Check with your care team, but generally speaking if you're not fasting for CT exams or other specific reasons, and you are feeling well, it's okay to eat before you come in for that first infusion.
Eating a healthy diet before chemotherapy may help a person lower their risk of infection, cope with side effects better, and have a greater chance of receiving treatment without unplanned breaks. During this time, a person can prepare for eating while going through chemotherapy.
Unwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants. Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider. Raw sprouts like alfalfa sprouts. Raw or undercooked beef (especially ground beef) or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry.
Stock up on healthy groceries.
So have plenty of low-calorie drinks on hand. You might also want to buy frozen meals or sign up for a meal delivery service for the days you don't feel like cooking. Also, keep a mix of fruits, vegetables, and high-protein snacks like yogurt on hand.
Complex carbohydrates.
Instead, include fruits, whole grains, beans, milk, yogurt, and starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas), to get nourishing carbs with fiber and many other nutrients. A good guide is to include 1 carbohydrate food at snack times and 2 carbohydrate foods at each meal.
Some raw foods can contain germs that can hurt you when cancer or treatment weakens your immune system. Ask your health care provider about how to eat well and safely. Eggs can have bacteria called Salmonella on their inside and outside. This is why eggs should be cooked completely before eating.
For most people the side effects were worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment. Some said the effects were worse with each successive treatment. Most side effects don't persist and disappear within a few weeks after the end of treatment.
Products that are acceptable include those that are fermented such as cheddar cheese, acidophilus milk, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, low lactose milk (i.e. Lactaid), or those that are milk/lactose free.
Chemotherapy can be dehydrating. Drinking plenty of water before and after treatment helps your body process chemotherapy drugs and flush the excess out of your system.
Good quality protein is important for cancer survivors. Our bodies use materials from the protein we eat to make new WBCs. Some sources of quality protein are fish, eggs, poultry, beef, milk, Greek yogurt and beans.
Try high-protein foods that may taste better cold or at room temperature. Examples include cheese or cottage cheese plates; macaroni salads with shrimp, ham or cheese; tuna, egg, ham or chicken salad; cold meat or luncheon meat sandwiches; or cold salmon.
The cancer / diet relationship: The following are guidelines that may lower your cancer risk: Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. 2-3 servings of whole grain bread, pastas, rice, etc. every day.
Potatoes are high in potassium, vitamin C and folate, all of which are most concentrated in the skin of the potato, which is left on in this dish. The roasted vegetables provide an opportunity to use what you have available.
Drinking lots of fluids and eating well can help keep your energy reserves up. If nausea and vomiting make it hard to eat, talk to your doctor about these side effects. Get moving. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, riding a bike and swimming, throughout the week may help you preserve your energy level.
Be careful when you have dairy products: All milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy should have the word pasteurized on their containers. Do not eat soft cheeses or cheeses with blue veins (such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Bleu).
The American Cancer Society recommends dressing in layers. Dress comfortably in sweatpants or yoga pants. Choose light materials so if you sweat, you won't feel sticky. Wear a low neck or V-neck shirt so nurses can easily place ports to administer the chemo, and bring an extra shirt in case you sweat through the first.
taking a friend or relative along to support you during treatment. getting reassurance from your nurses and doctors. using relaxation exercises such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or visualisation before and during a stressful situation. having a relaxing massage or reflexology treatment once a week.
You may also want to avoid cold drinks and frozen treats like smoothies and sorbet with certain types of chemotherapy, as they can cause discomfort if you have chemo-related cold sensitivity. It's fine to take a nutritional supplement if your doctor prescribes it.