Nourishing Body and Mind During Chemo

10 Tips for Eating During Chemotherapy

By Rebecca Katz

Though most people don't readily associate the words "chemo" and "food" (chemo can have the same effect as seeing a bunch of ants at a picnic), how someone eats during treatment can make all the difference in immediate and long-term health and well-being—it can even be a matter of survival. Food affects strength, endurance, metabolism, hydration, blood-sugar balance, mood, and our ability to weather emotional storms. Yet many side-effects of chemo—like nausea, mouth sores, and an altered sense of taste—make enjoying eating a challenge. As a chef and nutritionist who has worked with cancer patients on these issues for close to a decade, I've created some guidelines for how to stay well-nourished. I'm also a believer in harnessing the power of yum—food pleasure can and should be found during treatment—it just might not look like you expect.

Rebecca Katz MS, is the author of The Cancer Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery, and One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and their Friends (Second Edition). She is the Executive Chef for the Food as Medicine Training Program and Cancer Guides, sponsored by the Center for Mind Body Medicine, and is a visiting chef and nutrition educator at Commonweal's Cancer Help Program in Bolinas, California.

Rebecca lectures, teaches and consults at cancer centers around the country. She resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit her on Facebook.

Plan Your Eating Around Treatments

In the two days leading up to a chemotherapy session, avoid fat-filled, fried, and greasy foods since they tax the liver and are difficult to digest. Instead, try keeping it light with things like steamed veggies, broiled fish, and whole grains. Also, avoid eating your favorite foods during this time so you won't develop an aversion to them if you get sick from chemotherapy. Remember how you felt about that cotton candy you hurled as a kid? Or even the tuna sandwich that poisoned you a few years ago? You don't want to feel that way about your mom's chicken soup or your beloved strawberry smoothie. Save those foods for days when you are least likely to get ill.

Work with Taste Changes

Chemo can mess with your taste nerve circuitry, affecting your ability to perceive taste. The good news is that these nerves regenerate quickly. Meantime, you can try a few culinary tips to trick your taste buds into working better. If food has a metallic taste, add a little grade B maple syrup and a squeeze of lemon. You could also try adding fat, such as a nut cream or butter. When food tastes too sweet, add six drops of lemon juice, and keep adding it in small increments until the sweet becomes muted. If food tastes too salty, add ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice, which erases the taste of salt. On days everything tastes like cardboard, add sea salt until the flavor of the dish moves toward the front of the mouth.

Build a Culinary Support Team

The people in your life who are already helping you or who have offered to do so can aid you in accomplishing the important goal of staying well-nourished during treatment. They can make food lists, print out recipes, shop for groceries, keep your fridge cleaned, and either prepare meals or make it easier for you by pre-chopping veggies, marinating proteins, and making sure you have proper utensils and appliances. They'll also keep any well-intentioned but food-sabotaging relatives or friends at bay, ensuring that you are well fed and relaxed about food. If you have a hard time asking for assistance, remember: Many people sincerely want to help and would love a specific, concrete task. Appoint a captain of your "Team Food" who can recruit members and dole out assignments.