Tips for common problems during Cancer Treatment

It can be very frustrating when the side effects of your cancer treatment interfere with your ability to eat a healthy diet, but there are still things you can do to take control and help yourself.

Low appetite or weight-loss

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• If you can only eat a little, choose high-protein, high-energy foods.
• If your appetite is better in the morning, have your biggest meal in the morning.
• Don’t Drink between meals; drinking with meals may fill you up too quickly.
• Use liquid or powdered nutritional supplements between meals to increase your energy intake, e.g. Complan, Ensure etc.
• Take a walk before mealtimes to enhance your appetite.

Constipation

• Drink at least eight glasses of fluids each day to avoid hard stools. Vary with cold or warm water, prune or other juices, green or herbal teas.
• Eat high-fibre foods: fruits and vegetables, legumes and pulses, whole grain breads and cereals.
• Increase your physical activity.

Diarrhoea

• Get plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration; avoid caffeinated drinks.
• A high-fibre diet may worsen symptoms: try white bread, white rice and noodles instead of whole grains; limit legumes and pulses; peel fruits and vegetables to reduce the fibre.
• Avoid foods that are spicy, fatty, or very sweet.

Vomiting

• Keep the diet bland until you can tolerate more: start with clear fluids like juices, sports drinks or soups; progress to soft foods like yoghurt, mashed potato or rice khicdi.
• Keep your fluid intake up to avoid dehydration.

Nausea

• Sip fluids frequently to help settle your stomach.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals: not eating at all can worsen nausea.
• Avoid fatty, spicy or high-fibre foods as well as gas-producing foods (like beans, onions, Peas, legumes, carbonated drinks and chewing gum).
• Eat sitting up; avoid lying down after a meal, unless the head is elevated.

Difficulty swallowing

• Aim for small, frequent, high-energy, high-protein meals in a tolerable consistency: cook foods until soft; cut foods into small pieces or purée; moisten foods with home prepared spreads, sauces or dressings.
• Eat food at room temperature if cold and warm foods are irritating.
• Use a straw for drinks.

Dry mouth

• Tart drinks like lemonade or sweet lime juice may help saliva production.
• Avoid salty foods.
• Moisten foods with home prepared spreads, sauces, dressings or gravies, or take a sip of fluid with each mouthful to help with chewing and swallowing.
• A straw may help to ensure you drink plenty of fluids.

Taste changes

• Try new flavours; use different marinades, sauces, herbs and spices.
• Decrease the smell of food by serving cold or at room temperature.
• Add a little sugar to bitter or salty foods; add a pinch of salt to over-sweet foods.
• Keep your mouth clean by brushing and rinsing regularly; rinse with a baking soda mouth rinse: this will help keep your mouth clean without irritating a dry or sore mouth – dissolve 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 250ml water.

Unintentional weight gain

• Check weight gain is not fluid retention caused by drugs; discuss with your clinician.
• Weight gain can occur when appetite increases, physical activity decreases, or food choices change. The advice is the same as for anyone needing to lose weight: focus on consuming a healthy diet, rather than dieting; take care with portion sizes; and consider increasing exercise.