Coping with Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
Food Battles – Coping with Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
It’s common knowledge that we need food to grow and be healthy, but what we choose to consume is influenced by so much more than this knowledge.
Food is a way of life for us – the country we live in, our ethnic roots, family recipes passed down through generations and preferred comfort foods / beverages collectively reflect who we are. Sitting down around a table and sharing food brings us together in a special way.
So it is particularly unsettling for cancer Survivors (patients) undergoing treatment that due to side effects of treatment or the disease itself, eating / drinking may no longer be an enjoyable experience. Survivors, depending on which side effects they are experiencing, may even prefer not to eat in the company of others.
Cancer treatment kills off cancer cells, but unfortunately, healthy cells may be damaged in the process which results in various side effects, which may differ from one person to another.
Imaginge…
Your favourite comfort food now tasting absolutely vile to you, or the way your food tastes and smells being different. On top of this you possibly find it hard to chew and swallow food because your mouth and throat are dry or sore, and your gums hurt / your teeth are fragile, or you can’t even look at food because you feel so nauseas or know you’ll just vomit if you eat or drink anything. Then there’s the longer term concern that you will experience chronic diarrhoea or constipation. It’s enough to make anyone lose their appetite!
Members of our CANSA Survivors – Champions of Hope Facebook Support Group for patients were asked what they wish they had known beforehand, regarding dietary related side effects of cancer treatment:
Trix Dreyer: I have to force myself to eat, and only very small quantities at a time. I get cravings for something sweet.
Surina Geldenhuys: With some food items the taste and smell has changed completely and two and a half years after treatment, they still taste funny. I would have liked advice on food to eat that could help with fatigue, insomnia, damaged teeth and concentration.
Amanda Jayne Hill: Food I used to love, I now hate, because of chemo. I can’t handle red meat.
Kathleen Mavourneen Smith: I can’t taste or smell what I am eating and drinking…everything gets chilli in it so that it at least has some taste.
Martha Sequeira: Eating meat and how my body would react to it after chemo. I could not keep anything down. My biggest gripe was that there was no suggestion of getting a dietician’s help. Also what kind of vitamins and minerals would be depleted by chemo treatment. I landed in hospital for days after severe seizures, due to very low magnesium / calcium levels.
Elbie Kotzee: I could not eat solids, only clear soup and fresh fruit juice. When my mouth was full of sores, I ate Marie Biscuits. Lost so much weight. After nine years in remission there are still foods that I cannot tolerate. No one could assist me with the pros and cons of food types / what to eat to keep my body functioning properly.
CANSA Can Help
It is important for Survivors undergoing treatment to consume a variety of foods in order for their bodies to get sufficient nutrients to fight cancer. Good nutrition leads to increased strength and energy, lowers risk for infection and helps maintain an appropriate weight.
Side effects of treatment can lead to malnutrition due to an avoidance of meals or difficulty in consuming an adequate amount of food / fluids. An added complication is that cancer treatment may affect the manner in which the body tolerates food and makes use of nutrients, which may also vary during and after treatment.
For this reason CANSA recommends that if possible, Survivors consult with a registered Dietician if they are experiencing problems related to nutrition / diet.
CANSA helps patients, caregivers and loved ones cope with diagnosis of cancer, as well as with managing side effects of cancer treatment, whether physical, or psychological. An important aspect of this includes providing patients with guidelines / advice regarding nutrition before, during and after treatment.
Megan Pentz-Kluyts, CANSA’s consulting Registered Dietician, has helped put together infographics regarding top dietary tips for cancer patients who struggle with loss of appetite, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea, and has also provided affordable, nutritious recipes for cancer patients dealing with these side effects.
Aside from offering dietary tips to Survivors, the following support is provided at CANSA Care Centres: stoma, wig, prostheses, medical equipment hire, support groups, individual counselling and we have Care Homes where patients staying far away from treatment centres can stay while treatment is taking place. Online support groups and resources are also available to support and guide patients, loved ones and caregivers, from the time of diagnosis, and throughout treatment.