Diet is essential for stomach cancer patients.
You might feel like food is a nuisance when you are dealing with stomach cancer. Nutrition, however, is now more critical than ever. Imagine your body as a car trying to climb a high mountain, which requires the right food for the trip. During cancer treatment, your body performs many functions to repair and fight the disease; proper nutrition is fundamental to maintaining strength.
A proper diet helps maintain strength and steady weight, facilitating better handling of treatment’s side effects. It is no longer about consuming but eating wisely and giving the body everything for this challenging journey.
What is the change in stomach cancer related to eating habits?
Changes in eating can be caused by stomach cancer or even its treatments. You can become complete with very little in the stomach. Alternatively, one might not be hungry at any one time. You may enjoy particular foods and beverages today, but later, you will discover they taste different. Such changes happen naturally, making every meal into a puzzle that has to be solved daily.
Think of it like adjusting to a new normal. Just as you might change your daily routine during treatment, you must adjust your eating habits. The goal is to find ways to get the nutrition you need while dealing with these changes comfortably.
What foods should stomach cancer patients eat regularly?
Here are the foods that often work well for stomach cancer patients:
- Lean proteins (soft-cooked eggs, tender chicken, fish)
- White rice, well-cooked pasta, crackers; cooked vegetables, carrots, squash, green beans; soft fruits, bananas, melons, cooked fruits; high-protein drinks and smoothies; clear broths and soups; yogurt and cottage cheese; well-cooked cereals, oatmeal; etc.
Which foods should a stomach cancer patient avoid?
The following foods are discomforting and may be limited or avoided:
- Spicy foods
- Acidic foods, citrus fruits, tomatoes
- Fatty or greasy foods
- Raw vegetables
- Tough meats
- Very hot or icy foods
- Carbonated drinks
- Strong flavors and smells
How should I plan my meals for the day?
Frequent and common meals can be less complicated than consuming massive meals three times daily. It’s also easier to eat smaller portions of meals but not feel complete because nutrients are adequately dispersed.
Lightly digestible starters often include oatmeal or scrambled eggs, so breakfast isn’t so ambitious. Then, you’ll eat small bits every 2-3 hours. Usually, a person might have six or more small meals rather than large ones. Have healthy snacks within reach or at the desk so you have something to pick on while you are hungry.
How about the size and timing involved in eating?
Small and several. Thus, think once again of quantities and time frequencies. Consider the breadth of your palm as a criterion for consuming slightly larger portions. It will be a small change, which is essential to remember.
Have your last meal two hours before bed. Your body still digests while you are sleeping, which can lead to acid reflux.
What are some common barriers to eating that patients can deal with?
The loss of being hungry causes the occurrence of some common stomach cancer. You might be interested in some forms of the following approaches in cases where you probably do not like to eat:
- Especially at mealtimes when you want to eat, you will eat even if you aren’t very hungry—your body clocks in on the ability to accommodate certain times. Setting up the routine will help.
- Burn up all your calories. With small portions, what little you consume needs to contain many nutrients.
- Do you get a chance to eat more when you feel better? For example, for other people, feeling great happens in the morning and during the evening for others. Eat during your good hours.
What about the way to manage nausea and vomiting?
- Nausea can make you think eating is impossible, but that’s wrong. As soon as you get up, take a little dry food, like toast or crackers, before you start moving around too much. Consider it laying a base in your belly.
- Cold or room-temperature foods are usually odorless and useful if smells nauseate you. Try keeping plain crackers or pretzels by your bed to munch on once you wake up.
- Ginger can also help with nausea. Try ginger tea, plain ginger ale, not sparking, or even ginger snaps. But before consuming any ginger, discuss it with your MD as it relates to your treatment regimen.
How do patients ensure proper hydration?
Hydration should be considered during cancer treatment. Instead of guzzling a lot in one sitting, it is okay to drink small doses periodically. This could be like slowly watering a plant instead of drenching it all.
If tap water is not your thing, add lemon or cucumber for flavor. Liquid can also be obtained from gelatin, popsicles, or clear soups. Despite their taste, do not consume the drinks either too hot or too cold; they inflict a sensation on you.
What are supplements in diet?
Whereas providing nutrients through a balanced diet is preferable, there are occasions when people might require supplementation. However, you should never take something without consulting your doctor first. Some may aggravate your condition or expose you to other risks.
Based on what your healthcare provider finds best for you, you may be suggested to use specific vitamins or protein supplements. Just view them as secondary sources, not as the main eatables.
How should the diet be modified with different treatments?
The essential nutrients you need will depend on the nature of your health issues, such as whether you are operated on or are under chemo or radiation. At first, you can try out liquid food, and then after the surgery, you can slowly introduce various foods to your daily diet.
When a patient is undergoing chemo or beam therapy, they might have to change their eating routine as the treatment develops ill effects. If you eat everything in one day, you may be unable to taste only some exceptional but easy-to-digest food.
What are the emotional aspects of eating?
Eating is a common social event, and cancer can disrupt this kind of connection. Don’t feel compelled to eat at any gathering if you are not up to it. It’s okay to communicate to your friends and family that the way you eat is different now because of the treatment.
Remember that different people react differently, and your plan may not work for everyone. Be patient as you try to establish what is best for you.
When should patients seek help with their diet?
You should not hesitate to seek help with eating if you are having trouble. Consult a healthcare professional if:
- You’re losing weight without trying
- You haven’t been able to eat for more than 24 hours
- You are experiencing extreme nausea or vomiting
- You cannot swallow
- You have a profound change in your sense of taste
- You are extremely weak or tired
Conclusion:
Many hospitals have dieticians who work primarily with cancer patients. They can create an eating plan tailored to you and your condition, which will be your aim and competition.
Cancer patients should mainly focus on the fact that proper nutrition is not something to be achieved strictly during treatments. It’s about finding practical and natural ways to nourish your body that are suitable for you.
Be flexible, be patient, and keep close contact with your healthcare team about any eating challenges you face.
REFERENCES:
https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2016/11/what-should-i-eat-if-i-have-stomach-cancer/
https://llsnutrition.org/i-have-stomach-cancer-what-should-i-eat/
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/nutrition-plans-for-cancer-patients-undergoing-treatment
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/stomach-cancer/living-with/eating-problems
https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/what-to-eat-after-youve-been-diagnosed-with-cancer/