At mealtime into a stressful experience because you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma? Are you worried about maintaining your weight because your appetite is missing
Is healthy food unappealing due to the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
Do not panic :. Which is normal
at some point after diagnosis, nearly half of all cancer patients develop cachexia. This condition implies an unintentional weight loss and muscle atrophy, even when patients are not looking to lose weight.
Anorexia can also occur in cancer patients. This condition, which is not to be confused with the disorder anorexia nervosa supply refers to the general loss of appetite because of food aversions. Often, patients develop anorexia-related cancer after the side effects of cancer treatment kick in, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Of course, these conditions can make stressful meals for mesothelioma patients. Because it can add unnecessary stress to the problems of appetite, patients should do everything they can to make mealtime an enjoyable and easy experience.
Be flexible with your eating schedule.
Some patients find that eating smaller meals every two to three hours helps them manage their hunger levels. Other patients find that they are not hungry enough to eat as frequently. The appetite may also change from day to day.
Take time to teach your hunger cues and eating whenever your appetite is high. If your appetite is completely gone, be patient with yourself, but do what you can to make sure you always take in adequate calories.
Eat what you like. . . within reason.
Although it is important to eat foods rich in nutrients, it is equally important to provide enough calories to support the recovery. Do not feel guilty if the thought of a "healthy" choice as a salad makes your stomach turn.
Instead, choose something that not sound good so you can get food in your body. Good choices for these opportunities include potatoes with sauce, pasta with butter, chicken noodle soup or other pureed comfort foods.
Give yourself permission to eat the foods you want to eat can be helpful when your appetite is unstable, but there are still some foods you should avoid, even if they sound good. Spicy foods, fatty or fried foods can all do damage to your stomach that you might regret later. Try to avoid it at all costs.
ready to eat.
with mesothelioma, you may have days when you have a lot of energy followed by days when you are extremely tired. To help shorten the cooking time on the days you're exhausted, try to make double batches of feed every time you cook. Eat a serving that day and place the rest in the freezer.
If you have these frozen meals on hand, you can avoid the stress of the kitchen when you feel sick.
presentation issues.
do not underestimate the power of an attractive presentation! Interestingly, patients often feel more encouraged to take their meals when they are well presented.
Plate meals on colorful dishes and use of colorful fruits and vegetables as a garnish. To go further, using special mats or music at lunch time for a more enjoyable experience.
Do you have a fitness question or nutrition you expect me to talk? Let me know in the comments below or on Facebook.
For more information on mesothelioma, click here.
