatment will affect you or what side effects you might have. So, it is ideal to give your body the best fighting chance from the very beginning.

You can also plan ahead for the days after treatment when you might not feel like cooking. Fill your fridge and pantry with healthy food, preferably those that need little to no cooling. You can also make some of your favorite food and freeze them for later.

Additionally, ensure you have some friends and family who can bring you your meals for the first few days of therapy.

During Treatment

Your diet during cancer treatment should be focused on building up the strength you need to brave the effects of cancer and its treatment. This might involve eating high-fat, high-calorie food to keep up your weight. If you suffer from sores in your mouth that make it difficult to eat, you might also be advised to eat cold food like ice cream or milkshakes.

As both sudden weight loss and gain can affect the outcome of your treatment, you need to work with your dietician to ensure your nutritional intake is enough to keep your strength up without resulting in excessive weight gain. Based on your individual needs and health concerns, your cancer care team can help you find the right mix of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, water, vitamins, and minerals to include in your diet.

Proteins

Protein is vital for growth, repairing body tissues, and keeping our immune systems healthy. Patients undergoing surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy will need more protein than usual to heal tissues and fight infection. Fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products, peas, lentils, dried beans, and soy food are all rich in protein.

Carbohydrates

Your body needs carbohydrates for physical activity and healthy organ function. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the best source of carbohydrates, and they’re also rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Other sources include bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, corn, peas, and beans.

Fats

Fats give your body energy, insulate body tissues, protect organs, promote cell growth, and help your body absorb vitamins. Some kinds of fats are better for you than others. Avoid trans-fat as much as you can as they raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol. It can be found in snacks, baked goods, and some dairy products.

Water

As vomiting and diarrhea are common side effects of cancer treatments, cancer patients are often at risk of dehydration. This can cause an imbalance in the fluids and minerals that keep your body functioning. It is best to keep around extra fluids like soup if your side effects act up.

Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are naturally found in most fruits and vegetables. If you’re eating a balanced diet with proteins, carbohydrates, and other nutrients, you’re also probably getting enough

Treatment side effects can make it harder to eat a balanced meal. In these cases, multivitamin supplements might be a good option. It is ideal to talk to your doctor about which dietary supplement you can and cannot take.

Antioxidants

Vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants. They attach themselves to free radicals and prevent them from attacking normal cells. Antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables. You can also talk to your doctor about antioxidant supplements.

Managing Side Effects and Eating Healthy

The biggest hurdle to getting sufficient nutrients during cancer treatment is the side effects caused by cancer and its treatments. Standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. But, to ensure your body has sufficient energy, you need to keep eating even if you don’t want to. Here is a list of hacks you can use to overcome these side effects and continue eating healthy.