How Patients Can Boost Dietary Nutrient Intake During Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment creates a cruel irony for patients: just when their bodies need more nutrients to fight the disease and recover from treatment, eating becomes one of the biggest challenges they face. Chemotherapy, radiation, and other cancer treatments can turn favorite foods into unpalatable options while simultaneously increasing the body's nutritional demands, putting cancer patients in a difficult position. Sarah Washburn, a dietitian with UCLA's cancer center, sees this struggle daily among her patients. Treatment side effects wreak havoc on taste buds, appetite, and digestion, making proper nutrition feel like an uphill battle when patients are already fighting for their…