Get Cooking
by Holly Clegg
(Editor's Note: This article was reprinted with permission from the Summer 2010 issue of Cancerfighters Thrive magazine. It has some wonderful information for you to share with a cancer patient and family that you're ministering to.)
Food Is Medicine
When you’re diagnosed with cancer, your food choices play an even more critical role in your health and wellness. And when it comes time to take on cancer treatment, you’ll be eating to fuel your body and maintain critical energy that you need to move toward optimal health. At this point it may be helpful to think of food itself as part of your treatment plan: food is medicine.
So where do you start? How can you use the food you eat as a tool on your journey toward wellness? How can food help? The truth is that your food choices can help combat many of the frequent side effects of cancer treatment. In this column I’ll provide you with some helpful tips related to managing the side effects of chemotherapy.
Managing Chemotherapy
For many cancer patients, the thought of chemotherapy-induced nausea becomes a major source of anxiety when faced with treatment. When it does occur, nausea is generally the result of the destruction of rapidly dividing cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. It’s important to know, however, that not all treatments will cause nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite. And with the many anti-nausea medications available, it’s very likely that your medical team will be able to manage your nausea. I hope the following tips can help you manage the changes that cancer treatment may bring. As you experiment with different food choices and figure out how your nutritional needs can best be addressed, keep in mind that food can be your ally as you meet the challenges of this journey.
Try These Nutrition Tips For Managing Cancer Treatment:
If you do find yourself feeling nauseated, try these tips during treatment to ensure that you continue to eat and benefit from the nutritional value of the foods you consume :
• Eat a light, low-fat meal prior to treatment, including foods such as cereal, toast, oatmeal, grits,
fruit cocktail, and peach or pear nectar.
• Twenty-four hours following treatment, try liquids, soups, puddings, or sandwiches.
• Avoid high-fat, fried or greasy foods for the first 24 to 48 hours following treatment.
• If you find that only a few foods appeal to you, don’t worry if you only eat those foods until you feel like expanding your diet.
• Water is essential. Try for eight to 10 glasses per day.
• If only drinking is appealing, try some of the many supplement drinks now available.
Some people undergoing chemotherapy experience a sore or dry mouth or a loss of appetite . If you are facing these challenges, consider the following:
• Eat frequent small meals instead of three meals daily. This will help increase your caloric intake.
• Remember that hydration is critical; keep a glass of liquid available at all times. Water with lemon, apple juice, carrot juice, or cranberry juice are all good choices.
• If you’re suffering from mouth sores, try mixing 1 teaspoon of salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 1 quart of water. Rinse and spit with this mixture after each meal—or at least four times per day. Mix fresh each morning using tap water.
• Avoid foods that might irritate a sore mouth. These may include oranges, lemons, tomato sauces, crackers, and alcohol. Also avoid hot or extremely cold foods.
It’s not uncommon for patients undergoing chemotherapy to experience a change in taste -- some of your favorite foods may no longer be appealing, and you may find yourself craving unusual flavors . If you experience changes in taste, try these suggestions:
• Experiment. Try foods or beverages that are different from what you usually eat.
• Keep your mouth clean by rinsing and brushing, which may improve the taste of foods.
• Season foods with tart flavors, such as lemon wedges, lemonade, citrus fruits, vinegar, and pickled foods. (If you have a sore mouth or throat, disregard this tip.)
• Tart candies, peppermints, or lemon drops may reduce the sensations of bitter or sour taste. (Try sugarless varieties.)
• If you experience a metallic taste in meat, try marinating meat in a reduced-sodium soy sauce or fat-free Italian dressing to intensify the flavor.
• If red meat doesn’t appeal to you, try chicken, seafood, or beans for protein.
• Fresh vegetables may be more appealing than canned or frozen ones.
• Use plastic utensils if you’re bothered by a bitter or metallic taste.
Apple Lasagna
8 no-cook lasagna noodles
2 (21-ounce) cans apple pie filling
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cup sugar
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
3 cup light brown sugar
3 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350º. Coat 13x9x2 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread one can apple pie filling, slicing any extra- thick apples. Cover apples with four lasagna noodles.
In a bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, egg whites, almond extract, and sugar. Spread evenly over noodles and top with remaining four noodles. Spoon remaining can of apple pie filling over the top.
In a small bowl, crumble together the flour, cinnamon, margarine, brown sugar, oatmeal, and vanilla extract. Sprinkle over the top. Bake 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes.
Makes 10 to 12 servings
Nutritional information per serving: calories 292; protein 7 grams (g); carbohydrate 53 g; fat 6 g; calories from fat 19; saturated fat 2 g; dietary fiber 2 g; cholesterol 11 milligrams (mg); sodium 133 mg; diabetic exchanges: 0.5 very lean meat, 1 starch, 2 fruit, 0.5 other carbohydrate, 1 fat
Apples and pasta pair up for this unusual combo, which is wonderful for a light breakfast, a light dinner,or even as a side.