Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/197379
TIPS & TRENDS TIPS & TRENDS Cancer Treatment Centers of America®. SPICE IT UP Cancer and its treatment can sometimes interfere with the ability to taste food properly. Both chemotherapy and radiation may damage sensory receptors in the tongue, causing taste changes or even complete loss of taste. These changes can make foods taste bitter, bland or metallic; sometimes tastes like sweet or salty may be intensified. Although these changes can be frustrating, they usually are not permanent. Below are some tips to help manage this side effect of treatment. • Use an alcohol-free mouthwash to rinse well before eating. Sometimes a fresh, clean mouth can help food taste better. • Try cleansing the palate with sour foods like lemon or lime before meals. • Chew on fresh herbs (basil, parsley or mint) to cleanse the palate before eating. • Drink more fluids and chew gum to keep the mouth moist. Taste buds work best when there is adequate saliva. • Change the way food is prepared by trying new spices, herbs and sauces. • Marinate meat, chicken and fish in sweet fruit juices, flavorful salad dressings or sweet-and-sour sauce. • Combination foods like casseroles and stir fries work well because they offer a wide array of flavors. • If meat or poultry tastes bad, try other protein sources such as peanut butter, beans, cheese and eggs. • Avoid metal pots, pans and utensils to minimize metallic taste. Use plastic forks and spoons instead. • Cold foods may taste better because they have a less bitter, metallic aftertaste. Reprinted with permission from Wholesome Temptation™: Nutrition Tips and Recipes from cfthrive.com IN RECENT YEARS results from a number of studies have described the health benefits of coffee. Researchers have reported that coffee consumption can be linked to a lower risk of several types of cancer, including some oral cancers, skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma) and prostate cancer. In addition, in 2012 a National Institutes of Health study found that coffee (caffeinated or decaffeinated) drinkers had a lower risk of death overall than those who did not drink coffee. So, should we all run out and drink more coffee? Nhu Huynh, RD, LDN, CSO, CNSC, Director of Nutrition at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, says that while recent research findings related to coffee consumption and cancer—as well as those that show coffee may protect against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and liver cirrhosis—are noteworthy, the medical community is not yet ready to recommend that people increase coffee intake for health benefits. "The recommendation for coffee intake is still the same," says Huynh, "which is in moderation only." She adds that "while drinking up to six cups of coffee is not associated with an increased risk of death from cancer or heart disease, if people don't drink coffee there is no need to add this into their diet." And, she cautions, "some people may still want to consider avoiding coffee or switching to decaf to better control their blood pressure." The bottom line, according to Huynh: "Coffee may have potential health benefits, but more research needs to be done." COFFEE: GOOD OR BAD? MY PINK PURSE The recent trend in subscription box services has seen a surge in monthly gift box deliveries geared toward subscribers with a wide variety of interests— companies deliver everything from makeup to fashion to wine to consumers who pay a monthly fee to receive regular treats in the mail. Now breast cancer patients can join this growing trend: My Pink Purse is a subscription box service created by breast cancer survivor Vanessa Lacewell with a mission to "Meet the needs of our female cancer survivors and improve their lives while providing quality products and services that are reliable, beneficial and value driven." Subscribers can sign up online for the monthly service, which delivers a box filled with treats and products designed to improve quality of life. Recent boxes have included offerings like hand cream, nausea pops, pillows and pink nail polish. For more information or to subscribe for yourself or a loved one, visit survivoressentials.com. FOR A FREE PRINT SUBSCRIPTION GO TO CFTHRIVE.COM winter 2013 | cancer fighters thrive 25