Nutrition Before Cancer Treatment

During cancer treatment some of your healthy cells will also be damaged along with the cancer cells. Hence, it is very essential to build up your strength before cancer treatment to help your body endure the effects of cancer treatment. Taking a well balanced diet before the commencement of cancer treatment may help you to improve your energy levels and sleeping patterns. You may or may not experience cancer treatment side effects such as loss of appetite, sore mouth or throat, changes in taste or smell, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss or gain, depression, etc.

Building up your nutrition level helps you to prevent or reverse nutritional deficiencies and subdue the side effects of cancer and cancer treatment. Almost all nutrition and dietary guidelines state that increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole wheat breads would help one to maintain a healthful weight.

Your health care team will draft out your cancer diet to see to it that you get all the nutrients to strengthen up your body. They use numerous methods to help you get the required nutrients. The three methods commonly used by the health care team are as follows:

Through mouth

Under this method you have to consume lots of fruits and vegetables, whole wheat breads, and other nutritious foods and beverages. Foods that are high on calorie and protein will help you get the required nutrients. However, if you are not comfortable with this method, or if your nutrient requirements have increased to a large extent, then using a feeding tube would be a better option.

Through feeding tube

This method is especially used in  people with poor appetite to maintain their calorie levels and to increase body weight. If you wish, you can take tube feedings at home with a helping hand from your family or friends. Though liquid diet and calorie rich formulas are commonly used while tube feeding, you can continue the normal oral intake of small meals as the tube is too thin to interfere with your swallowing. Once accustomed to this method, you will not have any problem in meeting your nutritional levels.

By total Parenteral Nutrition(TPN)

This method is normally employed in people suffering from serious digestive problems like severe vomiting or diarrhea, where tube feedings may not be appropriate. TPN involves administering the nutrient solutions through a vein, and can be given at home. It is particularly useful in people recuperating from intestinal surgeries or when there is blockage in the intestines.