DEC 03, 2015

Cooking and Cancer

WRITTEN BY: Brenda Kelley Kim

When someone is going through cancer treatment, either radiation or chemotherapy, good nutrition is key. Very often patients don't have any appetite or side effects like nausea and fatigue keep them from eating healthy meals. The body needs fresh produce and healthy protein to heal and fight the disease, but sometimes food just needs to be about comfort.

Cancer survivor Ann Ogden Gaffney knows how that is. She's had cancer twice and her cookbook entitled "Cook for Your Life" contains her favorite recipes for food that is healthy and brings comfort. The meals are simple and easy to make and Gaffney feels that time spent in the kitchen preparing the food is a stress reliever for some patients. Family members can also gain insight from the book which has material on what kinds of nutrients are best for fighting cancer and how to make meals that taste good and are good for keeping patients strong.