Diet is a part of life for each of us, especially for hospitalized patients. A scientifically reasonable diet is related to nutrient intake, energy supplementation, and prevention of complications. With the continuous development of chemotherapy technology in recent years, more and more cancer patients are receiving chemotherapy. However, most cancer patients will experience varying degrees of malnutrition, body weight loss, and reduced nutritional indicators after chemotherapy, which have become important means to affect patients' physical recovery and reduce toxic side effects. What are the key points to pay attention to in diet?
1. Reasonable dietary structure
Both patients and their families need to realize the importance of a healthy diet after chemotherapy and cannot continue to adhere to their previous dietary structure. The dietary structure of cancer patients after chemotherapy should be reasonable and balanced to meet the body's energy and nutritional needs, enhance immunity, and reduce the damage of chemotherapy drugs to the body. Therefore, eat more high protein foods such as chicken, fish, shrimp, duck, lean meat, milk, beans, eggs, etc. to help repair damaged tissues; Eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and fiber. Relevant studies have shown that the nutrients in these foods help enhance immunity and promote body recovery; Eating more whole grain foods, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread, can help maintain the body's energy levels and increase satiety; Eating more nourishing foods after chemotherapy can help replenish vitality. Common foods include potatoes, mushrooms, red dates, pig blood, etc. In terms of diet, it is not only necessary to ensure the supply of various nutrients, but also to eat more foods with anti-cancer and anti-cancer effects, rich in vitamins and trace elements, such as tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, yams, etc. Due to chemotherapy causing symptoms such as dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting, patients should maintain sufficient water intake to reduce the side effects of kidney metabolism drugs. It is best to drink at least 2000 milliliters of water per day.
2. Reasonable meal schedule
Breakfast is the most important meal among the three meals a day. It is recommended that patients consume mild, easily digestible, and protein rich foods for breakfast, such as grains, dairy products, fresh eggs, boiled vegetables, etc. After chemotherapy, the patient's appetite may not be very good. Increase the number of meals and control the amount of food consumed per meal. The distribution of multiple meals in small quantities can reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, increase appetite, and better promote physical recovery. Chemotherapy can have a certain degree of impact on the patient's digestive system, and patients need to eat regularly to maintain normal digestive function. It is recommended that patients eat every 3-4 hours to avoid long intervals or irregular eating habits. After chemotherapy, patients have relatively weak gastric function and are prone to stomach discomfort and digestive problems. In order to reduce the pressure on the gastrointestinal tract, it is recommended that patients avoid overeating and consuming greasy and irritating foods as much as possible after chemotherapy. Due to the relatively slow metabolism at night, overeating at night can affect the digestion and rest of food, leading to digestive problems.
In short, the dietary structure and meal times of patients after chemotherapy need to vary from person to person, and appropriate eating plans should be developed based on their own needs and the guidance of medical staff. At the same time, attention should be paid to dietary diversity, balanced and reasonable intake of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to accelerate the recovery speed of patients.