Chemotherapy and Nutrition – 14 Useful Tips and a Snack Recipe

During chemotherapy, patients want good nutrition to support health. Paying attention to food can make a difference. Diet matters during chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and chemotherapy affects each patient differently. Nutrition also helps manage treatment adverse effects.

Coping With Chemotherapy Adverse Effects

1. How Can Food Remain Tasty?

Chemotherapy may alter taste, making some foods and drinks metallic or unpleasant. Water and meat are the two most common problems. If drinking water is difficult, try flavored mineral water or add sliced lemon, cucumber, apple or orange. If some meats taste unpleasant, try other proteins such as eggs, low-fat milk, beans and fish.

2. What Helps Constipation?

Some experience diarrhea with chemotherapy, others constipation.

Hydration helps prevent constipation. All dietary fiber types may help, so ensure you eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. Some exercise, even just a 20-minute walk, may benefit you.

3. How Can Weight Be Controlled?

Some patients gain weight during treatment, particularly when corticosteroids accompany breast cancer chemotherapy. We recommend avoiding pastries and salt and choosing low-fat meals, healthy snacks and vegetables.

4. How Can Appetite Be Managed?

Many chemotherapy patients notice reduced appetite. Carbohydrates are generally easily digested, so cereals with peanut or hazelnut butter and pita bread or toast may be tasty snacks for those with poor appetite. Yogurt and soups are other options.

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5. How Can Diarrhea Be Controlled?

If you have diarrhea, avoid fatty and fried foods, caffeine, sugary drinks and fruit juices, salad greens and alcohol. Oatmeal, sweet potatoes and squash are generally well tolerated and recommended during diarrhea.

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6. How Can You Keep a Food Diary?

Record food, drink and daily symptoms. This helps you and your healthcare team identify what may cause nausea, constipation or diarrhea, allowing medication and other dietary measures before problems develop.

Feeling Better During Chemotherapy

7. How Can Mouth Sores Be Relieved?

Some chemotherapy types cause oral mucositis , or mouth sores. Avoid spicy foods, alcohol and hot foods to encourage healing. Keep the mouth moist with plenty of fluids throughout the day. Rinsing with water after meals may also help.

8. Why Is Adequate Fluid Intake Important?

Diarrhea and vomiting with low fluid intake can cause dehydration. Signs include dry mouth, sunken eyes, low urine output and inability to produce tears. Plenty of fluids may prevent dehydration.

9. How Can Nausea Be Relieved?

Cool rather than hot foods, chewing ginger or sipping mint or ginger tea may relieve nausea. Avoid fatty or fried foods and strongly scented foods.

10. Reduce Portion Sizes

Small meals tend to be better tolerated during chemotherapy than larger, less frequent ones. Smaller, more frequent meals also help nausea.

11. Consult a Dietitian

A dietitian specializing in oncology nutrition may help, designing programs tailored to you and your disease during treatment and assisting with nutritional supplement choices.

12. How Can Alcohol Be Avoided?

Be kind to your liver during chemotherapy because it metabolizes potential bloodstream toxins. Alcohol can overburden it and complicate chemotherapy processing. It may worsen nausea and other gastrointestinal adverse effects and interact with medicines given alongside chemotherapy.

13. What Limits Should Apply to Tea and Green Tea?

Some doctors limit normal and green tea consumption during chemotherapy. Green tea should be limited to one or two cups daily. Heavy consumption of green, normal or herbal teas may cause drug interactions through plant metabolites (antioxidants and phytochemicals) and unwanted metabolic effects.

14. Ask Your Doctor About Soy-Based Foods

Soy-based foods have estrogenic effects. We therefore warn particularly against using them for healing. For example, they are not recommended in hormone-positive breast cancer. Consult your doctor if you wish to use soy or soy products.

Salad Roll Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 large cucumbers
• 2 carrots
• Curly lettuce
• Parsley
• Dill
• 2 red peppers
• For spreading inside: 25 grams strained white cheese

Preparing the Salad Rolls

First use a vegetable peeler to slice cucumbers lengthwise very thinly for rolling. Prepare the other ingredients. Cut carrots, lettuce and red pepper into finger-length strips. Place a long cucumber slice on the board and spread cheese mixture on it. Add one or two pieces of each cut ingredient, with dill and parsley between them, then more cheese mixture on top to help it stick. Enjoy.

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