More than 20,000 adults are diagnosed with liver cancer annually, reports the National Cancer Institute. Liver cancer can be difficult to treat and is often fatal. If you have liver cancer, follow the advice your healthcare team provides. Additionally, you may want to consume a healthy, natural diet to help you fight liver cancer.
Importance
While no specific diet has been shown to reverse or slow the progression of liver cancer, adequate calories and nutrients are crucial to help reduce liver cancer's impact, the National Cancer Institute reports. Eating enough will help give you more energy and can help you feel better. Weight loss is common in liver cancer patients. To ensure that you eat enough food to maintain your body weight, meet with a registered dietitian. A dietitian can help you plan your meals and ensure that your nutritional needs are met.
Eating Enough
Your diet should include a variety of natural, nutrient-rich foods. However, many people undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatment suffer from vomiting and stomach upset, which can make eating unpleasant. If you're having trouble eating, consider adding bland foods that don't have a strong smell. Spicy, strong-flavored and fatty meals can make you feel nauseous. Adding natural ginger to your diet can help reduce gastrointestinal symptoms, reports Heather Zwickey, Ph.D., Helfgott Research Institute, Portland, Oregon.
Protein
Protein is an especially important nutrient during cancer therapy. Protein helps prevent the muscle loss syndrome known as cachexia, a common cause of disability and death in cancer patients. The American Cancer Society recommends protein-rich meals and snacks throughout the day. Sources of protein include skinless chicken, lean beef, eggs, low-fat dairy products and beans.
Organic
Zwickey recommends that liver cancer patients consume natural, organic foods as much as possible, which are grown without pesticides. She notes that organic foods are generally free of pesticides, chemicals that your struggling liver has to filter out of your body. She also advocates avoiding heavily-processed foods such as pasta and cured meats because they may also strain the liver.
