Nutrition Requirements During Cancer Treatment

Posted by Lascolinascancercenter on February 11th, 2014

When a person is diagnosed with cancer, there is a certain dietary regime, so as to compensate for the nutritional requirements of the body as it changes drastically during treatments. This may be because of the surgery and chemotherapy they undergo. There can be various side effects that may occur due to cancer treatment. Their immune system is compromised and often people lose their appetite. They can also feel a sense of nausea and vomiting. This intolerance can be accredited to the destructive mechanisms of the body to cure cancer.

Nutrition plays a key role in staying healthy during cancer treatment. As the saying goes “we are what we eat” can truly mean that proper food paves a way, to a speedy recovery. A balanced meal can have a great impact on the body and help one recoup from the side effects of cancer treatments. When a person is affected with colon cancer, foods containing red meat should be avoided and should be replaced with chicken or fish. Even the intake of fresh fruits must be limited to juices since a major part of the intestine is undergoing treatment.

Nutrition for cancer patients is completely different as compared to normal dietary regimen. The food the patient needs should ensure that it helps the patient regain their strength and withstand the destructive radiations of cancer therapy. The tolerance level and the immunity system of the body take a major setback during these cancer treatments. The diet should supply sufficient proteins and vitamins to the patient undergoing treatment.

A cancer patients’ appetite tends to deteriorate; particularly during chemotherapy. Nutritional deficiencies are usually observed in patients. Communication and proper care from the patient’s relatives are very important. The doctors make it a point to counsel the patient about the side effects of these oncological therapies. Food and nutrition make it possible to recoup even though taste and texture of food is lost and mouth sours may appear. The damaged proteins from the body tissues need to be repaired as they tend to get damaged very early during chemotherapy. Nuts, peas, milk etc. help build the protective resistance. Healthy food and ideal calorie intake ensures strength to these damaged tissues. The metabolic rate of a person should be stable to withstand harmful chemotherapy.

About the author:
The Las Colinas Cancer Center is located on the service road of HWY 161 and Las Colinas Boulevard near the Regions Bank. We are located just across the Highway from the Las Colinas Medical Center. We designed the Las Colinas Cancer Center with our patients in mind. From our comfortable waiting room that offers gourmet coffee to our ample and convenient free parking, we try to focus on our patients and their family members every step of the way. Our experienced and trained medical staffs is attentive to detail and our center offers the most advanced cancer fighting technology available in North Texas including on-site PET & CT Scanning. The physicians on staff at our Las Colinas location are Dr. Gregory Echt, Dr. Neeraja Dasari, Dr. James Mackey, and Dr. Kiran Kancharla.