Being diagnosed with cancer, be it any type of cancer, chemotherapy is the invariable form of treatment. Chemotherapy is the most effective form of treatment where it destroys the body’s harmful cancerous cells from within. Now while it is extremely effective to disintegrate the cancer cells, it also has a lot of side effects.
The fact that along with the cancer cells, it also destroys many good cells is evident. Besides this, nausea, diarrhea, hair loss, weight loss, mouth sores etc. are extremely common as well. So with these problems, it is absolutely necessary to check your food intake.
There are specific types of food that are necessary for the body during chemotherapy.
But most importantly, there are foods that you should absolutely avoid during this time. Here is a list of few such no- no’s that will help you to stay “correct” with your diet.
Fried Food
Anything that has something to do with oil should be kept away from your dining table. Side effects of chemotherapy like diarrhea, nausea and vomiting often intensifies with the intake of fried stuffs.
Though the patients under chemotherapy need a lot of calories, fried food like French fries or fried chicken can actually harm you instead giving you the right amount of calorie.
Instead try to grill or bake the same food that you were frying. They are both appetizing and good for your health. Even if you need oil; negligible amount of olive oil can be allowed.
Raw Vegetables
There is a wrong myth about raw vegetables. Many people think that because raw vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they are good for health. But it is so not true.
Because a person’s digestive system as well as the immune system weakens considerably during chemotherapy as well as the process to digest the food completely, raw vegetables often have the risk to cause food borne diseases that otherwise would have been eradicated by the body’s mechanism.
Raw vegetables such as celery and cucumber have maximum chances of being contaminated with harmful bacteria. Hence it is best to avoid salads or any other raw meal.
Spicy Food
Spicy food is an absolute no- no during chemo sessions. They are known to intensify the side effects of chemotherapy. Food that contains a lot of hot peppers and Cajun seasoning or even curry has the risk of upsetting the stomach and causing mild to severe diarrhea. They even lead to nausea and pain of sore mouth and throat.
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