Being diagnosed with cancer can be overwhelming not only due to the disease itself but also the treatment methods. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are both powerful methods of treatment that put a considerable amount of physical stress on your body. Proper nutrition while battling cancer is essential, but it's also vital to maintain good nutrition after completing treatment. Doing so will increase your strength and improve your general health.
Effects of Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy is a type of treatment targeting fast-growing cancer cells; chemo can also kill other kinds of healthy, normal cells that grow quickly, such as those in the digestive tract or mouth. Many of its side effects can affect your ability to get balanced nutrition including reduced appetite, nausea, mouth sores, upset stomach and changes in taste perception. Radiation therapy can also kill healthy cells along with cancer cells. Effects depend on what area of the body is treated with radiation. Abdominal treatment, for example, can cause poor nutrient absorption, nausea, vomiting and upset stomach.
Healthy Food Choices
Recovering from the effects of chemo or radiation post-treatment takes time. Making healthy food choices is important to rebuild strength and endurance. One major component of your diet should be to focus on eating more plant-sourced foods rather than those that are animal-sourced. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with essential vitamins and antioxidants that can help improve cell health. Some of the best choices are red tomatoes, berries, carrots and dark, leafy greens. Try juicing if you have trouble eating lots of veggies or if treatment has made chewing a challenge. Incorporating beans in your diet is ideal because they are filling and offer nutrients that may reduce the likelihood of the cancer returning, according to the American Cancer Society.
What to Avoid
Avoiding foods high in saturated fat is important post-treatment. Diets high in this type of fat may increase your risk of obesity, heart problems and returning cancer. Saturated fats are in some plant sources, such as coconuts and palm oil, but are mostly found in animal-sourced foods. These include red meats and full-fat dairy foods. Limit or avoid intake of alcohol, as this may irritate the effects of treatment in addition to raising your future cancer risk.
Supplements
Your physician may recommend that you use a liquid nutritional supplement to provide essential nutrients. This is particularly important if your appetite is weak or if you're still having trouble eating post-treatment. Taking a multivitamin daily is another option. Keep in mind that there's no proof that taking high doses of vitamins will prevent cancer from reoccurring; in fact, taking excess supplements may be harmful to your body. Discuss any nutritional supplements with your physician to make sure they don't interfere with any medications or compromise your health.
