How to Eat the Right Foods During Chemotherapy

In chemotherapy, doctors employ chemicals to destroy cancer cells. The treatment has many possible side effects, including mouth sores that make eating painful. If you are about to undergo chemotherapy, it is important to plan your diet. Eating the right foods during chemotherapy can give you added reserves of energy.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access

Instructions

1. Add protein to your diet. Protein can reduce the fatigue most chemotherapy patients experience. Eat lean meat and beef, beans and eggs and drink skim milk.

2. Set an appointment with a nutritionist. A nutritionist can provide you with sample menus that offer all the nutrients and vitamins you need. In general, you should eat fruit, vegetables and bread, along with smaller quantities of lean meat and skim milk.

3. Limit your alcohol consumption. Drinking excessively puts stress on your liver, and it may interfere with the drugs the doctor employs in your chemotherapy treatments.

4. Contact the National Cancer Institute to order a free brochure on eating properly during your chemotherapy treatment. Call [phone].

5. Consider maintaining a diet rich in nutrients even after your therapy is complete. Filling your diet with foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins can help your body to fully recover.

6. Eat soup or drink juice if your side effects prohibit you from eating solid food. Instant breakfasts and other liquid meal replacements also work well. Do not skip meals; your body needs nutrients.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your oncologist how long after treatment you should expect to feel any side effects. Sometimes side effects such as nausea vanish within hours. Once you know what to expect, you can plan your meal times accordingly.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish