THREAD 1/12 Patients with #cancer are being advised to #cocoon due to #COVID-19. This means they cannot shop for food. If you are caring for someone on cancer treatment including #Chemotherapy please be mindful that their nutritional needs are different to healthy people.
2/12 Patients with cancer can lose large amounts of muscle mass very quickly. Severe muscle loss (sarcopenia) affects 40% or more of patients with cancer. This causes poorer tolerance to chemotherapy. To slow muscle loss it is important that patients eat enough #protein.
3/12 #Poorappetite is common in patients with cancer - about 50% experience this. This means they do not feel hungry and when they eat, they often feel full very quickly. Little amounts of food and often are key to improving intake – small nourishing meals & snacks.
4/12 Many patients with cancer have taste & smell changes (side effect of chemo). Cooking smells can aggravate nausea. Many have severe fatigue that makes cooking a difficult task. Deliver nourishing meals & portion them so they can be frozen.
5/12 If you are caring for someone with poor appetitie & weight loss you can access a free high-protein high-calorie cookbook @hselive website bit.ly/3bIYjQG which was developed by oncology dietitians @ucc & supported by @BreakthroCancer
6/12 If you are caring for someone with cancer of the oesophagus, neck, mouth or throat they may have swallowing difficulties. This free cookbook from @ucc & @BreakthroCancer will give you ideas on nourishing texture-modified meals you can prepare for them bit.ly/3aB7pPs
7/12 if you are caring for someone who is put off at the smell of food cooking or the sight of solid food on a plate please check out the range of #nourishingdrinks and #highprotein #soups in the following @HSElive book developed @ucc bit.ly/3bIYjQG
8/12 Patients with pancreatic cancer can experience the most severe forms of malnutrition (rapid weight loss & muscle loss). A free cookbook from @ucc & @breakthroughcancer is available at this link bit.ly/3aCawqa
9/12 For a #cancersurvivor who is finished treatment or has been advised by their doctor/dietitian to follow a healthy eating diet please see bit.ly/3dKFWwx for a free #healthyeating cookbook from @ucc which meets guidelines from @wcrf & is suitable for all the family
10/12 If your loved one has been prescribed #oralnutritionalsupplements (#sipfeeds) it is important to continue these.Patients with #cancer may benefit from these if they (1)find it a struggle to eat normal foods (2)have difficulty swallowing (3) have lost weight unintentionally
11/12 For #cancer patients on home #tubefeeding please continue to liaise with your dietitian. If you don’t have their direct number, phone hospital switch board & they will put you through. #RDs can help with feed tolerance,diarrhoea,constipation,hydration, blocked tubes etc.
12/12 Lastly #cocooning also means patients with cancer can’t go out to exercise. Sitting & lying down a lot at home can worsen muscle loss. Please see fab home exercises developed by Prof Anna Campbell @canRehab specifically for patients on treatment
