Should we eat properly to stay strong during breast cancer treatment?

If you are a breast cancer patient, you know how important it is to stay as healthy and strong as possible during this time. But we also know that with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, sometimes you can't even eat. Some days you can't even smell food and it tastes bad. But other days you can be fine without any problems. So today we're going to talk about how to get the right nutrition to help you get through this difficult time.

Choose nutritious natural foods instead of processed foods.

To provide your body with the best nutrition during this time, it's best to limit your intake of packaged, preserved, and processed foods. Instead, it's best to choose natural, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, greens, and whole grains.

If you're having trouble figuring out your diet plan, it's best to talk to your doctor. But here are some basic tips to help you.

How do you deal with nausea and vomiting?

Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemo and radiation treatments. If this is affecting you, try these things.

• Don't force yourself to eat: Don't force yourself to eat when you feel nauseous. Try to avoid eating for about 4-8 hours.
• Soothe your stomach: Drink a little water or tea with a piece of ginger in it.
• After vomiting: After vomiting, you need to replace the fluids and nutrients lost from the body. You can rehydrate the body by drinking chicken soup, vegetable soup, or a drink containing electrolytes .
• Eat little by little: Instead of eating a lot at once, eat small amounts, about 6-8 times a day.
• Rinse your mouth: Rinse your mouth with water before and after eating. This will help eliminate the unpleasant taste in your mouth.
• Light meals : Eat light, non-greasy foods like crackers, bread, and dry cereals.
• Be careful of smells: Foods with strong smells can increase nausea. So stay away from such foods. If the smell of cooking at home makes you nauseous, ask a family member or friend to help you cook.

What to do about a change in taste in the mouth?

Cancer treatments can affect your sense of taste and smell. Foods you used to enjoy may taste bitter or off-putting. Many people report that food has a "metallic taste."

This condition can persist for weeks, or even months, after treatment ends. Here are some things you can do to cope:

• If you don't like the food you usually eat, try different types of food.
• Eat a light meal a few hours before treatment.
• To avoid the metallic taste, use plastic cutlery instead of metal cutlery .
• Rather than eating food hot, let it cool down a bit and eat it at room temperature.
• Since it doesn't have a strong smell or taste, make a fruit smoothie and drink it.

Let's face the fatigue caused by treatment

Getting enough protein, fluids, and calories can help you avoid the extreme fatigue that comes with treatment. But if you sometimes feel too tired to cook or eat, here are some things to try.

• Choose the best time of day: Eat your main meal when you have the most energy.
• Snack frequently: Eat healthy, easy-to-eat snacks throughout the day, such as chickpeas, green beans, a piece of yogurt, or a piece of cheese.
• Prepare in advance: When you're feeling well, make a soup or broth that will last a few days, store it in small containers in the freezer, and reheat it on a busy day.
• Substitute: If you can't eat a full meal, have something like a nutritional drink instead.

Let's also take care of food safety.

Treatments like chemo and radiation can weaken your body's ability to fight disease, or immunity. At a time like this, if you eat spoiled, contaminated food, you can become seriously ill. That's why you need to be very careful about food safety.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap before and after preparing food.
• Keep food in the fridge at a temperature below 4 degrees Celsius.
• Do not thaw meat or fish at room temperature. Use a microwave or place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
• Never refreeze thawed food.
• Do not leave foods containing eggs, cream, or mayonnaise out of the refrigerator for more than an hour.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, even if they are labeled "prewashed."
• Avoid eating undercooked meat (rare/medium-rare) and eggs with runny yolks.

Is it appropriate to take vitamins and supplements?

Food is always the best way to get nutrients. But when you can't eat well due to side effects of treatment, a multivitamin can help prevent some nutritional deficiencies.

However, never start taking any supplements without first consulting your doctor. While there are hundreds of different supplements on the market, some of them can do more harm than good. If you take too many vitamins and minerals, it can also interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

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