Frequently Asked Questions

My husband is having chemotherapy treatments and has lost his sense of taste after one treatment. Are there any foods I can prepare that will give him some relief?

Taste changes are common during many chemotherapy regimes. I found that adding Italian salad dressing or Teriyaki sauce to nearly everything I ate helped to mask the odd flavors that developed as my chemo progressed. In addition, I started adding frozen cranberries to my soy shake recipes to make them less sweet. Lastly, I added fresh cut up lemon or limes to water to minimize the metallic taste in plain water.

There will be some additional suggestions on the following web site: www.CancerNutritionInfo.com, click on Treatment Symptom Management.

Please also discuss your husband's full spectrum of individualized nutritional needs with the Registered Dietitian at his cancer treatment facility.

FAQ posted 9/04

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Back to Main QandA Page Nutritional Concerns during Cancer Treatment (related to side effects) Can you provide a list of all chemotherapy drugs called alkylating agents that may potentially have interactions with antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy? posted 10/02 Dear Diana, I am undergoing treatments for cancer and am not eating well. What should I do? posted 7/01 Can I drink your soy shake recipes if my oncologist or dietitian has recommended that I follow a neutropenic diet due to my low white blood cell counts? posted 5/00, updated 7/01, updated 11/02, updated 8/03 Should I consume antioxidants during my cancer therapy? posted 12/01, updated 10/02 Can herbs interact with any of the chemotherapy drugs? posted 4/01, updated 9/02 Are there any diet changes to help relieve bloating during abdominal radiation? posted 4/03 Do you have diet suggestions for someone who has diarrhea after radiation therapy for rectal cancer? posted 1/04, updated 4/04, 11/04, 1/05 Is it safe to drink green tea if I have a port for administration of my chemotherapy? posted 1/04 Can you tell me foods to eat to reduce the acid in my urine and pain in my bladder and ureters? posted 2/04, updated 5/05 How can I eat a diet as healthy as you suggest if I need to be hospitalized for more than a day or two? posted 3/04 My husband is having chemotherapy treatments and has lost his sense of taste after one treatment. Are there any foods I can prepare that will give him some relief? posted 9/04 Is there a good web site describing the nutrition related side effects from chemo drugs? posted 10/04 Should I stop drinking green tea during chemotherapy to avoid consuming too many antioxidants? posted 7/05 How can I use the diet recommendations on your web site and in your book to both increase my intake of cancer fighting foods for optimizing my cancer recovery and lose weight at the same time? posted 3/06 What tips do you have to stay on a healthy diet during the holiday season? posted 11/06

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These questions and answers are intended to be of a general informative nature. Please consult with the Registered Dietitian in your cancer center or your health care provider for nutritional advice that can be individualized to your specific medical condition.