Patients with stomach cancer who want to stay as healthy and strong as possible during treatment need to consume adequate nutrition and maintain a normal body weight. However, stomach cancer itself and anti-cancer treatments can not only cause nausea and loss of appetite, but may also reduce the patient’s ability to get the calories and nutrients they need from food. The following methods can be used to address these issues.
How can I increase my energy intake?
- Replace low-calorie foods with high-calorie foods such as replacing water, tea or soda with drinks like hot chocolate, milkshakes and juices. Adding fatty cream to coffee instead of milk. Add vegetable oils, sauces, salad dressings, peanut butter, etc. to foods.
- Put snacks on hand Keep high-calorie snacks such as cheese, nuts, and dried fruit on hand at home and in the workplace.
- Don’t drink too much liquid Drinking too much liquid with meals may result in less significant hunger and less adequate caloric intake. Please try to drink water 30 minutes before or after a meal.
- Nutritional meal replacement supplements are a great way to increase energy intake ask your doctor or dietitian about this. This “drinking” approach to energy may be more effective than “eating”.
How do I relieve nausea?
Nausea is a serious problem for people with stomach cancer.
Nausea is a common symptom in patients with gastric cancer, and those who experience nausea during gastric cancer and anti-cancer treatment often don’t want to or can’t eat, so try these strategies to relieve it.
- Eat fewer, more frequent meals Try eating 6 to 8 meals a day, which may work better than three meals a day.
- Be sure to eat when you feel hungry Many patients feel their hunger most clearly in the morning, so take advantage of this time to eat more.
- Eat food directly at room temperature or in the refrigerator Warm food may have a strong odor and give a sense of nausea.
- Record the foods you eat each day and how you feel after eating them for several weeks to identify foods that trigger uncomfortable symptoms.
How to prevent weight loss after treatment?
Weight loss can still occur even into recovery. For example, in patients who have had part of their stomach removed during surgery, the remaining stomach may not be able to digest food as well as before. Patients may need to follow the following dietary principles:
- Eating smaller, more frequent meals;
- Take vitamin supplements;
- Eating liquid foods to increase energy intake.
Seek help from a dietitian
A dietitian can tailor dietary advice to the patient’s needs and advise on how to eat during and after treatment.