Food cravings during chemotherapy and how to manage it?

Patients often worry about weight gain as a potential side effect of chemotherapy. Eating behavior triggered by chemotherapy-related symptoms, taking steroids, and inactivity due to fatigue can all contribute to weight gain. Chemotherapy can cause certain appetite-related side effects, for example – increased appetite, nausea or cravings for sweets and carbohydrates. Although patients don’t have to cut sugar out of their diet completely, there are many healthy alternatives to help control the cravings. Try fresh fruits By eating even small amounts of sweets throughout the day, calories can add up fast. The same goes for carbohydrates, which break down into sugars. Although the body needs carbohydrates for energy, eating more than required can lead to extra sugars being stored as fat. Try reaching for a piece of fresh fruit when a sugar craving comes. Food cravings are not the only thing that can impact weight gain during chemotherapy. Fatigue and lack of physical activity can also contribute. If you are experiencing these side effects, try incorporating light walking into your daily routine to help combat potential weight gain from inactivity. Speak to your doctor Certain medications can also