Nutrition for People with Cancer
By: Alin ThomsTotal Views: 232, Word Count: 551,
Good nutrition for people with cancer plays an important role, so as to make them healthy and carry out day to day activities. It is necessary for them as this illness and treatment directly affects appetite. Cancer can also affect the body's ability to tolerate specific foods or nutrients. This article gives information about which nutrients are necessary to cope with side effects of cancer treatment.
Nutrition for People with Cancer
· During assessment, the doctor checks the nutritional need of the patient and decides the nutrition therapy needed. This assessment or screening can take place by observing the changes in weight, food eating habits, problems after eating which are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation etc.
· Patients who are underweight may not be able to get through due to the malnutrition, so proper nutrient intake can help the patient to gain weight and also decrease problems in treatment and recovery.
· A nutrition support team plays an important role in planning a proper diet for the patient during cancer treatment as well as recovery. In some cases, if a patient whose religion is not allowing the consumption of specific foods, he/she can take an advice of the religious advisor about allowing to eat those foods during cancer.
· In this way, nutrient therapy helps to prevent nutrition related problems like muscle and bone loss, keeps patient strong and active, makes immune system strong, helps body to recover or improves along with improving quality of life.
· As cancer patients have poor appetite, they eat small amounts of food. Hence, the nutrition diet focuses on encouraging patients to eat foods with higher calories and proteins.
· Nutritional supplements also play an important role by preventing the patient from losing weight.
Here are some nutritional suggestions to keep in mind for the patient:
· Don’t force yourself to eat meals
· Choose foods that are tasteless like dry crackers
· Eat frequent small snacks
· Take nutritional drinks available in the market
· Avoid the smells of cooking
· Eat the meal in a cool room
Here is list of foods which provides nutrient supply to the patient. These will help to improve the situation and make life better.
· Always take season foods with tart flavors like lemon, vinegar, pickles, garlic, chili, basil, oregano, etc. if you are not having sore mouth.
· Eat foods like grapes, melon, and oranges straight from the fridge
· Take red meats or high protein foods like fish, chicken, eggs or cheese or add nutritional drinks.
· Increase the amount of fluids in your diet
· Take high fiber foods like cereals, fruits and vegetables
· Take laxative as a nutrient supply
· If you have diarrhea, try sipping drinks throughout the day
· Take the drinks of prosure which are known to be good for patients with a low appetite.
· Add gravy, creams, butter and sauces to food
· Eat soft foods that are cool or at room temperature
· Suck on popsicles, ice cubes or boiled sweets
In this way, we can conclude that you can plan the nutrition for people with cancer by taking the help of your doctor and nutritionist to make your loved one live a healthy life.
About the Author
Dr.Alin Thoms is a well known cancer specialist ( oncologist) and has been in this field since from 1995. He uses radiotherapy or drugs to treat cancer. He has done B.A and B.M.B.ch from Oxford University. His special interests lies in - leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and chemotherapy and transplantation for these disorders. He is currently director of the North London Cancer Network
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