Getting children to eat healthy food is a normal challenge for many parents. If your child has cancer, ensuring he gets the proper nutrition despite changing tastes and a diminished appetite can be even more difficult.
“Nutrition is so important with our kids, and parents want to have some control in a time when things are out of control,” says Lehigh Valley Health Network pediatric hematologist/oncologist Phil Monteleone, MD. “I think it can be challenging for our families because of the changes in taste buds and food preferences. We encourage them to try lots of different foods, even ones the kids did not like in the past.”
Lehigh Valley Health Network has a pediatric nutritionist who works with families weekly. Parents can get help managing their child’s diet and finding healthy recipes that they’ll actually want to eat.
Monteleone endorses the tips offered in a recent article by The Washington Post, “Cooking for Kids with Cancer.” It includes four recipes from the cookbook, “Happily Hungry: Smart Recipes for Kids with Cancer,” written by the mother of an 11-year-old whose Stage III Hodgkin’s lymphoma wreaked havoc on his digestive system. Read More »
This St. Patrick’s Day, consider getting a little green in your diet. Mother Nature gives you plenty of delicious green options with which to fill your plate. Green vegetables are filled with vitamins and minerals that can help prevent disease. They also contain thousands of natural chemicals called phytonutrients, which help prevent diseases, such as cancer and heart disease, and help your body function properly.
