Nutrition Services
Managing Side Effects
Many patients experience symptoms related to cancer or cancer therapies, such as:
- Lack of energy
- Nausea
- Lack of appetite
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Bowel irregularities
- Difficulty swallowing
- Sleep disturbances
Tips to Minimize Nausea
- Eat six to eight small meals a day, instead of three large meals.
- Try bland, soft, easy-to-digest foods. It may be best not to eat your favorite foods when you are nauseated.
- Keep up with your fluid intake. Sip clear liquids such as ginger tea, gingerale, or lemonade frequently to prevent dehydration.
Sometimes people get nauseous just thinking about treatment. This is called anticipatory nausea. It can be decreased with relaxation techniques. These techniques help you feel less anxious and more in control, and decrease your nausea. You may want to ask your doctor or nurse about medicines and/or complementary therapies, such as relaxation techniques or acupuncture, which may help to decrease your nausea.
Tips for Helping Lack of Appetite
- Eat small meals and snacks every couple of hours throughout the day.
- Use a small plate instead of a full-size dinner plate.
- Add calories to salads by adding salad dressings, nuts, seeds, avocados and olives.
- Bring high calorie snacks when away from home (especially doctors' appointments).
- Keep fluids to a minimum at mealtimes, but don't forget to drink between meals.
- Eat well during times when your appetite is better.
Tips for Managing Unwanted Weight Loss
Unwanted weight loss during certain types of cancer treatments can be common and challenging. Weight loss can result from lack of appetite, taste changes, nausea, difficulty swallowing, and fatigue. Cancer therapies, such as radiation and surgery, may also elevate nutrition requirements to allow the body to heal and keep the immune system strong. Increasing your calorie intake can prevent further weight loss. Strive to choose healthier foods to help you meet your nutritional needs.
Below are a few suggestions for increasing calories from healthful foods.
- Eat small meals and snacks every couple of hours throughout the day.
- Use olive or canola oil when stir frying or as a dip for bread. Cook all foods in oil or add to pasta, rice, cake or bread mixes. Use as salad dressing. Try pesto sauce.
- Add calories to fruits by layering with granola and baking, dipping in nut butters, or baking in pies and turnovers. You can also add to milkshakes or commercial nutritional supplements.
- Sip on higher-calorie fluids such as juices (try cranberry, grape, and nectars), milk, frappes, and commercial nutritional supplements.
- Eat nuts and seeds for snacks. Add chopped/ground nuts to bread, baked goods, salads, pancakes, cereal, and ice cream.
- Use peanut/almond/cashew butter on grains, baked goods, fruit, or veggies.
- Use bean dips or hummus as a veggie dip. Add to nachos or baked potatoes, or dip pita bread or tortilla chips.
Tips for Promoting Healthy Weight Loss
Weight gain during some cancer treatments is very common. Fatigue, decreased physical activity, eating to cope with nausea and stress as well as taste changes can all contribute to unintentional weight gain. You can lose weight during and after cancer treatment in a healthy way while still meeting your nutritional needs by using the tips below.
- Include protein with all meals and snacks. Protein sources include:
- Fish and meat (Lean meats are a healthier choice. Ex. chicken, turkey, beef round, beef or pork tenderloin, lamb);
- Eggs;
- Dairy products (Low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt);
- Soy products (soy milk, soy nuts, soybeans, tofu, tempeh, edamame);
- Beans (baked kidney, black, lentils, lima, chick peas, hummus);
- Nuts and nut butters (natural varieties with oil on the top, peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower seed butters);
- Grains (whole-grain pasta, wheat germ, oatmeal, high fiber cereals).
- Make one-half of your plate non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter of your plate a starch (preferably whole grain), and one-quarter of your plate a protein. Starchy vegetables include peas, corn and potatoes. For more information, see How to Make a Balanced Plate (PDF).
- Eat breakfast every day to rev up your metabolism. Be sure to include a source of protein at breakfast for optimal energy levels throughout the day.
- Increase fiber intake with whole grains, beans, nuts/seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
- Stay hydrated. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger.
- Exercise, per physician's approval. You don't need to join a gym to exercise; walking is an ideal form of exercise. The goal for weight loss is walking for a total of 60 minutes a day for most days of the week. Start walking for 15-20 minutes a day and work up to 60. Breaking up the 60 minutes throughout the day also counts (Ex. walking for 30 minutes twice a day or 15 minutes four times a day).
- For more information, view Brigham and Women's Hospital Health-e-Weight for Women.
Tips for Battling Constipation
- Drink warm prune juice or tea.
- Get plenty of water and fluids. Aim for at least 8-10 glasses per day.
- Eat regular meals at same time daily.
- Increase fiber intake by choosing whole grain crackers, cereals and breads, oatmeal, legumes (beans), fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables.
Tips for Battling Diarrhea
- Eat small meals or snacks that are bland and low in fat, which are more easily digested.
- Drink plenty of fluids such as broths and diluted juices, as diarrhea can compromise your bodys fluid and salt stores. Drink fluids between meals rather than with meals. Choose non-carbonated, non-caffeinated, and clear fluids such as sports drinks (i.e. Gatorade) and teas.
- Limit milk and milk products, as they can worsen diarrhea symptoms. Substitute with Lactaid, soy milk, rice milk, or other dairy substitutes.
- Avoid very hot or very cold food items; choose foods that are room temperature.
