Proper nutrition is essential for cancer patients both during and after cancer treatment. Nutritional therapy helps prevent malnutrition, provide energy, decrease the risk of infection, aid healing and diminish side effects of cancer treatment. Cancer and cancer treatments can cause unwanted side effects that make it difficult for patients to eat. These include loss of appetite, dry mouth, a change in the way foods taste, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, depression and constipation. As a result, the nutritional demands of cancer patients are a bit different from those of healthy people and necessitate an increase in the consumption of calories and protein.
Stimulating Your Appetite
Often, cancer patients suffer from loss of appetite due to the cancer itself or from cancer treatments. Eating three large meals a day can be difficult, if not impossible, for many people. By making several small changes in diet or lifestyle, many people can actually stimulate their appetite and increase the amount of calories consumed. One way to stimulate appetite is to spread meals into six to eight small meals throughout the day, which allows one to consume more food without feeling too full. You can also try doing light intensity exercise, such as walking, before eating to boost your appetite. An increase in fiber and fluid intake is recommended if loss of appetite is a result of constipation from cancer treatment.
Increase Caloric Intake
Cancer patients have a difficult time maintaining their weight not only because of a decrease in calories consumed, but also because of an increased requirement for calories. Surgery increases your need for calories to aid the healing process and to fight infection. Certain types of cancer, such as those of the gastrointestinal tract, may even decrease or inhibit the absorption of nutrients, leaving patients malnourished. Cancer patients can meet these needs by incorporating high calorie foods into their diet such as butter, mayonnaise, gravy, salad dressing, sauces, sour cream, nuts, cream cheese, avocados and granola. High calorie snacks, such as meal replacement drinks, should also be consumed between meals.
Consume More Protein
Protein is a vital nutrient that aids healing, supplies energy and prevents muscle wasting associated with malnutrition. You can increase the amount of protein in your diet by eating protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, milk, yogurt and cheese.
Increase Fluids
Consuming adequate amounts of fluid can be challenging for patients suffering from vomiting or diarrhea that is induced by cancer treatment. It is recommended that patients drink 8 to 12 glasses of eight ounce fluids each day. Fluids that contain calories are preferable over water to help increase caloric intake. Suggestions for fluids include fruit juice, milkshakes, milk and sports drinks. Soda should be avoided as it tends to cause gas, which may promote loss of appetite. Fluids should be consumed in between meals, as opposed to during meals, as fluids can make you feel fuller faster.
