Diet - cancer treatment

People with lactose intolerance have trouble digesting the sugar in milk. Lactose intolerance is due to an inability to produce lactase, the enzyme that digests milk. The wall of the gastrointestinal tract produces this enzyme. Fortunately, lactase can be synthetically produced, purchased over-the-counter, or can be taken orally with milk.

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You can also buy lactose-free milk at most grocery stores. Cultured dairy products such as yogurt, cheeses, and buttermilk will have less lactose as the active cultures help to digest it. You may be able to tolerate small amounts of lactose occasionally. You may have to restrict lactose entirely from the diet until you have fully recovered from your cancer therapy.

DUMPING SYNDROME

Surgery on the stomach may cause dumping syndrome. If you have dumping syndrome, food is "dumped" into the small intestine 10 or 15 minutes after being swallowed. Ordinarily, food is partially digested in the stomach, then released gradually into the digestive tract.

The presence of undigested food in theintestine leads to abdominal fullness, nausea and crampy abdominal pain. Other symptoms include feeling warm, dizzy, and faint. You may also experience rapid pulse and cold sweats immediately after eating.

Recommendations for dumping syndrome are:

Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Lie down immediately after eating
Restrict refined carbohydrates and increase protein and fat in the diet
Drink fluids 30 minutes BEFORE a meal or 30 - 60 minutes AFTER a meal

LOSS OF APPETITE (ANOREXIA)

If you are experiencing anorexia, adjust the diet to include any foods that appeal to you. Ask your doctor about appetite-stimulating drugs.

Your local chapter of The American Cancer Society is an excellent resource for information on cancer prevention and treatment. See also cancer - support group for other resources.

A registered dietitian is a trained health professional in the area of nutrition and can assist in nutritional planning for people with cancer.