Eating a healthy diet nourishes your entire body. Good nutrition is extremely important for people with cancer because it can strengthen your immune system, decrease your risk of infection, give you more energy and help your body recover faster from surgery and other cancer treatments. People with liver cancer, however, often find many challenges to eating well.
Poor Appetite
A poor appetite presents a challenge for people with liver cancer. This can be caused by tumor growth, side effects from cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, according to the American Cancer Society. You might find that your appetite is better at certain times of the day. Capitalize on the times when your appetite is the best and eat frequently. It may be more enjoyable to eat meals with the company of friends or family members, so plan meal times with company when possible. Keep food that you enjoy easily accessible throughout the day.
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can be common side effects of both chemotherapy and radiation therapy for people with liver cancer. Try eating small amounts of bland, easy-to-digest foods like crackers and toast. Slowly drink sips of clear liquids including apple juice and sports drinks. Foods that are cool in temperature such as flavored gelatin, yogurt and sherbet are often well tolerated. Avoid foods that are overly sweet, spicy, high in fat or strong-smelling as these can make nausea and vomiting worse.
Weight Loss
Weight loss in people with liver cancer can be caused by a number of factors. It can be caused by the the tumor itself or the many side effects of cancer treatments such as nausea, vomiting and poor appetite. Try to focus on high-calorie, high-protein foods such as yogurt, cheese, granola, peanut butter and milkshakes. To add extra calories and protein to your food, powdered milk can be added to soups, casseroles, scrambled eggs, smoothies and hot cereals. Syrups, oils, butter, shredded cheese and gravy can also be added to foods to boost calories.
Meal and Snack Tips
At times, you may find it more appealing to drink than eat, so try canned high calorie, high protein nutrition shakes. This is an effective way to get high quality nutrition from a drink. Try eating six to eight small meals and snacks throughout the day. Eating frequently can give you more opportunities throughout the day to put more calories into your body, and it can also help stimulate your appetite.
