Boosting Nutrition During Cancer Treatment

When my mother was receiving chemotherapy, it was a challenge to balance her lack of appetite while making sure she got the nutrition she so much needed. As a family caregiver, I am not alone in my need for some advice.

“Food is a big part of people’s lives — family time, culture and holidays,” says Debbie Kurzrock, R.D., a Mills-Peninsula registered dietitian who works in Radiation Oncology at the Dorothy E. Schneider Cancer Center in San Mateo. “So it’s really upsetting when a person is diagnosed with cancer and suddenly they can’t eat the way they did before,” she says.

Often cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, negatively affect people’s sense of taste. Other side effects can include fatigue, nausea, difficulty swallowing or diarrhea.

You can read Kurzrock’s tips for what to eat during cancer treatment on the Mills-Peninsula’s health blog. It’s helpful advice for anyone providing care for a family member or friend fighting cancer.