Meeting Nutritional Needs During Cancer Treatment
Cancer is defined as “a disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body.” Reading this definition has always made me wonder; what do our bodies need in terms of nutrition when going through such a drastic and harmful disruption in our body? There is no doubt that cancer completely turns your world upside down and can make your body feel and do all sorts of different and unusual things. In this month’s article we will discuss nutritional needs, specifically caloric needs and macronutrients, that are especially important when combating cancer and going through treatment.
The most important thing to remember when trying to meet nutritional needs during cancer is that you must be consuming an adequate amount of calories! A lot of times this becomes difficult due to not feeling well from the actual cancer or from the treatments that you may be receiving. Your body is already working overtime to try to combat this abnormal division of cells therefore it is burning more calories and working harder to try to keep you healthy. Sometimes people do not have an issue consuming the correct number of calories until they start treatment. Once treatment has started you may notice that your appetite has gone down. Often, patients may need to turn to high calorie options to meet needs. This could include adding more butter on your bread, adding cheese to things you may not normally, or cooking with a little bit more oil. While this isn’t something that would be ideal for everyday, it may be necessary when you’re going through treatment. We all can relate to feeling nausea coming on and when it does we typically don’t have much of an appetite. Liquids and broth soups are typically the way to go. Rebecca Katz, author of The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen, has a recipe for a broth called the Magic Mineral Broth. This broth is nothing but wholesome veggies, herbs, and some spices boiled together in filtered water. This is not only going to be amazing for your body and help fill caloric needs during nausea spells but will also ensure that your body is getting the vitamins and minerals that it requires.
Protein is absolutely critical when it comes to our bodies healing and recovering from trauma. When your body needs to heal it must use protein that either comes from our diet or our bodies. You don’t ever want your body to be your source of protein, this means that your muscle is breaking down in order to fuel your body, therefore consuming adequate protein is crucial! As you undergo treatment you may need to increase the amount of protein in your diet in order to heal and fight infection. Some great sources of healthy proteins are turkey, chicken, pork tenderloin, salmon (wild caught), albacore tuna, eggs, soy, lentils, rice and beans (eaten together is a complete protein from a plant based source!), and dairy products.
Unfortunately fats have a bad reputation these days. While there are certainly bad fats, there are also good fats! Each and every person must consume fats to keep their bodies working properly. Basically healthy fats can be an amazing source of energy and as mentioned earlier energy is so crucial during cancer treatment. A good rule of thumb is to avoid trans fats. Trans fats are found in baked goods, snack foods, and margarine or shortening. The fats that you should be consuming are unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are typically found in vegetable oils, seafood and avocado! Saturated fats should be consumed minimally from milk, cheese, butter and meats. A great way to add calories if needed during treatment or nausea is to add half of an avocado (or whole depending on your needs) to your green smoothie! It tastes surprisingly amazing and adds a delicious creaminess.
Lastly, carbohydrates! Unfortunately another macronutrient with a bad reputation. Again, there are good carbohydrates and bad. The important thing to remember here is to choose wisely! Carbohydrates are the number one source of energy in your body. Without carbs your brain would not function at its maximum ability. The best way to consume carbohydrates are obviously from whole foods. Some people are shocked to hear that fruits and vegetables actually contain carbohydrates. We have an inaccurate view of carbs when we only talk about pastas and breads, hence the bad reputation. When consuming carbs choose fruits such as apples and bananas and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and seasonal squashes and whole grains such as oats, brown rice and quinoa. This allows you to receive the energy that you need without having the added junk and calories that maybe you don’t need. Pasta and bread aren’t all bad either, just make sure to choose “whole grain” or “whole wheat” options. Another way to consume healthy carbohydrates would be from your juicing that you may be doing. Fruit and vegetable juice will also contain carbohydrates to fuel your body!
A lot of this may be common sense but it is always a great refresher for anyone. As always, eat a balanced diet! If you are consistently eating the correct amount of protein, fat, and carbs that are appropriate for you meeting these above needs should not be an issue. Another great reminder is to always consume an adequate amount of water. Your body is weaker when not properly hydrated and to fight during treatment it needs to be in top notch shape. As always, consult your doctor or dietitian for your specific calorie and macronutrient needs during your treatment.