Eating Hints for Cancer Patients

Eating during cancer can become quite a difficult prospect. Many cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, adversely affect your appetite. Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of cancer treatment. However, even if cancer patients have no appetite, good nutrition is essential to maintaining the strength to fight cancer. Furthermore, certain foods should be avoided during cancer treatment, as an unhealthy diet may have an adverse effect on cancer treatment.

Foods to Avoid

• A diet high in sugar, fat and protein may reduce the prognosis for cancer survival. According to Nutrition MD, these foods, along with certain unhealthy proteins, can actually encourage cancer cells to grow and increase the chances of the cancer spreading. Certain other foods, including spicy or fatty foods, can exacerbate side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation, including nausea, vomiting and mouth sores.

Nutritional Therapy as a Curative Aid

• Although Help Guide.org suggests that there is a link between a diet high in fruits and vegetables and a reduced risk of certain forms of cancer including lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer, Nutrition MD states that no such link has been proven between diet and the success rate of cancer treatment. Thus, although diet can adversely impact your chances of recovering from cancer, a therapeutic diet will not necessarily increase your chances for survival. However, a diet high in fiber may help reduce the risk of getting entertisis, a common condition caused by radiation and characterized by inflammation of the intestines. Furthermore, chewing ice chips and taking amino acid supplements may reduce your chances of getting mouth sores as a result of chemotherapy.

Foods to Eat

• Although eating certain foods will not necessarily increase your chances of surviving cancer, it is essential that you maintain proper nutrition so your body is strong enough to undergo potentially lifesaving treatment. This can be difficult when you have no appetite as a result of cancer therapies. The University of California Medical Center offers several helpful suggestions regarding a good diet for cancer patients. First, patients should eat whenever they are hungry, instead of trying to eat set meals. It is better to eat small amounts when you have an appetite than to try to force yourself to eat a large meal when you don't. Second, bland foods are preferred--cream of wheat, eggs, Jello, cheese and crackers and cottage cheese are recommended. Third, cold foods may be more appetizing than hot foods. Finally, although you should drink plenty of cool, clear beverages, beverages should not be consumed while eating.