Cancer has far-reaching effects on health and well-being, influencing food preferences and your appetite. However, maintaining adequate nutrition is especially important for people undergoing cancer treatment in Singapore to keep the energy necessary to endure adverse side effects.
In many circumstances, this might be difficult to achieve, especially when you feel overwhelmed, since cancer treatment aims to eradicate malignant cells. It’s important to remember that these therapies can also harm healthy cells.
You may end up experiencing changes not just in your physical body. Learn how you can manage what you consume here.
How Does A Patient’s Diet Change During Cancer Treatment?
Undergoing cancer treatment in Singapore can have various adverse food effects. Cancer patients often struggle with eating because of:
- An unpleasant symptom of constipation might be a decrease in appetite.
- Recurring diarrhoea
- Lack of energy reduces daily activity and, by extension, calorie expenditure and hunger levels.
- Smell and taste changes
- Difficulty swallowing and throat pain
- Having nausea and vomiting can make you feel sick, decreasing your appetite and leading to weight loss.
Some patients undergoing breast cancer treatment in Singapore may experience weight gain because of steroids. If you use steroids, you can find yourself eating more than usual.
In the case of prostate cancer treatment, Singapore patients also experience gaining weight, especially those in hormonal therapy. These drugs can reduce the production of hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Lowered hormone levels are associated with body fat gains, lean muscle losses, and impaired calorie expenditure.
Because of differences between individuals, it is impossible to predict the onset or severity of eating disorders. What kind of cancer you have, its location, how long your therapy lasts, and how much medication you take all have a role in determining this.
Talking to your oncology doctor, nurse, or nutritionist can help you learn more about the different eating issues you could have and how to cope with them.
How To Manage Eating Problems
As mentioned above, those undergoing cancer treatment in Singapore may lose appetite, feel nauseous, have bowel irregularity and have a dry mouth. The good news is that it can reduce or eliminate these unwanted effects and boost nutrition while undergoing therapy.
1. Nausea
Intense nausea is a typical adverse reaction to cancer treatments. If you’re feeling nauseous, you may find it challenging to eat. It’s best to talk to your oncology doctor, nurse, nutritionist and medical staff if you think this.
Another way to handle this is to consume food frequently but in modest amounts. Instead of three main meals, aim for five or six smaller meals daily. Eating smaller meals more regularly is a convenient strategy for many people.
Document the times and circumstances you experience nausea. Bring this to the attention of your oncology doctor and nutritionist. To improve your health, they may recommend modifying your diet.
2. A lack of appetite
Even those undergoing proton therapy in Singapore, most patients cite a lack of hunger as the root cause of their weight reduction. It can last for just a day or two, or it can last throughout your entire therapy.
To manage this, do not go long without eating, so stock up on snacks. Increase your calorie and protein intake and stay hydrated all day long, not just when you’re not hungry.
Consult a dietician if you’re worried about your diet. How to acquire adequate calories and protein even when you don’t feel hungry is something to address.
3. Constipation
Constipation can be because of medication, lack of physical activity or entirely your cancer treatment in Singapore. It gets characterised by a decrease in bowel activity and the development of hard, dry, and painful stools.
It’s best to drink warm or hot beverages, including coffee, tea, and soup. It would help if you also took in plenty of fibre. These can be things like fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruits, bread and cereals, with each serving having at least 5 grams of fibre.
Consume eight to ten glasses of water daily. It’s essential to drink lots of water when following a high-fibre diet.
4. Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is the frequent, often soft or watery stool occurrence. The body does not get enough of the nutrients it needs from the food and drinks you consume because of how quickly they go through your digestive tract.
To avoid dehydration, consume a large volume of fluids at room temperature. Such beverages include water, herbal teas, ginger ale, fruit nectars and juices. It would help if you cut back on the coffee and soda.
Consume plenty of salty and potassium-rich foods and drinks, and ensure you eat less fried and oily foods.
5. Dry mouth
It might be challenging to speak, chew, and eat when you have a dry mouth. Make sure you keep hydrating all day long. Since a moist mouth makes it easier to swallow and speak, this can be helpful.
Talk to your dietitian and oncology doctor before consuming sugar-free goods if you’re experiencing diarrhoea, as some sweeteners can aggravate the condition.
Is There Anything Specific You Should Not Eat?
When undergoing cancer treatment in Singapore, paying attention to what you put into your body is essential. Learn to read food labels and cook at home as much as possible to control what goes into your body.
Avoid eating foods that have been processed, refined, and deep-fried in hydrogenated oils because they can contribute to inflammation.
Talking to a nutritionist with your oncology doctor can help you get the proper calories and nutrients daily.
It may seem like a complete revamp of your life is necessary to accomplish all of these objectives, but you should start where you are and work your way up. Implementing lifestyle improvements like eating well and exercising regularly gradually increases the likelihood that you will maintain these habits for the rest of your life.
Beat cancer while maintaining a healthy body
Dr Johann Tang is an oncology doctor who treats patients with a wide range of cancers with the highest standard of care. He provides a competent team and places ethics and compassion at the centre of their work, listening to and learning about each patient to tailor their treatment accordingly. Book your appointment today if you need to undergo breast cancer or prostate cancer treatment in Singapore.
