Smoothies with raw fruits can be a great between-meal option for people being treated for cancer.
When you’re being treated for cancer, food can lose all its appeal. But is more important than ever as you move toward recovery. Dietitians – and a patient who’s been there – share their advice for how to eat right.
The Nutrition Strategy
Linda Kao of Dallas has gone through a gamut of cancer treatment – chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Kao, assistant dean of global programs at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business, was traveling in Chile in October 2010 when she says she noticed an “odd mass” in her mouth.
On her return to Dallas, Kao found out she had tonsil cancer, and she began treatment at the Baylor Cancer Center. “From the very first meeting with my oncologist, he introduced me to the nutritionist/dietitian and told me she would be my best friend – and one of the most important people throughout the treatment,” says Kao, who answered questions via email because the cancer treatment significantly weakened her voice.
It’s often difficult for patients with head and neck cancers to maintain their weight, so Kao's nutritionist recommended that she early on. Throughout 18 weeks of chemo, antiemetic medications and careful monitoring of her diet staved off nausea and vomiting.
While Kao says she felt “miserable” during the first week, she forced herself to eat. By week three, she felt better and ate as much as she could before facing the next round of chemo. She says she actually gained about 15 pounds. Then came radiation.
Loss of Appetite
When it comes to cancer and nutrition, “everybody wants to do their best, try their hardest to increase their chances of survivorship – but also feel well in the moment,” says Stacy Kennedy, a registered dietitian and senior nutritionist at in Boston.
But side effects – including nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and diarrhea – interfere.
Suzanne Dixon, a registered dietitian and former chair of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' , points out that cancer is not a single disease – no two cases are identical. Symptoms, treatments and responses vary widely from patient to patient. So it’s important to work with a , she says, ideally one who specializes in oncology nutrition.
To combat appetite loss, Dixon suggests doing light physical activity to stimulate appetite, keeping food handy for moments when appetite returns and eating by the clock instead of waiting for hunger cues. Eating small, frequent meals is another way to maintain nutrition as appetite shrinks, Kennedy says.
also make great between-meal options. “You can kind of multitask in your glass,” she says. “If your goal is to get fruits and vegetables, protein, hydration, fiber, electrolytes – a smoothie can help you do all that at once.”
Nausea Control
Keeping nausea at bay is a balancing act – an empty stomach, a too-full stomach or even hunger can make it worse. Food odors can stimulate nausea, Dixon says. Eating low-odor foods, avoiding food preparation areas and using a lidded cup while drinking smoothies or nutrition supplements can minimize nauseating smells.
Acupuncture also has been shown to help prevent nausea and vomiting in people receiving chemotherapy, according to the , Dixon notes.
It’s important to replenish lost nutrients, especially when patients experience vomiting, Kennedy says. “With vomiting, you have to really focus on your hydration with electrolyte-rich fluids like broth – regular broth, not low sodium.”
Dixon emphasizes that patients should not endure vomiting as an “expected” chemo side effect to be tolerated: “If you’re vomiting profusely, that’s a medical problem – and you really need to talk to your physician or nurse,” she says.