While being treated from cancer by chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or undergoing integrative cancer treatment, the senses of taste do not remain intact. Food may feel to lake flavor, or taste sweet, salty or metallic. But you should remember that this is temporarily and do your best to handle it. These are changes that come to alongside with other side effects while getting treatment. The most important thing here is to provide your body with sufficient protein, vitamin and minerals. When started the treatment, you will feel lack of appetite, which will lead to the loss of weight. Here comes the key factor that you should be familiar with. Also, if you are following a specific diet related to specific needs, there would be need to put those restrictions aside for a while. With more variety you will get adequate nutrition.
Consider your individual needs
Depending on your individual needs, the curing doctor may give instruction to lose weight, maintain it or gain weight as weight management is patient specific. It’s always best to check with you doctor to determine which one is your case. Whatever is your case, it is better not to change your eating habits suddenly with the hope to offset years of bad eating habits in a short period of time. You will never know how treatment will affect your body. First track the response of your body, consult with your doctor and then go for the changes.
Either eat a variety of food or increase protein in your diet
Eating a variety of foods is better for your health. But if there is need to lose weight or it is being so unwillingly, it is beneficial to increase the amount of protein you eat. Protein intake is particularly important to avoid losing lean muscle mass when dropping weight. In case you have difficulty in maintaining your weight, it can go to the point where any calorie is really more important than being captious about food choice. Not being too much concerned about the choice, sometimes you need just to eat. Along with this be aware that enough calories help to maintain your weight, protein helps to rebuild tissues that cancer treatment may harm and vitamins and minerals are essential for your body’s functioning. Besides eating habit changes, it is good to remember about exercising as it can help with appetite and digestion issues related to alternative cancer treatment.
Stay
hydrated
In order to help your body to deal with the effects of treatment, hydration plays a great role. If you need to eat calories to maintain your weight, you can also add calories to your diet in a tasty-friendly way. Fruit juice will have the same impact on your body as water.
Find combination of foods that appeal to you
If food lakes flavor, try to add different sauces, seasonings and other ingredients to get good taste. If food tastes too sweet, tone down overly by adding a little salt or lemon juice. Instead of sweet snacks, choose other foods. A little sugar may tone down the saltiness of some foods. Also you can cook foods without adding salt. Check with your doctor to see if taste changes could be related to your medications. In some cases, doctor may adjust your medications to reduce or eliminate side effects. Alongside, check with your dentist to see if you have any dental problems.
Choose food according to your treatment type
Whether you take chemotherapy, radiation, or undergo alternative cancer treatment, your objective of your diet will differ at bit. So in case you need carbohydrates and fat, your diet should include a lot of vegetables, like corn, potatoes, grains like trice, oatmeal, pastas, beans, certain dairy products, honey, jam etc. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado, milk, sour cream, cheese are good source for fat. Well balanced diet with enough protein and calories contains plenty of vitamins and minerals. Eat foods of different colors like tomatoes, watermelon, cherries, carrots, oranges, potatoes, broccoli etc. Some food might be harmful in your case. So again and again, consult with your doctor and go for the best choice.
While being diagnosed by a cancer, many changes will come to your daily life and routine. It’s important not to panic, accept the changes and try to control them as much as you can. The rest is a matter of time. Soon your efforts will be paid off.
