Some women find themselves hungrier than usual during chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer; but for most, fatigue, fear, and side effects combine to act as an appetite suppressant, often leading to poor diet.
Chemo’s side effects range from the obvious (hair loss) to much more subtle shifts. You’re tired at the end of the day, and cooking dinner feels like a monumental task. Perhaps your sense of smell is suppressed; just-baked bread and roast chicken don’t have their usual allure. And oh, that sore throat… “Why don’t I just skip the meal and go right to bed?”
Unlike normal times, when food tastes good and meals are anticipated and enjoyed, eating during chemotherapy can become a chore. And that’s why it’s important to plan what you eat, and when; if you don’t make a plan and stick to it, you may find yourself going entire days without anything more than hard candies and ice chips passing your lips – and that’s simply not healthy.
Starting with your first chemo treatment, keep a daily diary of how you feel. Depending on your particular drug protocol (AC, CMF, etc.), you may feel worse the first 24 hours, then increasingly better; or it may be a day or two before the side effects really kick in. So write down how you feel – every couple of hours at first, then daily, as your initial symptoms abate.
Once you’ve tracked an entire 2- to 3-week chemo cycle, it’ll be easier to plan your diet. Which foods should you eat – and which should you avoid? Should you eat three meals a day, or just snack? What if you don’t feel like eating anything at all? Let’s check out some strategies for healthy eating during chemo.
First, take the drugs
If your oncologist recommends anti-nausea medication, take it. And take it on the recommended schedule, which almost always means popping those pills BEFORE you feel bad. It’s much easier to control nausea before it begins than once it starts.
If, despite the drugs, you experience severe nausea and/or vomiting, consult your oncologist or his/her nurse. There are other drugs to try, and s/he can also recommend specifics around eating – for instance, you may want to subsist on juice and broth for 24 hours, if that’s what it takes to get you over an initial reaction.
The BRAT diet
Remember your kids’ pediatrician telling you about the BRAT diet for upset tummies? Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. What do all these foods have in common? They’re easy on the digestive system: low fat, no assertive spices, low fiber.
This diet is just as appropriate for chemo’s potential mild nausea as it is for any other kind of upset stomach. If chemo kills your appetite, yet you know you have to eat, try some sliced banana; rice pudding; a piece of toast, cut in small squares, or a small bowl of applesauce.
Notice the theme here: small portions, small bites. One of the keys to nourishment when your stomach is tied in knots is treating it gently; don’t challenge yourself with a big meal when you can have a bite of toast (or a couple of crackers) now, a few spoonfuls of applesauce in half an hour, and perhaps a banana an hour after that.
