Loss of Appetite - A Common Problem
You may not be able to rely on your hunger mechanism as a signal to eat. Many problems as pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea or a sore or dry mouth may make eating difficult and cause you to loss interest in eating. Depression, stress and anxiety also cause a loss of appetite. As appetite may no longer motivate you, now you need a planned approach.
Eat by the clock rather than hunger mechanism
Choose high calorie foods at this time. Remember, the calories are needed.
Plan the daily menu in advance
Fix several portions of any favorite foods and freeze
Make food visually appealing- eye appeal is often the first step in eating.
Appeal to the sense of smell. Tap into the sense of well-being that smells can stimulate.
Make mealtimes pleasant the mealtime atmosphere is important to help one feel like eating

Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea is a frequent side effect of cancer treatment or the cancer itself. If nausea is extreme or severe speak with a doctor or nurse about it, medication can help
Keep crackers, dry bread at your bedside for early morning nausea.
Eat small amounts of food often- take clear, cool foods and chilled drinks at first.
Eat and drink slowly- use a straw for beverages to reduce the smell
Try bland, soft foods as peaches, mashed potatoes
Popsicles, salty foods (salads, olives,) soda crackers and toast are often well tolerated.
Consider avoiding favorite foods right now as it is possible to start to associate these foods with treatment

Diarrhea
Diarrhea may be due to many causes. It can be because of chemotherapy, radiation therapy to the lower abdomen, malabsorption or sometimes antibiotics can cause diarrhea. It can also develop because of an intolerance to milk or difficulty in absorbing fats. Whatever the cause, diarrhea can be uncomfortable and embarrassing and causes one to lose vitamins, minerals and water.
Drink lots of room-temperature liquids to prevent dehydration, Gatorade, ginger ale, peach or apricot nectar, water, weak teas.
Try the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, tea and toast.
Try frequent, small meals.
Avoid fiber foods for now. Try breads made from refined flour without seeds or nuts.
Limit raw vegetables and salads right now as well as most fruits. Return to higher fiber foods once the diarrhea subsides.

Constipation
Constipation may be caused by some chemotherapy medications as Vincristine, Vinblastine. Other drugs as morphine and codeine may contribute.
Add more fiber and bulk to your diet
try beans as kidney and chick peas, lentils, fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, bran cereals or shredded wheat.
REMEMBER to drink plenty of liquids. You need more fluid when you have more fiber for fiber to work effectively.
Reduce your caffeine intake as caffeine may promote constipation by causing you to loose fluids.

When Foods Taste or Smell Funny
A patient may notice a metallic or bitter taste in the mouth or that foods just don't taste as good. This can occur during certain cancer treatments, especially during or after chemotherapy or if they have received radiation therapy to the neck and mouth area.
When foods taste too bitter

• add sweet fruits to meals
• add honey or sweetener to foods and drinks
• eat meat cold or at room temperature
• try meat substitutes, blandly prepared chicken and fish; mild cheeses, eggs, dairy, soy drinks or bean dishes.
• Marinate foods in wine, italian dressing, lemon juice, or low sodium soy sauce.

When foods taste ``off''

• drinking water, tea, ginger ale or fruit juices mixed with club soda may remove some of the strange tastes.
• try cold or room temperature foods which may taste better
• try chilled soups, starches as potatoes, rice and plain pasta, cold sandwiches.
• Do not add butter, margarine or other fatty substances to these foods.
• choose bland foods as eggs, mild cheeses, cereals, puddings and custards, rice, instead of strong flavored foods.

Generally
Eating in relaxed and pleasant surroundings may help reduce problems with Taste blindness. -Flavorings such as herbs, spices or food seasonings may help. Acidic foods such as grapefruit may stimulate taste buds (but avoid them if they irritate the mouth).

Chewing or Swallowing Difficulties
Soreness and tenderness in the mouth and throat are not uncommon. If the swallowing difficulties are minor the following suggestions may help. One may need to work with a swallowing therapist or consider alternative methods of feeding if there are severe problems.
Eat frequent small meals and snacks to ensure that you are getting enough calories.
Choose soft foods or foods that can be cooked until tender.
Cut foods into -sized pieces or grind them so that less chewing is required.
Many people find liquid supplements helpful, Some people will need to use a blender to puree the food.
Drink generous amounts of nutritious liquids with meals.
Be adventurous - try new sauces, gravies, different oils on foods to make swallowing easier.

Weight Gain
Gaining weight may be due to chemotherapy, prescribed steroids as prednisone, or fluid retention. Steroids may change the metabolism or the way a body uses calories and may also increase the appetite.
While being treated for cancer is not the time to go on a strict weight loss program as your body requires nourishment.

• You may switch to a lower fat diet (less butter, margarine, oil, lean meats only)
• A low sodium diet may be needed if you are retaining water. Its not enough just to avoid adding salt to your diet.
• Avoid canned goods and prepared food items as flavored rices and grains, and frozen dinners.
• Look at food labels and note the amount of sodium on the label.
• Discuss this with a dietitian

Summary
Remember - -The times when patients are weak and do not feel like eating are the times when they need the energy, protein and protective factors from foods most.

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Can Food Protect Against Cancer?

At some point in our lives, one in three of us will suffer from cancer. Of the 300,000 cases of cancer reported each year, 160,000 ultimately result in death.  A joint report by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) claims that 30 to 40% of cancers may have contributory dietary factors. So, can changing the types of food we eat reduce the incidence of cancer?

Diet appears to influence the incidence or risk of cancer in a variety of ways.  For example, a diet rich in red meat has been linked to a high incidence of bowel cancer, while consumption of excessive alcohol and cured and smoked meat and fish products are apparently associated with cancer of the mouth and digestive system.

By contrast, other foods, such as fruit and vegetables, appear to reduce the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, there is convincing evidence that a diet rich in green leafy vegetables protects against lung and stomach cancers, and probably also against cancer of the mouth and pharynx. Other vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, appear to protect against bowel and thyroid cancer, while Allium vegetables (such as garlic and onions), citrus fruits and tomatoes probably protect against lung, stomach and bladder cancers.

How do different foods affect the risk of cancer?

There are different biochemical explanations for the relationships between different food groups and cancer. Foods that appear to increase risk, such as cured foods and alcohol, often contain specific chemicals known to cause cancer (carcinogens).

By contrast, fruit and vegetables contain a range of ‘bioactive’ compounds, some of which are thought to act as natural pesticides within the plant. These compounds include those that reduce the toxicity of carcinogens.  Other compounds include antioxidants, which help to prevent the harmful side effects of free radicals produced as a consequence of normal processes but which can damage cells and DNA in the body. This damage may lead to the uncontrollable cell division typical of cancer.

At present, the daily requirement for the levels of these bioactive compounds is not known. However, it is likely that a diet rich in a variety of foods of plant-based origin will ensure an adequate selection of these beneficial compounds.

Although certain types of cancer have been linked to particular foods, other factors appear to also be involved. For example, diets high in red meat have been attributed to the development of bowel cancer, yet these diets are also often high in fats, sugar and alcohol, low in fruit and vegetables, and may be associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

There is also evidence that obesity increases the likelihood of tumour formation, probably through the stimulation of specific growth factors and hormones in the body. Obesity has been linked with increased risk of cancer of the womb, kidney and breast.

The interdependence of dietary factors and lifestyle makes it difficult to assess the role of a particular food in the development of the disease. For example, a report in 1997 by the WCRF and AICR implicates red meat consumption as having a probable adverse effect on bowel cancer, and a possible adverse effect on the risk of cancer of the pancreas, breast, prostate and kidney. The report continues that, if eaten at all, red meat intake should be restricted to 80g cooked weight per day. However, there is considerable scientific evidence that the adverse effects of meat are low in comparison to the probable protective effects of fruit and vegetables against cancer.

A report from the Department of Health on the advice of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition policy reinforces this view, emphasising the importance of a healthy, balanced and varied diet, rich in cereals and containing at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. The authors of the report concede that, while adults who eat 12 to 14 portions of red and processed meat every week might benefit from a reduction in intake, those who consume average and below average levels need not alter their intake.

Can a Vegetarian Diet Prevent Cancer?

The authors of a report for the British Nutrition Foundation point out that the apparent benefits of meat avoidance may also reflect other factors generally common among vegetarians. These include high fibre and starch intakes, low alcohol intakes and reduced incidence of smoking. Additionally, they emphasise that a relationship between red meat and bowel cancer has not been proved beyond doubt.

However they do admit that very high intakes of meat should be avoided, as this may result in other nutrients being displaced from the diet. The report continues that while a diet devoid of meat can be nutritionally adequate, it is easier to obtain all the essential nutrients from a diet containing meat. In particular, it warns of nutritional deficiencies that may develop among certain groups of the population in the event of elimination of meat from the diet.

To finish, present evidence suggests that the adverse effects of red meat in the development of cancer is outweighed by the protective effects of fruit and vegetables. As the effects of a single type of food on the body are influenced by the combination of other foods in the diet, it is highly likely that a balanced, varied diet can offer some protection against cancer.