How to eat better while undergoing cancer treatment?

This is an automatically translated article.

Going through cancer treatments can affect your taste buds. Here are some tips to make your meals more appetizing.

1. Why does cancer treatment cause anorexia?

You may feel that having cancer as well as having to undergo therapy to treat this disease has affected your taste. Food taste becomes bland or too sweet, salty or even metallic.
Usually these effects fade over time. For the time being, try to maintain your calorie intake as well as meet the needs of protein, vitamins and essential minerals.
If you always have a specific diet such as low sodium or fat or specifically designed for people with diabetes, it is necessary to reduce the rigidity of the above diets. You need to allow yourself to consume a wider variety of substances to meet your body's needs. Check with your doctor to make sure this is reasonable and to see if this change will affect the medications you take.
A common side effect of cancer and its treatments is anorexia or loss of appetite, meaning that the person may eat less than usual, not feel hungry or feel full only after a meal. small amount.

Constant loss of appetite can lead to serious complications including weight loss, not getting the nutrients the body needs, fatigue and weakness from muscle loss, known as wasting. These problems can slow recovery and lead to treatment interruptions.
Many different things can cause anorexia in people with cancer:
Changes in metabolism, the process by which the body breaks down food and turns it into energy. Such changes can occur with advanced cancer. Cancer inside the abdomen, which can cause irritation or swelling. The spleen or liver is enlarged, pushing up on the stomach and creating a feeling of fullness. Ascites, which is a buildup of protein-filled fluid in the abdomen that can produce a feeling of fullness. Medicines, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other drugs. Radiation therapy or surgery to any part of the digestive system, such as the stomach or intestines. Other side effects of cancer treatment can also cause loss of appetite:
Nausea and vomiting. Pain. Mouth pain. Oral infection. Dry mouth. Difficulty swallowing. Difficulty chewing. Change the taste. Constipation or diarrhea. Tired. Depression. Stress or anxiety. Here are a few suggestions for choosing and preparing foods. Try applying these ideas to find the combination that works best for you.
Note: If your mouth and throat are sore, avoid consuming spicy, acidic, or very hot foods as they can cause irritation.

2. Suggested menu for cancer patients

Breakfast:
Baked beans on toast with grated cheese. Crumbs or muffins baked with cheese and fruit. Scrambled or poached eggs on toast and a glass of orange juice. Tuna or sardines on avocado toast with fresh tomatoes. Cheese and mushroom omelette with buttered bread. Toast with cheese, butter or peanut butter, then sliced ​​banana and yogurt. Porridge or rice cake made from milk and cream.

Meal:
Fresh or frozen fish with chips and salad. Grilled lamb cutlets, mashed potatoes with margarine or butter, peas and carrots. Pasta with cheese and ready-made sauces, e.g. pesto or bolognaise. Salmon, tuna or egg with mayonnaise, salad and avocado bread rolls. Noodles, stir-fries, curries and rice, burgers or pizza (make sure the food is freshly cooked). Potatoes with baked beans. Snacks:
Cheese and crackers. Butter cookies, scones, muffins, fruit cakes, finger cakes or raisin toast. Celery with cream cheese or peanut butter. Boiled eggs. Dried fruits and nuts. Sandwiches - try fillings like egg and mayonnaise, cheese, peanut butter, avocado, salmon or canned tuna. Milk puddings, such as creamy rice/rice cakes, custards, mousses and instant puddings. Fresh or canned fruit with custard, yogurt, jelly, ice cream or condensed milk. Creamy soup made with milk and butter toast. Hot fries, chicken balls or fish balls. Crispy fries, biscuits or fried corn with dipping sauce. Yogurt or ice cream. Drinks:
Milkshake. Banana smoothie. Lassi mango or apricot. Hot chocolate. Flavored milk. Crushed lemon apricot juice. If the food is too bland:
Try using a variety of sauces, condiments or other ingredients to enhance the flavor of the meal. While cooking, add to the dish:
Barbecue sauce. Assorted extracts or spices. Ketchup. Meat marinade. Mustard. Soy sauce. Herbal seasoning. Teriyaki sauce. Vinegar. Some other suggestions are:
Minced bacon. Sliced ​​bell peppers. Minced garlic and onions. Ham. Nuts types. Cheese, especially hard cheese like Cheddar. Try things like:
Sprinkle more sugar or syrup on top of the dish. For cereal, use brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, dates or raisins in place of white sugar. Eat foods that have a tangy taste like bacon, cheeses, and thinly sliced ​​potatoes. If foods taste too sweet:
Reduce their sweetness by:
Add a pinch of salt or lime juice. Add plain yogurt, buttermilk, instant coffee powder or add milk to milkshakes, drink mixes or nutritional drinks. Drink beverages such as fruit syrup, milk, buttermilk, lemonade, ginger ale or electrolyte water. Opt for desserts that aren't too sweet like yogurt, custard, pumpkin pie, fruit, baked fruit, fruit with cottage cheese, fruit crumbs, donuts, or crackers. Graham. Choose foods that are less sweet, for example:
Cheese. Fries or pretzels with dipping sauce. Fresh cheese curd. Cheese and crackers. Devil eggs. Seeds. Peanut butter. If syrups, jams, or sugars are too sweet, try using butter or butter or vegetable stock to make cereals, toasts, and pancakes.
If the food tastes too salty:
Adding a little sugar can help correct the saltiness in some foods. Cook foods by not adding salt or spices that contain this mineral. Avoid consuming processed foods high in sodium by reading labels. Use foods that are mild or mild in taste.
If the meat doesn't taste right:
If the meat you're using for the dish is fresh and properly prepared but still doesn't taste the same, try other protein foods like:

Bean soups, salads or side dishes such as dipping sauces or spreads. Cheese. Fresh cheese curd. Custard. Egg dishes. Egg custard cocktail. Fish - fresh, frozen, or vacuum packed as canned varieties can have a metallic taste. Instant drinks for breakfast or other nutritional beverage products of the same type. Types of lentils. Noodles and cheese. Nuts. Peanut butter. Poultry. Pudding. Matcha circuit. Molded beans or tempe dishes. Yogurt. Some other suggestions in preparing meat:
Cook meat in combination with many other foods such as chili, Lasagna noodles, spaghetti sauce, casserole stew, stewed soups with a variety of ingredients. Use sauces, ketchup and other spices during seasoning to improve the taste. Marinate meat, chicken or fish in solutions such as soy, fruit juices, wine or Italian vinegars. Use salty, spicy, or smoked meats like marinated steaks, pork loin, ham, sausages or cold cuts. Use foods that are high in protein and taste better when refrigerated or at room temperature. For example cottage cheese or cottage cheese curd; pasta salad with shrimp; ham; tuna; egg; ham or chicken salad; cold ham sandwich, or cold salmon. If the late effects of cancer therapy are the cause of your weakened immune system, some of the foods listed above may not be safe for you. Practice food hygiene and safety by keeping food at the right temperature. Do not leave perishable foods outside for more than an hour. Avoid unpasteurized juices, cheese or milk, and raw and undercooked meats.

3. Some general suggestions to help cancer patients eat better

The more eye-catching the food, the better the taste. Choose foods with a variety of colors, temperatures and shapes. Drink water regularly along with using gum, mint or lozenges to get rid of bad breath. Use plastic cookware and utensils if you feel a bitter or metallic taste in your mouth while eating. Visit your dentist to find out more about dental problems. Always clean your teeth thoroughly. Check with your doctor to see if your taste changes are related to the medications you're taking. In some cases, your doctor may adjust your medications to reduce and eliminate side effects. Do not stop taking the drug on your own. Talk to your health care professional about the use of mouthwashes. If the above measures do not work or you are in the process of losing weight, contact your doctor or qualified nutritionist for more information. Here are a few suggestions to help cancer patients eat better during treatment. Please follow the website: Vinmec.com regularly to update many other useful information.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

References: mayoclinic.org, cancercouncil.com.au, cancer.net