5 Nutritional Tips to Help Chemotherapy Patients Stay on Track
For many individuals who have been diagnosed with lung cancer or mesothelioma, an important consideration for treatment options includes a discussion of the potential side-effects of each treatment.
Those who choose to undergo chemotherapy treatment for lung cancer or mesothelioma often experience side effects including loss of appetite, nausea, trouble swallowing and other side effects that make eating and holding down food difficult or uncomfortable. In some cases, patients who are undergoing chemotherapy have even reported that their sense of taste has changed, and certain foods seem to take on a metallic taste.
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments are often told to try to eat “even if you’re not hungry” that can be understandably difficult to do. Although eating may not be pleasant, it is important for anyone who is fighting cancer to maintain a balanced diet.
- Keep a food diary: A food diary will be very helpful in maintaining a balanced diet. Keep track of what you eat, and when. Take notes on what foods are the easiest to eat and what foods are no longer appealing to you. Having this information in writing will be also be very helpful to share with your doctor.
- Stock up on healthy foods that require little or no preparation: While undergoing cancer treatment, finding time to prepare meals may be difficult. Having easy to prepare foods such as frozen vegetables, you will be able to maintain a healthy diet even when finding the time to prepare meals may be difficult.
- Try to eat at the same times every day: A side effect of many cancer treatments is a loss of appetite. Waiting until you are hungry to eat may leave you with insufficient nutrients to maintain your energy and strength. By setting a schedule and eating at the same times each day, you will receive proper nutrition even on days when you may not be hungry.
Ask to meet with a Nutritionist: Many leading hospitals have nutritionists on staff to consult with patients undergoing cancer treatments. If the hospital you are treating at does not have a nutritionist on staff, your doctor can likely refer you to one. Reviewing your food diary and discussing your diet with a nutritionist will ensure that you are eating the right foods to maintain your strength and energy during your cancer treatments. - Eat foods that pack the biggest nutritional punch: Learning which foods provide the greatest levels of necessary nutrients can allow you to maintain a balanced diet without eating large amounts of food. Avocados, nuts, and seeds often provide a great deal of protein and other essential vitamins and nutrients in relatively small servings. A nutritionist can provide you further information as to the nutritional value of different foods.
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy often have difficultly eating and swallowing solid food. If you find yourself in this position, you may want to use a smoothie machine or blender to create nutritious drinks and smoothies. Try to incorporate a variety of ingredients into your smoothies, including frozen fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach provide iron and other essential vitamins and minerals, and make for an excellent smoothie base. Buying fresh and then freezing them will keep your vegetables from spoiling. Add frozen berries or pineapple to add sweetness to the smoothie and get your Vitamin C. For a protein boost, try adding peanut butter, avocado or Greek yogurt to your smoothie. Throw in a banana to add potassium and texture to the smoothie. Mix and match ingredients until you find the combination that tastes the best.
The following links have further information on the topics of nutrition and diet for individuals undergoing cancer treatments:
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/eating-treatment
http://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/eatinghints.pdf
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer/art-20047536
If you or a loved one is an undergoing treatment for lung cancer or mesothelioma and would like to learn more about your rights please call us for free, confidential consultation (617) 451-9191.
What You May Not Know About Lung Cancer
November is lung cancer awareness month and with good reason. According to the American Lung Association, “Lung cancer causes more deaths than colorectal, breast and prostate cancers combined. An estimated 158,040 Americans are expected to die from lung cancer in 2015, accounting for approximately 27 percent of all cancer deaths.”
What causes lung cancer?
Most people know that smoking is a major cause of lung cancer and if you’re a man the risk is even higher. In a recent study conducted by the US Surgeon General, it was reported that that male smokers are twenty-five times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smoking males. Many of us also know that occupational exposure to asbestos is another risk factor that increases your chances of developing lung cancer. However, the general public is not as aware of the synergetic effect that occurs when smoking and exposure to asbestos are combined. For these individual, the risk of developing lung cancer doesn’t just increase – it multiples.
Combining smoking and asbestos exposure multiplies risk
For reasons that are not yet completely understood, asbestos poses a greater risk for lung cancer in individuals who smoke cigarettes. It is generally accepted that smoking and asbestos exposure have a synergistic effect. This means that smoking and asbestos combines in the lungs in a way that multiplies the risks that either would have on its own, although studies differ as to the extent of the multiplying effect.
This multiplying of risks is of great significance because the vast majority of individuals who worked with or around asbestos-containing products were also smokers. Consider the occupations that are most often associated with asbestos exposure:
- Shipyard workers
- Navy veterans, particular those who worked in the engine and boiler rooms
- Insulators, pipecoverers and laggers
- Pipefitters and plumbers
- Boilermakers
- Machinists and millwrights
- Plasterers and drywall installers
- Auto mechanics
Men who worked in these occupations were extremely likely to have smoked. In over twenty years of representing victims of asbestos exposure, I can count on two hands the number of lung cancer cases where my client was a lifelong non-smoker and we can understand why. These trades occurred in environments where smoking was not only allowed, it was socially encouraged. Most construction crews were given smoking breaks during the day.
“I have had clients tell me that they weren’t really interested in smoking, but they started doing it because they didn’t want to be left out of the smoking breaks that their buddies were allowed to take.”
—Mike Shepard
US military veterans were practically told to smoke – until 1975 cigarettes were included in K-rations and C-rations. A machinist mate in the United States Navy worked in an engine room that was loaded with asbestos insulation, gaskets and packing, while regularly smoking cigarettes. It is no wonder that so many of my clients are former Navy firemen, machinist mates, electricians and the like. They spent their working hours in a windowless compartment surrounded by boilers, turbines, pumps, valves and a multitude of other equipment that incorporated asbestos insulation, gaskets and packing. That equipment was in constant need of service and repair, creating daily exposures to asbestos. All the while, these veterans were smoking cigarettes as a way to deal with the stress and monotony of life on board a Navy ship. Now, decades later, those two carcinogens have combined in their lungs to cause cancer.
What can you do?
Throughout this month please join us – advocates, survivors, caregivers and family members – as we show support for the lung cancer community and recognize the toll that both smoking and exposure to asbestos has taken, and continues to take, on the men and women who built this country and the service men and women who have protected it.
We want you to know your rights. If you or a loved one suffers from Mesothelioma or lung cancer, call for information on how we can help. Time is of the essence, so call us today (617) 451-9191.