It can be overwhelming to listen to pieces of advice from varying sources. Especially at the start of a challenging journey, when we don’t know who or what to follow.

What kind of food should a person eat when undergoing treatment? How much? What if they find it difficult to eat?

These are common questions asked by both cancer patients and their caregivers.

Since each person’s experience with food and nutrition during cancer treatment is different- it depends on the type of cancer they have, the stage they’re at, the type of treatment they’re receiving, and the medication they’re taking- it is critical to consult a nutritionist or a dietitian. The nutritionist or dietician will regularly monitor the patient’s condition and make a diet chart or plan suited to their needs at that point in time.

That said, both the patient and the caregiver would do well to know some basics of diet during oncological treatment.

The body needs to be supplied with enough and the right nutrition for cells to repair and heal. But it is difficult to eat when you don’t have the appetite for it, or feel full after taking only a few bites of food. Cancer, in combination with its treatment and medication, causes multiple side effects relating to food consumption and digestion.

These include: nausea; fatigue; loss of appetite, weight loss, malnutrition; weight gain; fluid retention; vomiting; diarrhea; constipation; taste changes; milk or lactose intolerance; sore mouth, tongue, and throat; dry mouth; difficulty swallowing; narrowing of the food pipe; and tooth decay.

The list may seem overwhelming at first, but the basic tips to mitigate all such discomfort remain the same:

Yoga is not an alternative to cancer treatment- it cannot ‘cure’ or treat any kind of cancer- but it may help relieve some of its symptoms, improve mood and quality of life when integrated into ongoing standard treatment.

Our immune system responds to our feelings, and it could do with less of the stress, anxiety, and depression caused by cancer’s touch. Although it is hard to imagine making friends with an enemy, the illness the patient has been called upon to fight, this is the attitude we need. Yoga and meditation has helped many patients inculcate it. Yoga consists of gentle, low-impact exercises that can be easily adapted to each person’s needs. Its practice is centered around the breath, making it especially effective in “opening the chest” in patients of lung cancer. In turning our attention inward, meditation activates a sense of awe and wonder at the present moment: slowly, we start to become more mindful of our responses, and learn to take control of them. We eat in greater peace, and slowly, learn to treat food as medicine.

According to a recent study conducted by the Tata Memorial Hospital, inclusion of yoga in the treatment of breast cancer resulted in a 15% improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) and 14% in overall survival. It has also been found to prevent the development of lymphedema in survivors of breast cancer, which occurs when too much lymph collects in any area of the body. Diaphragmatic breathing, as taught in yogic practice, increases venous and lymphatic circulation, thus preventing lymph from collecting.
But here, one size doesn’t fit all. As simple and soothing as it may be, yoga can also have side-effects such as nerve damage and stroke, when done improperly or in excess. You need to have the programme tailored according to your own needs and follow it only to the extent your body allows.

Therefore, make sure to: