How do I know that my father is eating a healthy diet?

25.How do I know that my father is eating
a healthy diet?

In general, a healthy diet is a balanced diet, one that
includes a number of servings from the different food
groups: fruits and vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy
foods. Of these, fruits and vegetables contain the
greatest number of phytochemicals that are believed
to prevent cancer or improve cancer prognosis.
Vegetables and fruits are also low in fat and high in fiber
and micronutrients compared with other foods, and
are generally better for people’s overall health. The key
word, however, is balance.

Phytochemicals = Chemicals found in plants.

Prognosis = Prediction of the course of a disease.

The person with cancer may have to focus on certain
nutritional issues according to whether he or she is
undergoing treatment, recovering from treatment, trying
to prevent recurrence, or living with advanced cancer.
During treatment and recovery from treatment, for
example, increasing caloric intake is usually emphasized;
after surgery, more protein may be recommended to
help tissue heal. After certain colon surgeries, for example,
a low-fat, low-fiber diet is prescribed during recovery.
Sometimes diet can be adjusted to help prevent
or control the nausea or diarrhea that results from
some kinds of radiation therapy and chemotherapy
treatments. And while it does appear that dietary fat
plays a role in the incidence of some cancers (particularly
colon and prostate), the effectiveness of low-fat
diets in preventing recurrence or extending survival has
not been definitively proven.

It is important to note that there may be nutritional
concerns specifically related to the particular treatment
a person with cancer is undergoing. Folic acid and vitamin
B6, for example, can interfere with the effectiveness
of some chemotherapies. If your father is taking or
planning to take nutritional supplements and/or make
changes to his normal diet, check with the doctor or
nurse to make sure there is no negative effect either on
him or the efficacy of the cancer treatment. The American
Cancer Society (ACS) and other resources provide
in-depth information about diet during cancer treatment
and recovery, including sample menus. See the
Appendix on how to order this information.

Mark’s comment:

One way to be sure that your friend or family member is
eating right is to go shopping for them and, if you have the
time and availability, prepare a meal for them once a
week. If simple tiredness is preventing them from eating
right, then reducing the burden of shopping and cooking
might help. If you do cook for them, cook more than they
need for one meal, so they can heat up leftovers on days
they’re too tired to cook for themselves.