Balanced Diet for Cancer Patients

For many cancer patients, maintaining a balanced diet and adequate nutrition is crucial. Sustaining good physical strength is the best support for fighting the disease.

Whether it’s a malignant brain tumor or pancreatic cancer, a balanced diet plays a critical role in both treatment and recovery. A proper diet can not only boost the immune system but also help alleviate side effects and discomfort from treatment.

According to research, approximately 20% of cancer patients may succumb to malnutrition rather than the disease itself. In fact, up to 75% of patients are already experiencing malnutrition at the time of diagnosis. If weight loss exceeds 5%, it is essential to adjust dietary content and nutritional goals based on individual circumstances and the recommendations of doctors and nutritionists. These adjustments should take into account the type and stage of cancer as well as other medical conditions. Regarding weight management, patients should aim to maintain stable body weight and minimize fluctuations. Adequate intake of protein and calories is crucial for healing, fighting infection, and sustaining sufficient energy levels.

Avoiding harmful foods and regularly communicating with nutritionists and doctors to ensure the scientific validity and effectiveness of the dietary plan is an important step in managing health during and after cancer treatment.

Dietary Restrictions for Cancer Treatment

Brain Cancer Patients Should Pay Attention to the Following Dietary Restrictions:

Avoid Raw Foods: Raw meats and fish may contain bacteria and should be avoided.
Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol can interact with some treatment drugs and exacerbate discomfort, such as dry mouth and oral mucosal ulcers.
High-fiber or Coarse Foods: Avoid foods that are hard to digest or may cause digestive issues.
Control High-Salt Foods: High-salt diets can lead to edema or increased blood pressure.
Saturated Fat Foods: These may increase cholesterol and body burden.
Processed Foods: Reduce intake of foods with preservatives and artificial additives to lessen body burden.
Irritating Foods: Decrease the intake of stimulating foods like coffee and spicy dishes.
Grapefruit: Should be eaten with a time gap from medication to avoid affecting drug metabolism and causing side effects.

Balanced Nutrition Guidelines

Patients with malignant brain tumors or pancreatic cancer often need surgery followed by further treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Since the body requires extra energy and nutrients to heal surgical wounds and resist infections, nutritional supplementation should start before surgery. Surgery can cause discomforts like loss of appetite, difficulty chewing or swallowing, and feeling full quickly, all of which can lead to post-surgery malnutrition and hinder recovery. Additionally, long-term illness may result in anorexia or cachexia, further affecting nutritional intake and body function.

According to a recent report from Seven Plus Japan, 67-year-old Japanese financial analyst Takuo Morinaga was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer at the end of last year. After undergoing chemotherapy and narrowly escaping death, he began to live freely without restrictions. Today, he remains actively involved in his radio program work and shares his dietary habits, which include eating yogurt daily and consuming a large amount of meat. Morinaga claims that this diet has improved his physical condition to the point where he no longer feels at risk of death. Psychiatrist Dr. Hideki Wada supports this approach, stating that elderly individuals should not diet as it can weaken the immune system. He also pointed out that cancer patients should focus on maintaining their weight and immune strength. Yogurt is beneficial for regulating the gut and boosting immunity, and trying various types of yogurt can be advantageous for health.

To maintain balanced nutrition for patients with poor appetite, the following methods can be tried:

Small, Frequent Meals: Eat small portions every 2-3 hours or whenever feeling hungry, without overburdening the digestive system.
Rest Before Eating: If feeling tired, rest before eating to restore energy.
Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Choose nutrient-rich foods or patient favorites, and keep snacks and drinks handy for convenient nutrition replenishment.
Appetizing Foods: Consume foods or drinks that stimulate appetite, like sour plum soup or juice, and maintain moderate exercise to promote gastrointestinal motility.
Enhance Cooking Appeal: Improve food appearance, aroma, and taste to boost appetite.

Dietary Recommendations to Reduce Side Effects of Cancer Treatment

The primary goal of cancer treatment is to kill cancer cells, but there is also a high chance that it will damage healthy cells. On days when you feel uncomfortable, you can try changing your eating habits to help combat these unpleasant side effects. (source)

Loss of Appetite: Try eating small, frequent meals or snacks instead of standard-sized meals. Choose foods you enjoy, especially when you feel particularly uncomfortable and lack appetite. You can also try drinking a protein shake or smoothie for a more palatable, liquid option.
Taste Changes: Chemotherapy often affects your taste buds, making foods you used to enjoy taste strange. Experiment with different flavors and textures to find what you like best. You can also add herbs, strong flavors, or citrus to enhance the taste.
Mouth or Throat Discomfort: Opt for liquid or smaller-sized foods that are easier to swallow. Options like thick soups, yogurt, and scrambled eggs are good choices. Avoid alcohol, citrus, or spicy foods that may irritate and cause more discomfort.
Constipation: Eat more foods rich in probiotics, like yogurt or kimchi, and foods high in insoluble fiber to help regulate digestion and relieve constipation. Additionally, staying hydrated is very important.
Nausea: Ginger or peppermint tea can help alleviate nausea. Eating small, frequent meals is easier on the digestive system. Avoid high-fat, greasy, or spicy foods as they can affect digestion, but do not skip meals even if you feel nauseous.
Diarrhea: Reduce the intake of insoluble fiber, but increase soluble fiber (such as oatmeal, mango, cooked carrots, and green peas). If diarrhea is severe, consume more electrolytes, and foods and drinks that contain sodium and potassium, along with plenty of fluids.

Nutritional Supplement Guidelines

In addition to a balanced diet, cancer patients may need to supplement with nutritional agents due to the disease’s impact or chemotherapy side effects. These are usually taken orally and contain one or more dietary ingredients. Cancer patients might use dietary supplements to alleviate symptoms or aid in cancer treatment.

Vitamin C: Helps fight infections, aids wound healing, and maintains tissue health. It’s abundant in fruits and vegetables, so moderate intake of these or vitamin C supplements is beneficial.
Probiotics: Studies show that probiotics help prevent diarrhea caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy and maintain normal digestive function and gastrointestinal health.
Melatonin: Helps maintain normal sleep cycles. In Taiwan, melatonin supplements should be taken under medical supervision.
Glutamine: An amino acid that aids in managing chemotherapy or radiotherapy-induced diarrhea and mucositis (oral ulcers), potentially preventing or alleviating mucositis to maintain the quality of life during ongoing drug treatment.

Reference

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