When I was a Dietetic Intern at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP), my favorite rotation was Oncology. Not only were the patients the best (I cannot explain it other than to say that, collectively, they had an infectious good spirit) but also, it was rewarding to be able to offer my patients relief from side effects of cancer treatment by suggesting small changes to their dietary intake. For example, eating small, frequent meals throughout the day may make it easier to keep down food and consume much needed calories and nutrients when dealing with nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, taste changes, and/or negative reactions to the smell of food. After my own diagnosis of DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ; pre-invasive breast cancer), I am even more interested in nutrition as it relates to cancer.
So, I was excited when Living Beyond Breast Cancer recently hosted a Twitter chat, called "Healthy Eating After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis." One of the panelists of the LBBC Twitter chat was Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, a fellow Registered Dietitian (RD), and a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, who works at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Stacy shared a great resource for those who have questions about nutrition, and food safety, during and after a cancer diagnosis.
So, I was excited when Living Beyond Breast Cancer recently hosted a Twitter chat, called "Healthy Eating After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis." One of the panelists of the LBBC Twitter chat was Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, a fellow Registered Dietitian (RD), and a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition, who works at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Stacy shared a great resource for those who have questions about nutrition, and food safety, during and after a cancer diagnosis.
The Dana-Farber website offers great information about managing side effects during a cancer diagnosis, as well as meal planning tips. An Ask The Nutritionist page allows readers to submit questions that are not already answered on the website. The Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women's Cancer Center also offers events for those in Boston, as well as a free app, which provides Recipes For Fighting Cancer and Ask The Nutritionist Question/Answers.
Closer to (my) home, Jackie Topol, MS, RD, CDN, an RD friend of mine from NYP, and currently a Clinical Dietitian at NYP, has found an innovative way to help her oncology patients beyond her regular patient follow-ups and dietary recommendations. Jackie passionately designed The Nourishing Kitchen, a bi-monthly program on the leukemia/lymphoma unit that provides cooking demonstrations for patients, their family members and caretakers. Participants learn easy, nutrient dense recipes and how to manage various treatment side effects. Jackie tirelessly worked to get the funding needed to make the program a reality; now that it is up and running, she is already seeing results, reporting that feedback from her patients suggests her lessons are helping them to maintain or regain weight. Learn more here.
Certain side effects of cancer treatments may contribute to a patient's difficulty in consuming enough energy- and nutrient-dense foods in order to maintain a healthy weight & lean muscle mass during cancer treatments, and to keep the body strong enough to support treatments, including surgery. That said, a registered dietitian can provide suggestions to help manage these side effects and help maintain a healthy weight (or help prevent further weight loss) and healthy diet throughout cancer treatment. If you or someone you know is being treated for a cancer diagnosis and would like nutrition advice, seek out nutrition services affiliated with your medical center or a local registered dietitian who specializes in oncology nutrition.
Closer to (my) home, Jackie Topol, MS, RD, CDN, an RD friend of mine from NYP, and currently a Clinical Dietitian at NYP, has found an innovative way to help her oncology patients beyond her regular patient follow-ups and dietary recommendations. Jackie passionately designed The Nourishing Kitchen, a bi-monthly program on the leukemia/lymphoma unit that provides cooking demonstrations for patients, their family members and caretakers. Participants learn easy, nutrient dense recipes and how to manage various treatment side effects. Jackie tirelessly worked to get the funding needed to make the program a reality; now that it is up and running, she is already seeing results, reporting that feedback from her patients suggests her lessons are helping them to maintain or regain weight. Learn more here.
Certain side effects of cancer treatments may contribute to a patient's difficulty in consuming enough energy- and nutrient-dense foods in order to maintain a healthy weight & lean muscle mass during cancer treatments, and to keep the body strong enough to support treatments, including surgery. That said, a registered dietitian can provide suggestions to help manage these side effects and help maintain a healthy weight (or help prevent further weight loss) and healthy diet throughout cancer treatment. If you or someone you know is being treated for a cancer diagnosis and would like nutrition advice, seek out nutrition services affiliated with your medical center or a local registered dietitian who specializes in oncology nutrition.
