Eating during chemotherapy treatment

One thing I did during chemo is drink this great fruit smoothie every day. My naturopath's recipe. It was made with whey protein, rice milk, about a cup of berries, and nutrients that I needed to keep my Gi tract strong, which takes a beating during chemo. If you have an integrative medicine place you can go to, talk with them about diet. You will need lots and lots of protein during chemo, they can help you find the best diet. If you ask your onc or their nutritionist, they will tell you to eat & they don't really care what. I like the healthier approach better. Sorry you have to go through chemo, but it is manageable and I think more so if you watch how you eat.

Tori -- As you've no doubt noticed, there are all kinds of theories and anecdotes about what should, or shouldn't, be consumed while on chemo.  There are several things to consider, most importantly your digestive system, and your blood counts.

I don't know about not eating dairy.  If you normally do consume dairy, and it doesn't cause any digestive problems, I doubt that chemo will affect that  Fresh fruits and veggies -- as long as they are clean and free of pesticide residue -- are full of beneficial nutrients.  I've never heard anyone say you should stay away from them during chemo.  

There is (to my knowledge) nothing to eat that will help raise your white cell counts (and you need a good WCC to ward off infections).  But, eating lots of protein (eggs, chicken, fish etc.) will help keep your red cell count at acceptable levels and help counteract the fatigue.

One thing you should definitely avoid is alcohol.  Your liver has to deal with the chemo drugs and shouldn't be over-burdened with having to deal with alcohol as well.

There are concerns about supplements such as vitamins etc. and as many opinions (medical and non-medical) as there are patients and oncs!

An extremely important consideration is your intake of water  Drink lots of it -- it helps flush the chemo out of your system.

Good luck!    Linda

Truthfully, I just ate what I could... generally I heard to eat as healthy as possible (we all know the drill: lots of fruits and veggies, quality protein, complex carbs, avoid simple carbs and high fat) and I tried, but I reached a point where there was so little that appealed to me that nutrition was secondary to getting food that tasted OK and wasn't revolting. I could only eat fruit and beef (and I was a vegetarian for years, eating beef was so counter to what I was used to). Oh, and chocolate   You'll find what works best for you -- what foods appeal and what doesn't.  Your body will let you know.

Whey is a milk by-product, not soy, so it's OK, but many protein supplements do have soy.  Read labels carefully.

This website has some various nutrition articles that may or may not help you, starting at 

http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/nutrition/ 

I second the recommendation to drink lots of water throughout chemo and any other treatment.  In addition to flushing out the chemo drugs, it's also easy to get dehydrated during chemo, and drinking lots of water will help.

One thing that may help with eating and overall well-being is to keep some kind of exercise going, even if it's just short walks. 

Chemo isn't fun but you'll get through it... and everyone is here to help.  Hang in there, and good luck.

You will find that you crave certain foods (yes -- so many grill cheese sandwiches!) and others will turn your stomach.  I found that with my taste buds so deadened I craved spicy foods and ate a lot of Indian food. That seems usual.  I agree with dlb that you should eat whatever you feel like eating.  This is a good time to cut yourself some slack.

Remember the B.R.A.T. diet... bananas, rice, apples and toast when your belly isn't feeling good and plenty, 10-12 glasses, of water daily. I drank sport drinks too. Save your favorite foods for after chemo so you don't get sick from them and hate them forever. Drink before, during and after chemo to flush out the chemo drugs.

I agree with Veggy about the BRAT diet and TONS of water!!!

As other people have mentioned, during chemo, just concentrate on eating what you can stand; get going on the healthy diet afterward your done. Everyone is so different..... about the only 'healthy' food I could force down were fruit smoothies, and canned fruits (which are probably not overly healthy), I couldn't stand any vegetables. What I craved was mashed potatoes with butter and cheese, and anything Mexican, the spicier the better. I would just sit and eat jalapeno peppers. Weird! It was probably lucky for me that chocolate tasted like chalk, or I would have gained 50 pounds! and more people actually gain weight than loss weight during chemo, so you might want to watch out for that. Also keep moving/exercising as much as you are able. I think it helps you get through chemo better, and KNOW it helps you rebound faster once you are done. Best of Luck! Ruth

Tori - Good luck to you with chemo.  I have my last TC treatment next Monday. I have noticed that when I eat good, I feel good.  When I try to use the excuse of "I'll eat better once chemo is done" and gorge on cheeseburgers I don't feel so good - fatigue wise.  I second the rec for The Cancer Fighting Cookbook.  There is a recipe for brocolli soup that I crave during treatment weeks.  As well as a good smoothie recipe.  Try to exercise even if it is a short walk.  I found that helps with energy levels. I also tried to keep my protein intake up.  The anticipation of chemo is far worse than the actual treatment.  You will do great!

BE CAREFUL ABOUT OVERHYDRATING.  Sorry to yell, but this is important.  Yes, you need water.  Drink water.  But don't go crazy. I have a friend who drank so much water before her first treatment -- easy to do if you go at it as the one thing you can control -- and she ended up hospitalized and almost dying when her blood pressure plummeted.  People do die from too much water.  She was fine after a few days in the hospital and breezed through her subsequent treatments.