| Nutrition during cancer treatment is very | | | | methods of preparation. This gives a wider choice |
| important. This is because treatments like | | | | of meals. What your or the patient may have |
| chemotherapy, radiotherapy and even surgery | | | | disliked in the past could now well be a new found |
| can have side effects. Most of the time, some | | | | favourite meal. Keep trying and never stop |
| patients can adapt. Some cannot. | | | | experimenting |
| You may find that cancer or cancer treatment | | | | Cancer treatments can also alter the sense of |
| has affected your sense of taste. Food may lack | | | | smell in a patient. Strong scents during food |
| flavour or taste too sweet, salty or metallic. | | | | preparation might induce nausea in the patient. |
| Usually these changes are temporary or will | | | | These steps are therefore necessary and should |
| improve in time. However, there are some | | | | be taken in avoiding the nausea:- |
| suggestions for this:- | | | | - Keep the patient or yourself in a room where it |
| - Cleaning the tongue allows the taste buds to | | | | is farthest away from the kitchen (or which ever |
| function better | | | | places where the food is usually prepared) |
| - Try different sauces, marinades, seasonings, | | | | - For pungent or strong smelling foods, reduce the |
| spices, herbs and flavourings and other ingredients | | | | amount of ingredients that contribute to the smell |
| in your cooking | | | | and taste. This may make the food taste bland. |
| - Experiment with different foods and different | | | | But for your own health and good, do it. |