While it may be your best option, chemotherapy can be accompanied by some serious side effects, as anyone who has had it knows all too well.
One of the most significant side effects of chemo is its effect on your eating habits. Chemo can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, appetite loss, dry mouth, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, and fluctuation of weight. All inhibiting your ability to maintain a healthy diet. Generally, when patients get chemotherapy from private cancer treatment providers, they also get a comprehensive health and diet plan from the doctors and nutritionists at the oncology clinic. A healthy diet at this time, after all, is imperative as it helps your body fight off the disease and maintain strength.
In a few cancer cases, radiotherapy might be consecutively suggested along with chemotherapy. It can be more commonly required for cancers of the head and neck, breast, cervix, prostate, and eye. Moreover, radiotherapy (read more about radiation therapy online) could also be a used course of action to treat the sarcoma cancer type, which begins in the tissues that support and connect the body. It is followed by chemotherapy so as to stop the spread of cancerous cells in other body organs. Chemo can be a painful treatment since the drugs used can have an adverse effect on the body and the patient might encounter various side effects, including loss of appetite, hair loss, fatigue, anemia, nausea, and vomiting. This is why, when undergoing chemo, it can be essential to take special care of the health and fitness of the patient to ensure they have enough strength to go through the process and complete the course.
The chemo process may be difficult, however, thanks to modern science and biotech companies such as Fortress Biotech, surviving cancer is possible these days. The graphic that can be found below, 20 Healthy Diet Tips for Chemotherapy, can be helpful for anyone who themselves are undergoing or will soon undergo chemo or if you know someone who is or will be. The guide suggests tips that are simple and easy to follow and can be the perfect guide to tape to the refrigerator door. If you can make eating more enjoyable and nutritious during your treatment, you’re going to feel much healthier and be much healthier as time goes on. Here are 20 practical tips to help maintain a healthy diet during chemotherapy.
- Water may become distasteful; try flavored water or adding lemon.
- Get enough protein – eggs, beans and fish may taste better than meat.
- Eliminate junk food and empty calories.
- Try new foods; they might stimulate your sense of taste.
- Eat soft foods, including protein milkshakes, if you’re having trouble swallowing.
- If you’re gaining weight, eat lots of vegetables and low-fat foods.
- If you’re losing weight, eat lots of oatmeal, hummus, nut butters and yogurt.
- Take multivitamins if you are not able to eat enough food.
- For mouth sores, stick with soft foods and avoid citrus and tomato-based foods.
- For dry mouth, ask your doctor for an appropriate mouth rinse.
- Fight constipation with high-fiber foods and plenty of water.
- Fight diarrhea by avoiding caffeine, raw vegetables, sugary drinks and caffeine.
- Avoid alcohol – It interferes with chemo treatments and contributes to nausea.
- Avoid spicy, greasy and sugary foods.
- Don’t drink too much green tea; Its antioxidants may disrupt chemo treatments.
- Wash raw foods thoroughly to prevent infections.
- Don’t eat foods past their expiration date.
- Don’t eat food from bulk bins or salad bars.
- Consult your doctor about consumption of soy products.
- Consult your doctor or a registered dietician if you continue to have problems.
Of course, when in doubt, never hesitate to consult with your physician or a dietician to develop a plan to combat your dietary-related symptoms that are affecting you. Feel free to check out the infographic below for some dietary inspiration!