Food Help for Cancer Patients

The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer include loss of appetite. However, it is essential to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet so the body will be strong enough to undergo treatments.

How to Eat

• If you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, you will likely lose your appetite. The nausea and vomiting that accompany chemotherapy and mouth sores caused by radiation can make eating difficult. The University of California Medical Center offers some diet suggestions, including "opportunistic eating": Eat as much as you can whenever you are hungry, instead of attempting to eat three set meals. Specific food recommendations include bland foods, such as cream of wheat, and cold foods including jello, cottage cheese, fruit, eggs and cheese and crackers. Refrain from drinking while eating, but have lots of cool, clear beverages between meals. Do not lie down immediately after eating.

Therapeutic Diets

• According to nutritionmd.com, the nutrition website of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRN), the medical community has yet to prove a link between a therapeutic diet and greater treatment success. Diets high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of getting certain cancers, but eating these foods does not necessarily increase the chances of recovering from cancer once you are diagnosed. However, eating a high-fiber diet can reduce your risk for enteritis, a side effect of radiation, and consuming amino acid supplements can help prevent mouth sores associated with chemotherapy and radiation.

Foods to Avoid

• Avoid spicy and fatty foods, which can exacerbate the nausea and vomiting associated with cancer therapy.

  While the PCRN notes that further research is needed, it appears that consuming certain foods--such as sugars, protein and fat--in large quantities may increase the possibility of the cancer's metastasizing (spreading to other parts of the body) by creating a favorable environment for cancer cells to grow in.