Diet during treatment?

pgdaughter

Ladies, would you care to share what dietary intake you have found useful to you while undergoing treatment? Be it to keep up protein levels or blood count? 

Tethys41

Book

Hi pgdaughter,

I recommend the Cancer Fighting Kitchen Cookbook by Rebecca Katz.  Great recipes and good information about how to use them to address side effects of treatment.  There is also information out there about fasting on the days around chemo to reduce side effects.  I don't know enough about it to give you guidance.  I know women who do this under the guidance of a naturopath. 

Good luck

NoTimeForCancer

I was told "push the protein"

I was told "push the protein".  7 - 9 servings a day.  1 oz counted as one - so a can of tuna - 3 oz = 3, 1 egg = 1.  Cheese, nuts, yogurt, meat (I realize not everyone eats meat).  I had met with a dietician and she explained what "push the protein" meant.  

Since I had radiation to my pelvis in the middle of the chemo (the sandwich treatment) I was told that there could be a problem getting my treatment on the timeline first prescribed.   My numbers weren't good and the last chemo had to be delayed one week.  It was really tough emotiionally.

If possible, see if a dietician is available who specialized in helping cancer patients. 

beccabtown

I also ate as much protein as

I also ate as much protein as possible. I drank Ensure, especially the Ensure Enlive formula, which has extra protein. It was recommended to me by the nutritionist at my radiology center.

Kvdyson

Just like the others who have

Just like the others who have already posted, I was told to eat lots of protein. My onc nurses also advised that I stay away from raw foods (like salads, sushi, etc.) unless I was the one cleaning/preparing them. I guess it was because of the risk of germ contamination. They said that raw fruits with thick skins that are peeled off were fine to eat (after washing them well, of course) since the germs would be on the skins that are thrown away and not eaten.

Also, after the second cycle, nuts lost all of their flavor for me so I stopped eating them. It was really strange. They just tasted like water to me. The flavor came back once the chemo ended.

Lou Ann M

Diet

I lost my taste for so many things and eating just became hard to do.  I did  and still do have a Breakfast Essential every evening.  One kind has a lot of protein.  I had a lot of smoothies made from fruit. And for some reason pizza was one thing I could eat most of the time.  Tried to keep it healthy, but every once in awhile i would enjoy a treat.  My husband would take me by Dairy Queen for a Blizzard after chemo.  I waffled between eating healthy and eating what ever I wanted because I figure that my time my be short and I should enjoy myself.  Lou Ann

Keeping hydrated is something that makes a big difference.

rcdeman

I agree with push the protein

I agree with push the protein. But also try to keep a low sugar diet. So nuts, beans, lentils, hummus, tahini, lean meats (organic chicken, eggs, pork). We've been cutting back on too much beef too.

pgdaughter

Thanks much

Love to all