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Please suggest dinners for chemo therapy
- Thread starter anna_x
- Start date
shaun-in-to
Well-known member
If she is experiencing nausea and vomiting
do NOT make her favourites, or she might come to associate them with her symptoms and be turned off them forever. Hot, spicy foods should be avoided.
If loss of appetite is a problem, make snack-like things for her, or things she can eat in frequent, small meals.
Protein can be beneficial at this time, so add dry milk to baked goods.
do NOT make her favourites, or she might come to associate them with her symptoms and be turned off them forever. Hot, spicy foods should be avoided.
If loss of appetite is a problem, make snack-like things for her, or things she can eat in frequent, small meals.
Protein can be beneficial at this time, so add dry milk to baked goods.
Anna, this topic was covered quite often at Gail's Swap
Go to the attached link and at the "advanced search" option, enter this string:
cancer OR chemo
You will get ~180 responses, with lots of really good commentary, both from friends who gave food and treatment sufferers themselves. They listed--quite specifically--things that they could eat and things they couldn't.
In this time of need, your friend is fortunate in her acquaintances.
http://boards.epicurious.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1
Go to the attached link and at the "advanced search" option, enter this string:
cancer OR chemo
You will get ~180 responses, with lots of really good commentary, both from friends who gave food and treatment sufferers themselves. They listed--quite specifically--things that they could eat and things they couldn't.
In this time of need, your friend is fortunate in her acquaintances.
http://boards.epicurious.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1
G
Guest
Guest
I am a 22 year Cancer Survivor, Hodgekins Lymphoma, when I was receiving
chemotherapy this was the advice my hemotologist gave me: NEVER EAT ANYTHING DURING CHEMOTHERAPY THAT IS AMONG YOUR FAVORITE FOODS. Reason: the taste will be associated with chemotherapy, it will bring back the nausea feeling, which at the time I didn't believe so I ate pistachio nuts and to this day I can not eat them, they were so so so so correct. I was advised never to eat: Hot dogs, sodium meats such as: Bacon, Sausages. No rice or nuts, why? I don't know actually. Keep dairy at a minimal. I know that for me dairy upset my stomach which added to the nausea.
The best thing to offer is fruit & vegetables, non cream soups. I ate red meat sparingly.
One thing to remember, during chemo your appetite is very minimal, just to eat, for me was such an effort. My taste buds became sensetive to spices, it seemed to magnify and excellerate the potency of each spice, which I would have to drink milk if my tounge became enflamed (for lack of better words. I lived on french onion soup, chicken noodle stars, and ramen chicken soup. I ate lots of fruit (no banan's seemed to upset my stomach) I ate mostly watermelon.
Curiously, never wear or use perfumes during chemotherapy, the scent, if smelled will bring back, almost instantly, nausea of chemotherapy, this I found out on my own, In 1985, Musk colognes were the rage, I loved them at the time, but... 22 years later If I even get a whiff of any musk scented anything, I get dizzy and experience heavy nausea.
I hope this helps. This was my own personal experience. This is something I personally will never forget, and If ever given an opportunity to aide and help, even in advice, any fellow cancer victims, it is my personal privledge and honor to assist. God Bless and I hope all is healed for your friend, I will keep that person in my prayers.
chemotherapy this was the advice my hemotologist gave me: NEVER EAT ANYTHING DURING CHEMOTHERAPY THAT IS AMONG YOUR FAVORITE FOODS. Reason: the taste will be associated with chemotherapy, it will bring back the nausea feeling, which at the time I didn't believe so I ate pistachio nuts and to this day I can not eat them, they were so so so so correct. I was advised never to eat: Hot dogs, sodium meats such as: Bacon, Sausages. No rice or nuts, why? I don't know actually. Keep dairy at a minimal. I know that for me dairy upset my stomach which added to the nausea.
The best thing to offer is fruit & vegetables, non cream soups. I ate red meat sparingly.
One thing to remember, during chemo your appetite is very minimal, just to eat, for me was such an effort. My taste buds became sensetive to spices, it seemed to magnify and excellerate the potency of each spice, which I would have to drink milk if my tounge became enflamed (for lack of better words. I lived on french onion soup, chicken noodle stars, and ramen chicken soup. I ate lots of fruit (no banan's seemed to upset my stomach) I ate mostly watermelon.
Curiously, never wear or use perfumes during chemotherapy, the scent, if smelled will bring back, almost instantly, nausea of chemotherapy, this I found out on my own, In 1985, Musk colognes were the rage, I loved them at the time, but... 22 years later If I even get a whiff of any musk scented anything, I get dizzy and experience heavy nausea.
I hope this helps. This was my own personal experience. This is something I personally will never forget, and If ever given an opportunity to aide and help, even in advice, any fellow cancer victims, it is my personal privledge and honor to assist. God Bless and I hope all is healed for your friend, I will keep that person in my prayers.
Anna, my grandchildren are 1 and 3, and just left after being here for 11 days. They enjoyed
fresh watermelon, mandarin oranges, grapes, bananas, cantalope, so you might want to put together a nice fruit salad for the family. I have fixed chicken and dumplings for a friend who was going through chemo and she enjoyed what little she could eat. I didn't season it heavily. A nice cold soup would also be welcomed.
fresh watermelon, mandarin oranges, grapes, bananas, cantalope, so you might want to put together a nice fruit salad for the family. I have fixed chicken and dumplings for a friend who was going through chemo and she enjoyed what little she could eat. I didn't season it heavily. A nice cold soup would also be welcomed.
When a close friend of mine was going through this
all she wanted was chicken soup with matzah balls. I made several serving sized portions in tupperwares so she could freeze and defrost them. For the family I just made regular meals (roast chicken, lasagne, etc)
But, 2 other friends, during chemo, craved spicy asian noodles!
all she wanted was chicken soup with matzah balls. I made several serving sized portions in tupperwares so she could freeze and defrost them. For the family I just made regular meals (roast chicken, lasagne, etc)
But, 2 other friends, during chemo, craved spicy asian noodles!
As a colon cancer suvivor from 1993, I hearily agree w/ Marilyn's link when Friday responded under
post heading "Nausea In General" where he/she recommends ginger products. Ginger has a natural anti-nausea component so I 1) guzzled ginger ale; 2) ate gingersnaps (the purchased kind are better than homemade as the former are not as rich); and 3) steeped my own tea from crushed/grated fresh ginger root. I used no measurements for the tea, but just put some pulverized ginger root in a cup and added boiling water. 4) I would also nibble on crystallized ginger cubes.
Today many oncologists give their patients antinausea meds along w/ their chemo drugs, but I was told by my oncology nurse that if I would gulp an antinausea pill(s) as prescribed at least an hour before each of my chemo treatments, it would help prevent a lot of upset stomach troubles. That worked great for me! It was sort of like knowing that you're going to get a headache at 2 PM every day so why not take an aspirin or Motrin at 1 PM to help prevent or at least lesson the expected discomfort?
The cancer center dietician very emphatically told patients that their chemotherapy time was NOT a time to try to diet & lose weight. Cancer patients need calories to build strength and to help replace lost cells--white, red & platelets--that are killed off by the chemo drugs. Food is as important to your body during chemotherapy and cancer-related illnesses as any healing medicines you can take. Protein is especially important but I was encouraged to eat anything that tasted good to me. As suggested in other threads, my dietician also suggested sprinkling dry powdered milk on everything to add extra protein to whatever I could manage to get down so I put it on hot (oatmeal, Cream of Wheat) and cold cereals, mashed potatoes, chicken & dumplings, rice, in sauces & gravies, in my malts, over ice cream, etc.
Some chemo drugs will leave a metallic taste in your mouth so if this happens, it helped me to quit using metal silverware, and I ate food with good-quality plasticware. Be careful not to use the cheap plastic stuff as some of it will have sharper edges that can cut into the tender lip & mouth tissue that frequently becomes even more tender and sore due to that's being a side effect of some chemo drugs. (This was another hint from my dietician, Barb Licata.) In truth, my preferred plastic spoon was the little pink taster spoons used by Baskin-Robbins ice cream stores. Keep in mind this was their 1993 version, and I haven't used those in a long time so I would hope their present-day, little pink taster spoons are still of the same high quality with ultra smooth sides and thick edges.
Hope this helps! Best of luck--Caryn Wiggins
post heading "Nausea In General" where he/she recommends ginger products. Ginger has a natural anti-nausea component so I 1) guzzled ginger ale; 2) ate gingersnaps (the purchased kind are better than homemade as the former are not as rich); and 3) steeped my own tea from crushed/grated fresh ginger root. I used no measurements for the tea, but just put some pulverized ginger root in a cup and added boiling water. 4) I would also nibble on crystallized ginger cubes.
Today many oncologists give their patients antinausea meds along w/ their chemo drugs, but I was told by my oncology nurse that if I would gulp an antinausea pill(s) as prescribed at least an hour before each of my chemo treatments, it would help prevent a lot of upset stomach troubles. That worked great for me! It was sort of like knowing that you're going to get a headache at 2 PM every day so why not take an aspirin or Motrin at 1 PM to help prevent or at least lesson the expected discomfort?
The cancer center dietician very emphatically told patients that their chemotherapy time was NOT a time to try to diet & lose weight. Cancer patients need calories to build strength and to help replace lost cells--white, red & platelets--that are killed off by the chemo drugs. Food is as important to your body during chemotherapy and cancer-related illnesses as any healing medicines you can take. Protein is especially important but I was encouraged to eat anything that tasted good to me. As suggested in other threads, my dietician also suggested sprinkling dry powdered milk on everything to add extra protein to whatever I could manage to get down so I put it on hot (oatmeal, Cream of Wheat) and cold cereals, mashed potatoes, chicken & dumplings, rice, in sauces & gravies, in my malts, over ice cream, etc.
Some chemo drugs will leave a metallic taste in your mouth so if this happens, it helped me to quit using metal silverware, and I ate food with good-quality plasticware. Be careful not to use the cheap plastic stuff as some of it will have sharper edges that can cut into the tender lip & mouth tissue that frequently becomes even more tender and sore due to that's being a side effect of some chemo drugs. (This was another hint from my dietician, Barb Licata.) In truth, my preferred plastic spoon was the little pink taster spoons used by Baskin-Robbins ice cream stores. Keep in mind this was their 1993 version, and I haven't used those in a long time so I would hope their present-day, little pink taster spoons are still of the same high quality with ultra smooth sides and thick edges.
Hope this helps! Best of luck--Caryn Wiggins