Cancer Nutrition

New Tuna Salad

By replacing the pasta in tuna salad with beans, you eliminate cooking time and make a healthier version of an old favorite.

Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Serves five as a main dish.

Ingredients:
• One 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed well
• One 15-ounce can of great northern or navy beans, drained and rinsed well
• Two 6-ounce cans of chunk light tuna, drained and chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
• ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of one lemon
• Fresh black pepper, to taste.

Instructions:
1• Drain and thoroughly rinse chickpeas and beans.
• Drain tuna.
• Place chickpeas and beans into a large bowl with tuna, chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, finely chopped red onion, olive oil, and lemon juice.
• Stir to combine.
• Add fresh ground black pepper, to taste.
• Serve and enjoy!

Healthy eating habits are vital for mesothelioma patients. However, many cancer treatments have side effects that can weaken the appetite, causing weight loss, fatigue and an overall decline in health. Good nutrition can help maximize energy, stave off infection and provide the strength patients need – when they need it the most.

Many people don’t know that nutritional guidelines for someone fighting cancer are very different from those recommended for a healthy person. Insufficient calories and protein are often problems, so the focus should be on eating enough food to maintain energy. Patients who are struggling to eat should consult with a doctor or nutritionist – but the following general suggestions may be helpful:

• Find one or two things you can tolerate and stick with those foods until you can handle additional items
• Incorporate liquid meal supplements
• Drink at least six to eight cups of liquid each day
• Avoid foods that may irritate side effects caused by your treatment – for example, lowering fiber if chemotherapy-related diarrhea is an issue, or eliminating acidic fruits or vegetables if radiation aggravates your throat