Sharing Detail
Cancer patients often concern of their diet which can easily lead to nutritional deficiency, On patients’ request "AmMed Link" has helped to arranged a "Nutrition Class for Cancer Patients" for them. We had invited registered dietitian Sylvia Lam to give lectures and teach them some dietary tips to cope with cancer.
Some general ideas of the patient on diet:
- Believed in unscientific diet restriction or remedies leading to excessive limitation of foods.
- Divided the patients and their families and lead to unnecessary disputes due to different opinions on eating.
- Aggressive diet retriction leads to imabalanced diet and significant weight loss
"New concept of eating":
1. To improve eating habits
Do not over-restrict on foods as it may affect body nutritional status. In some cases, patient's weight reduced drastically which consequently negatively affect the immune system and overall health. In fact, cancer patients should have variety of foods in their diet, avoid being a picky eater in order to consume adequate nutrients to help recovery.
2. To have a balanced high protein, high energy diet.
Cancer patients or reovering patients need to pay attention on three important points. Firstly, they should consume variety of foods. If necessary they can boost their energy intake by eating healthy desserts. Except for those who has diabetes, otherwise healthy desserts are encouraged for cancer patients.
3. To consult medical professional’s advice
If you are concerned that certain food may affect your condition, one should seek for medical professional’s advice. Do not believe unscientific diet advice and have misunderstandings on foods.
4. To have positive attitude towards coping to foster fighting spirit
During treatments (chemotherapy or radiotherapy) many side effects may occur. Patients may need to take nutritional supplements in helping them to build up their nutritional status. But the most important thing is to maintain a positive mind in fighting the disease.
During treatments (chemotherapy or radiotherapy) many side effects may occur. Patients may need to take nutritional supplements in helping them to build up their nutritional status. But the most important thing is to maintain a positive mind in fighting the disease.
How to increase appetite during treatment:
During treatment many side effects may occur. Side effects include poor appetite, taste changes, swallow difficulties, dry mouth, nausea, diarrhea and constipation etc which affect the normal eating habits. Some patients may have rapid weight loss. These phenomena may exacerbate their psychological pressure.
Tips for cancer patients to increase nutrition and gain weight:
- Eating small frequent meals: Due to poor poor appetite, small frequent meals can ease digestion.
- Do not over-restrict on eating: cancer patient should have high-calorie food; and also enjoy foods they like.
- A good way to increase appetite: Search for more interesting recipes that can give patient more idea in order to increase variety.
- Do not over-restrict on eating: cancer patient should have high-calorie food; and also enjoy foods they like.
- A good way to increase appetite: Search for more interesting recipes that can give patient more idea in order to increase variety.
For those who eat poorly, nutritional (milk) supplements can be taken in between meals. They are very convenient and easy for body to absorb and to maintain energy balance.Usage of nutritional (milk) supplements can also help achieve the practice of small frequent meal.
Some new ideas on making tasty nutritional supplements:
- Choose the flavor that you like: there are variety of flavors for nutritional supplements, such as vanilla, chocolate and orange. You can choose according your own preferences. If you do not like sweet, chicken flavors is also available.
- Try new recipes: you can create your own taste such as putting in fresh or frozen strawberry and banana into the milk supplement and blend them into a milkshake. You can also put other favorite fruits such as papaya, kiwi, apricot, peach, etc. instead of strawberries.
- Broaden your tastes: supplements can also mixed with black coffee, green tea powder, honey, sesame powder, almond powder. Patients can modify the taste to stimulate appetite.
- Try new recipes: you can create your own taste such as putting in fresh or frozen strawberry and banana into the milk supplement and blend them into a milkshake. You can also put other favorite fruits such as papaya, kiwi, apricot, peach, etc. instead of strawberries.
- Broaden your tastes: supplements can also mixed with black coffee, green tea powder, honey, sesame powder, almond powder. Patients can modify the taste to stimulate appetite.
Sharing recipes among patients:
Attending patients were very keen to bring their favorite foods and recipes to share with other classmates:
Recipe 1: Sweet Sesame Soup:
Prepare 1 serve of rice with 2 serves of black sesame (e.g. 30g rice with 60g black sesame) Wash rice, soak for 2 hours then blend rice and sesame seeds with water in a blender until smooth, then strain. Cook the mixture in a pan until thickened and smooth. Patient can add sugar in the mixture according to their taste.
Recipe 2: Soybean Curd Sheets with Ginkgo Sweet Soup :
Add fresh soybean curd sheets in boiling water until all dissolve, then, add ginkgo and eggs. The secret of this recipe is adding a small piece of ginger into the sweet soup, to create a special aroma and taste.
Recipe 3: Tofu soup with Fungus:
Cut tofu, mushroom, dried scallop, black fungus and lean pork into shreds. All all ingredients into a pan with boiing water and bring to a boil. Add small amount of shredded ginger, then thicken with cornstarch mixture. This soup is very healthy and easy to swallow.
Recipe 4: Peanut Butter and Banana or Tuna fish with corn
Sandwich
Add fresh sliced banana with peanut butter or tuna fish with corn into sandwiches can be very healthy and tasty.
Add fresh sliced banana with peanut butter or tuna fish with corn into sandwiches can be very healthy and tasty.
Beneficial sharing from the “Nutrition Class for Cancer Patients”
1. To adjust healthy eating habits. Encouraged to have small frequent meals.
2. To follow a well-balanced diet based on a high protein, high-calorie principle.
3. Optimism is the key to happiness and health.
4. Avoid over-restriction on eating. One should seek professional advise if necessary.
5. To try a variety of foods and new recipes in order to expand your consumption on different food groups.
2. To follow a well-balanced diet based on a high protein, high-calorie principle.
3. Optimism is the key to happiness and health.
4. Avoid over-restriction on eating. One should seek professional advise if necessary.
5. To try a variety of foods and new recipes in order to expand your consumption on different food groups.
