After treatment tips
Go back to real food!
Nutritional supplements are a great way to keep you going when eating real food is difficult, but it is natural to want to get back to eating real food as quickly as possible. Although this might not always be immediately possible, due to swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) or other conditions that have arisen from treatment, there are a number of ways in which you can start to take steps towards eating the foods you are looking forward to.
The golden rule is to eat your favourite foods, but make changes that will soften them and make them easier to swallow, or boost their nutritional content. For example, cover foods in interesting sauces and gravies; finely chop meat and vegetables and casserole or stew them; and cut the crusts off bread for softer sandwiches. If you have a blender you could blend or liquidise cooked foods.
You can also add nutritional supplements to them, to make sure that what you're eating doesn't just taste great, but also contains all of the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Altering foods to suit your taste
If you have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, you may have noticed that your taste buds have started behaving a little unpredictably, and that you're craving certain tastes or flavours. This maybe temporary, but while they recover, there are a few things you can do to food to make it suit your palate.
You may want to think about including spices, which can help if your taste buds are sluggish and need some excitement. However, if highly flavoured foods make you feel sick, you can make dishes blander by missing out spicy ingredients or adding yoghurt.
Other flavours you may think about adding are: vinegar*, lemon juice*, or salt to increase flavour strength or get your saliva glands flowing again.
*If you have a sore mouth or throat, tart or citrus foods might cause pain or discomfort.
Alcohol
Alcohol in moderate amounts, such as a small glass of wine or sherry before your meal, may stimulate your appetite and help you digest your food better. So if you fancy a glass of wine or sherry with your meal, then go ahead and enjoy it. If you are taking medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist that it is OK for you to drink alcohol.
Food hygiene
Be particularly careful about food hygiene. If your immune system is not working well, you may be more susceptible to food poisoning. If the cancer or its treatment weakens your body, you may be less able to cope with the symptoms of food poisoning.
Hygiene tips:
- Wash your hands before you touch food, and keep pets out of the kitchen.
- Clean cooking utensils and chopping boards thoroughly.
- Wipe worktops with an antibacterial detergent, and wash or replace kitchen cloths frequently.
- If you decide to store food to eat later, let it cool completely and store it in the fridge. Only reheat food once. Whichever method you use to reheat food, make sure that it is piping hot right through before you eat it. Take care not to burn your mouth or tongue if food is reheated in the microwave, as it may stay extremely hot on the inside even though it has cooled on the outside.
- Only eat well cooked eggs
Source: Nutrition in cancer Editorial Board
