Chemotherapy agents can have terrible effects on your ability to eat well. It affects not only the way food tastes, but can also cause a host of other problems that make eating difficult. Keeping up with your nutritional needs when your body is undergoing the stresses of chemotherapy requires planning and preparation.
General Nutrition
Chemotherapy places large stresses on your body, starting with your immune system. Eating a healthy diet helps boost your immune system and helps you meet your nutritional needs. If you previously didn't have a healthy diet, plan to follow one during chemotherapy, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, which are high in vitamins and minerals. Limit fats to no more than 30 percent of your diet and limit refined sugars as much as possible. Protein intake helps fight infection and is essential for the rebuilding of damaged tissue. Eating smaller meals more frequently and not eating for 1 to 2 hours before chemotherapy may help you increase your food intake, notes the Colorado State University Extension, particularly if you don't feel like eating much at one time.
Nausea and Vomiting
Thanks to drugs that are given routinely with chemotherapy treatments, fewer people experience the severe nausea and vomiting that once inevitably occurred with many types of chemotherapy. Some foods are more likely to induce nausea and vomiting than others. Stay away from very sweet, spicy or greasy foods or foods that have smells that make you nauseated. This will differ from person to person and possibly from day to day. Don't eat too much at one time and don't drink with meals, which can overfill your stomach. Eating foods cold or lukewarm rather than hot may help decrease nausea, according to Chemocare.
Mouth Issues
Chemotherapy can cause mouth sores that can make eating very painful. Dry mouth also occurs commonly in people undergoing chemotherapy. Eating soft foods can help with painful swallowing or mouth sores; avoid acidic foods, which may aggravate mouth sores. Sucking on mints can help with dry mouth. If your mouth is very sore, liquid supplements may go down more easily than food and will supply your daily nutrient needs.
Changes in Taste
Chemotherapy can affect the way foods taste; you may find yourself craving a certain flavor or avoiding something that you normally like. Common problems with taste include a dislike for meat, which supplies protein, a craving for tart flavors and reduced ability to taste sweet flavors. You may tolerate poultry, eggs or beans better than meat during chemotherapy. Eating meats cold or at room temperature may also make them more palatable. Add lemon juice to foods or drink beverage with natural tartness, like grapefruit juice. Cook vegetables in water sweetened with a small amount of sugar.
References
- Chemocare: Tips for Managing Eating Problems and Your Diet after Chemo Treatments
- Colorado State University Extension; Cancer's Effect on the Diet; J.E. Anderson, et al.; August 2008
- Netwellness; Nutrition During Chemotherapy and/or Radiation Treatment; Kimberly Ortega, M.S., et al.; November 2009
- Chemocare: Cancer Diet: What Is a Good Diet?
