Role of food in our lives

Food lifts up the mood most days and enhances bonds among people. Apart from its emotional touch in our lives, it also plays a major role in providing strength and energy physically. Food not only satisfies our hunger but also provides us with various macro and micro nutrients which help in maintaining overall health when we take it in a balanced manner.

Role of food during recovery of cancer patients

Several researchers have found that malnutrition in cancer patients decreases the chances of recovery. Proper diet management helps in maintaining a healthy weight and strength so that treatment can be continued as well as faster recovery. Intake of food with high antioxidants also helps in fighting free radical damage and strengthening immune system.

Reasons for appetite loss in cancer patients

There is not only one specific reason why appetite decreases. Several factors such as disturbance in hormones during certain types of cancer, site of the cancer, pain, discomfort, nausea, etc plays a great role in appetite loss. Cancer does not just affects physical health but also ones mental and emotional health which raises issues such as mood changes, fits, depression, and stress resulting in loss of appetite. Cancer treatments such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy also come with appetite loss, change in taste and smell, etc.

Measures to facilitate adequate nutrition

1. Small and frequent meals.

2. Serving meals with different taste and flavour consecutively.

3. Inclusion of fruits and vegetables to maintain micro nutrient supply in the body.

Sample diet plan for cancer patients with no appetite

Taking an example of a cancer patient with no appetite, who is in recovery phase with no other complications a general diet plan is given below.

Early morning: 1 glass luke warm barley water + 5 soaked raisins/ 2 dates

Breakfast: 1 ½ Katori Porridge (Rice+ dal + nuts + oil seeds powder OR dalhiya OR oats OR sago OR suji) + 2 egg whites

Mid-morning: Any fruit (* exclude banana in case of lung cancer) + 1 serving protein powder + 4 to 5 almonds soaked and peeled OR 2 walnuts OR 4 cashew nuts

Lunch: 1 Katori Rice + 1 Katori dal water + 1 Katori any vegetable + 5 to 6 pcs of paneer/ tofu OR 3 to 4 pcs chicken OR 1 -2 medium size fish

Evening snacks 1: Sprouts moong soup/ OR beet + carrot + spinach soup

Evening snacks 2: Puffed rice with fresh coriander and lime juice for flavour/ 1 katori sooji or semolina kheer / porridge made in less sugar and fat

Dinner: 1 katori rice + 1 katori dal water + 1 katori any vegetable

Daily use of oil: 15 ml; Salt limit: 10 to 15 g; Sugar: 10 to 15 g; Fluid: 8 to 10 glasses

Tips

 A healthy consumption of fluid is at least about 2 to 3 litres for an average person.Instead of just serving plain water, 1 litre of barley water per day not only will hydrate the body but will also provide energy and help to maintain electrolyte balance.

 Cooking food to a softer consistency so that the patient does not feel tired or fed up of chewing.

 Calorie dense homemade formula feed can be made and kept for daily use such as equal parts of cereals + equal parts of pulses / legumes + ¼ nuts + ¼ oilseeds or multigrain mix in powdered form. Daily use of 30 to 45 grams in the form of porridge would help in supplying energy, protein, essential fat and micronutrients such as calcium, selenium, magnesium etc.

 Supplementing the diet with a commercial formula feed from authentic and trusted brands to bridge the gap between macro and micronutrient required by the body and what the patient is getting with the current food consumption.

Seeking help of professional for nutrition management is of utmost importance as the diet plan requires being tailor made based on reaction of the patient towards the flavour/ smell/ texture/ mouth feel/ sight/ tolerance of the food served. Considering the weight and existing scenarios of the patient such as wasting/ weight loss/ stable weight the quantity of food would vary from person to person for maintaining optimum health and strength. Diet care and management is equally important for recovery along with proper mental support and cancer treatment.