When you have cancer, it's important to eat well & eat enough. But to most cancer patients & survivors, this is easier said than done. For people with cancer, eating can be a challenging daily activity. Many cancer survivors will experience changes to their eating habits & tastes. Life after cancer is a new lease of life.
When I was diagnosed with nose cancer in 2006, my doctor advised me to put on weight. He explained that I would lose some weight during treatment so the extra weight would act as a buffer. I asked, “What can I eat and what food should I avoid?” He said, “Eat anything you fancy. Eat your favourite food.” I took my doctor’s advice seriously. For three weeks, I ate all my favourite food & my weight increased from 46kg to almost 50kg! And my doctor was right. By the time I completed my 33 sessions of radiation treatment, I had lost about 8 kg. Four years later today, I have not only regained those lost kilos but have also put on additional kilos (for the record, I now weigh 51kg, with a healthy body mass of 20.7).
"When you have cancer, you may need extra protein and calories. At times, your diet may need to include extra milk, cheese, and eggs. If you have trouble chewing and swallowing, you may need to add sauces and gravies. Sometimes, you may need to eat low-fiber foods instead of those with high fiber." (National Cancer Institute, USA)
Below are notes taken from a talk on "Nutrition Therapy for NPC" ** given at the NPC support group in 2009.
Why is Nutrition Important
- help you feel better
- keep up your strength & energy
- maintain weight & preserve body's store of nutrients
- tolerate treatment-related side effects better
- decrease risk of infection
- recover faster
Pre-Treatment Preparation : Build Yourself Up!
- eat adequately & regularly
- ensure sufficient protein intake (eg chicken, fish, meat, eggs, tofu)
- include 5 colourful servings of fruits & vegetables daily
- avoid alcohol
- limit salt-cured, smoked & pickled foods
- try new food
- stock up your pantry
During Treatment : Managing Side Effects!
(1) loss of appetite
- generous use of fat
- canned fruits in heavy syrup, dried fruits
- high protein food (you may enhance protein content of diet by adding milk powder to beverages or cream soups and adding chopped meats/eggs/anchovies powder (ikan bilis)/chicken or meat floss to soups or porridge)
- eat small frequent meals throughout the day
- eat most when you have the best appetite
- present food in an attractive manner
- vary your diet & try new recipe
Remember, every bite counts!
(2) fatigue
- let other people cook for you
- prepare simple meals in small batches & freeze them to use later
- keep snacks close by for nibbling
- you may need to eat at every 2-3 hours' interval
- eat 1 hour before treatment
- bring snacks/supplements along when you go for treatment
- sip high calorie drink/supplement throughout the day
(3) dry mouth
- drink plenty of water
- try citrate containing beverages eg lemonade, orange-flavoured drinks, popsicles
- eat soft moistened food
- stew, braise or steam your food (don't forget the oil)
- add gravy, sauces, soups or milk liberally to food
- soft snacks eg jelly, soft bean curd, milkshake, pudding, ice-cream
(4) mouth sore
- eat food cold or at room temperature
- avoid hot, highly spiced/salty/coarse/acidic foods
- eat smooth, well-blended moist food (creamed soup, cooked cereals, pureed meat/veg)
(5) taste change
- identify specific taste sensations that are altered
- correlate findings with specific foods & modify appropriately
- serve food in an attractive manner placing emphasis on colour, texture & feeling in the mouth
What happens if can't eat or will not eat?
Possible signs :
- under-nutrition (if eat less than 60% of daily food intake for 10 days or more)
- unable to eat for more than 7 days
- loss of weight continuously
Possible solutions :
- oral nutrition support or tube feeding
- drink soy-based lactose-free formula milk (eg Ensure, Prosure, Resource, etc)
After Treatment : Eating to Great Health!
- choose low-fat food
- choose fresh foods over processed foods
- avoid salt-cured, smoked & pickled foods
- if choose to drink, drink alcohol only occasionally
- maintain a healthy weight
References
** notes taken from a talk presented by a dietician, Ms Liew at NCC in Sep 2009
National Cancer Institute, USA
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/eatinghints/page2
