Why it’s not always about “eating clean” when you’re going through treatment

I've got some beef with the "veggies at all cost" club, as it relates to going through cancer treatment - and specifically, chemotherapy. Um, no pun intended there, haha. Today, we'll talk about:

• How holistic/alternative perspectives get it wrong, even when they mean well
• Why "just eat more veggies!" also isn't the answer
• How doctors aren't totally wrong when they give inadequate nutrition advice during treatment, despite the minimal training they typically get regarding nutrition

And why I feel like I need to call this unhealthy "health" behavior out. 

What's got me on this food tangent? 

There’s a trend lately to shame doctors for poor nutrition counseling during cancer treatment (and I’m sure other types of health issues, but cancer is what I know, so we’re going to stick with that). 

Please note: I'm not a doctor, I'm not a nutritionist, and I'm not pretending to be one, or tell you how to navigate your treatment. I'm telling you about my experience as a cancer patient who had a hard time "eating super healthy" during my treatment - and why it makes me angry that holistic accounts are shaming people for eating what they need to, to get through their treatment (when they've never been through something similar, themselves)

It's straight up not acceptable. 

This flavor of health-righteousness goes something like, “doctors should be promoting green juice, nutrient-dense meals, and allll the vegetables during cancer treatment.” And continues on, to lambaste them for recommending hi-cal meal replacements, adding ice cream to a smoothie if you’re not getting enough calories during chemo (because it’s hard to eat), telling patients that “nutrition doesn’t matter,” and similar. 

And it spills out, onto the shoulders of the cancer patient: that this is how they SHOULD (have to?) eat, to successfully get rid of cancer. 

And it’s not wrong, exactly…but it sure as HELL is not right. (Spice level: )

Most people cannot “healthy food” away their cancer. There, I said it. 

Do doctors get great nutrition counseling? No, not usually. Are they nutritionists? Also usually no. Is a healthy, nutrition-dense overall eating pattern supportive to your health and wellbeing? Of course. Is your eating during chemo going to be perfect? Absolutely not. Is it going to be even kind of ideal? More than likely, no.  

If you've never gone through cancer treatment - and specifically, chemo - don't tell people going through chemo how they have to (or even "should") eat. I'm serious. Read that again, if you need to. 

During chemo, you're pumped with strong drugs, whose job is literally to kill cells. 

Chemo kills both healthy cells and cancer cells. You are also pumped full of steroids, to mitigate some of the side effects that traditionally come with chemotherapy (think nausea and vomiting).

It's insane to think that people just go along like they were, with no changes in taste, preference, hunger, stomach sensitivity, and the like. 

If you have not gone through chemotherapy, you don't know: 

• How your tastes can change 
• How your mouth begins to taste metallic (or just plain weird) a lot of the time 
• How steroids make you ravenous...ALL of the time
• How your body needs carbs (+ lots of cals) to rebuild your healthy tissue and cells...even if you literally never crave bread otherwise 
• How any food can suddenly turn you completely off 
• How things you usually LOVE (and have been healthy for you) make you horribly sick to your stomach (for me, this was raw veggies)
• How sometimes, it really just is ice cream or bust (right now, on the medication I'm currently taking, I go through periods where the ONLY things I can eat that don't make me ill are chicken nuggets and tater tots. Why? I have no idea! Does it make sense? Absolutely not. But guess what? It's what works. And so, it's valid. Because no one deserves to feel like sh!t all of the time, just so someone can bully them into "eating healthy."

This isn't meant to be an exhaustive list. It's meant to give you some perspective on how medication can dramatically influence someone's ability to tolerate certain foods, or groups of foods. It's also an example of how medications can affect your hunger level, satiety, caloric and nutrient needs, and more. 

It's also a reminder that "healthy eating" during treatment doesn't - cannot - look the same for everyone.  

Healthy eating is eating that doesn't make you feel worse. If veggies are making you feel WORSE, they're NOT healthy for you. 

The food you need - the food that helps you feel your best - is the food that is currently resonant with you and your energy. You know how we say to choose the crystals that are best for you RIGHT NOW? That will support your energy RIGHT NOW? That suit you, right now?? It's the same with food.

But what about doctors who advocate "just eating whatever"? 

This also isn't meant to support doctors who say that "food doesn't matter." It does: eat as close to a whole food diet as you can. Eat a variety of foods. Minimize added sugars, alcohol, highly processed foods as you can. Ideally, you'll want a solid overall eating pattern - over the course of your life, in general. Not, necessarily, during the 3-5 months you're going through chemotherapy. 

If all you can tolerate for a period while on your medication is ice cream (or chicken nuggets and tots), EAT THAT. Don't waste your time feeling bad that you can't slug down 32oz of green juice like you used to: your body simply cannot handle that right now. It's not in resonance with what your body needs or with what you can process. If even cooked veggies turn you off, don't eat them. You do need food. You do need calories. Get them from things that help you feel good. This is TEMPORARY. Chicken nuggets and tater tots for two weeks during a phase of your treatment, while everything else explodes your stomach, is NOTHING in the scheme of your life. 

There is no one food that definitively causes cancer. There is no one food (or type of food) that will tank your entire nutrition. 

If you can tolerate "healthier" foods during treatment - great! Eat all of the fruits, veggies, and nutrient-dense food you want. I would never tell you not to - food IS important. But what is also important is getting through treatment, keeping your strength up, and not feeling worse than you have to, on the advice of someone who's never had to do it themselves (or, literally, just someone who isn't you). The end. 

People going through chemo don't need to be food-shamed

I've got big beef with people who want to shame people for not drinking green juice and eating all the veggies all through chemo. So let's be clear: If green juice makes you sick to your stomach, it's not good for you. Full stop.

If you want a loved one going through chemo to "eat healthier"...listen to them. By all means, ask them if they think they can tolerate adding avocado to their smoothie for calories, instead of ice cream. But if they can't, don't fight it. Don't shame them. Don't tell them how terrible ice cream is. Just let them eat the thing that doesn't upset their stomach. That doesn't make their chemo experience worse. That doesn't stress them out more than they already are.

There will be plenty of time for healthier choices, once their body starts to recover and their tastes even out. That time may not be during chemo. And that is okay.