During the treatment of mesothelioma, you can see a number of different specialists. Oncologists, radiation therapists, pulmonologists. . . each of these physicians play a vital role in your recovery. A little less obvious, however, is the nutritionist.
But they should not go overlooked. Many hospitals and cancer centers actually have a nutritionist on staff.
multidisciplinary systems understand that your body works overtime to get rid of mesothelioma cells, how you feed your body becomes especially important. oncological nutritionists can help you understand how to optimally feed your body to fight cancer cells, how to use nutrition to improve your response to treatment and even how to make food choices that can help you manage your symptoms.
nutritionists can help you understand the balance of macronutrients for your body. They can help you create a goal of how many calories and grams of protein, carbohydrate and fat to eat every day. They will take into account individual factors such as your age goals, gender, activity level and weight. To take the guesswork eating, they can also create a customized meal plan that accurately reflects your needs.
A nutritionist can also help you cope with nausea, vomiting, sores in the mouth or digestive distress by adjusting what you eat. You may want to keep a food diary to determine which foods are actually symptoms.
Using a process of elimination, you can help identify foods to cut from your diet until the side effects go ?? and identify what foods help reverse these adverse conditions.
What you might ask your nutritionist
Each patient will have different concerns to discuss with their nutritionists. Before your first date (or between appointments), note any questions that pop into your brain
Here are some general subjects to think :.
- weight
- I lose chemotherapy therapy / radiation. Should I increase my calories?
- I'm not as active as I used to be. Do I need to change the way I FUEL my body?
- My appetite is missing. Do I need to look into meal replacements or supplements?
- Will I need extra protein to prevent muscle deterioration?
- I experience side effects of treatment. What foods should I avoid until the side effects go away ?? and what foods can I use to calm?
- What vitamins can make my immune system stronger against mesothelioma? What foods are the best sources for them?
- I heard a lot of juice. Is it something that could benefit me?
Your needs may change during treatment. Feel free to introduce new conditions or issues with your nutritionist, and be sure to get their approval before making changes to your diet!
