|  | Cancer | Colon Cancer

Diet Therapy for Colon Cancer

Treatment for colon cancer may include chemotherapy or surgery. Along with these traditional treatments, diet and nutrition play a major role. A proper diet will help you to maintain your strength and keep your weight up during a difficult phase in treatment. Eating is difficult during colon cancer treatment, but there are some things you can do to ensure you get enough calories and protein in your diet.

  1. Calories

    • Nausea and vomiting may cause you to consume fewer calories than you need to keep up your strength and avoid weight loss. It is normal to feel fuller with only a small amount of food. To combat this problem and get enough nutrition during the day, eat frequent meals throughout the day.
      Your appetite may not be what it usually is during chemotherapy. Develop a schedule for mealtimes instead of waiting until you feel hungry. Plan to eat four or five small meals per day to get enough calories and nutrients. Drink fluids before or after your meal to avoid getting too full. Add more calories to your meals with butter and creams.

    Protein

    • Some people find eating more meat while they are sick difficult. Use other sources of protein to make sure that you are getting enough of this important nutrient. Cheese, legumes, peanut butter and eggs are proteins you can add to your diet to get enough of this strength-building nutrient. Make your own protein shakes with ¼ cup of powdered milk added to 1 cup of milk. Use the higher-protein shake together with fruits, or add it to other foods during cooking to increase your protein intake.

    Foods to Avoid

    • Some foods may make you feel more nauseous during colon cancer treatment than others. Deep-fried foods and those with strong smells are less appealing during chemotherapy. After colon cancer surgery, you may have to avoid high-fiber foods for a brief period until your digestive system gets back to normal. Milk products may be difficult for you to digest after surgery as well. Raw vegetables may cause bloating and gas after a colon resection surgery. The diet that is eaten after this type of cancer surgery is very different than the one you would eat to avoid colon cancer.
      High-fiber foods can be introduced later as your digestive system tolerates them. Keeping a food journal will help you to track the foods that cause problems while you are recovering from colon cancer surgery or while you are going through chemotherapy.

Colon Cancer - Related Articles