AUSTIN, Minn. ― People eat to fuel their body. This provides patients strength and stamina to power through the day.
At no time is that this more vital than when an individual is undergoing treatment for cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments, whether lifesaving or life-preserving, can take a toll on an individual’s body and significantly affect the food regimen.
“Chemotherapy not only kills rapidly dividing cancer cells, but in addition it may possibly destroy fast-growing healthy cells,” says Rose Prissel, a Mayo Clinic dietitian. “This may occasionally cause nausea or appetite changes, leading patients to devour fewer calories than needed. Other treatments may cause uncomfortable dry mouth, diarrhea or constipation. Fortunately, these unwanted effects might be lessened and even overcome and thereby improve nutrition during treatment.”
Considered one of the things patients and caregivers ask about is weight changes during treatment. Generally, if a patient loses greater than 3 kilos in a single week, it is vital to find if the loss was intentional or unintentional. If it’s intentional, the patient’s care team will discuss why this is happening and be certain that treatment plans are going well.
“If the burden loss is unintentional, it is vital to search out the cause and supply support. It is vital to avoid a rapid decline in weight because muscle tissue is being broken down during treatment. This could result in further lack of the patient’s stamina,” says Prissel.
Weight reduction also may cause a poor appetite. This can be a common side effect during cancer treatment.
“To enhance nutrition during this time, it helps to plan for small, frequent meals,” adds Prissel. “That might be daunting because patients and caregivers may not have the energy to make multiple meals every day. One technique to get around that is to order a portion of what would have been normally eaten during breakfast, lunch and dinner for a fourth small meal. This makes it easier to plan and schedule additional meals with less work.”
Damage to the stomach and intestinal lining during cancer treatment may cause nausea and vomiting. “A number of things that may also help can be selecting easily digestible foods, akin to refined carbohydrates like white bread and potatoes. Also, avoid high-fiber, high protein foods, as these foods take longer to digest.
Eat small, frequent meals to avoid overloading the stomach.
Some cancer treatments and medications may cause dehydration and decreased saliva production, which might result in uncomfortable dry mouth. Prissel says increasing fluid intake and chewing gum or sucking on candy or ice chips may also help offset that from happening.
“Other unwanted effects of some chemotherapy and radiation treatments can include a sore throat or mouth. This could make eating and drinking uncomfortable and painful. Eating hot or cold foods could irritate this so eat foods which are moderate temperature or eat foods which are bland or soft.,” says Prissel. “Diarrhea can be an uncomfortable problem, or an indication of something more serious. Limiting dairy, avoiding caffeine, and eating soft low fiber foods can assist from avoiding diarrhea from leading into other problems, akin to severe dehydration.”
It is vital for patients to do what they will to take care of calorie, protein and fluid intake during cancer treatment. Prissel says following dietary guidelines offered by your health care team may also help patients maintain their strength and stamina during treatment.
“In some cases, akin to advanced cancer, eating may not affect the end result of their illness or treatment. In these situations, attempting to follow specific dietary guidelines, akin to adhering to a low-sodium or low-fat food regimen, might not be practical. Patients should talk with their care team about what they will expect during treatment and the way long symptoms could last — and discuss all their symptoms with their health care team, especially those who affect their food regimen,” Prissel says.
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Mayo Clinic Health System consists of clinics, hospitals and other facilities that serve the health care needs of individuals in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers, paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients within the region to receive highest-quality physical and virtual health care near home.
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