I am 64 years old and currently being treated for colon cancer. As a result of radiation to the rectum I suffer from diarrhea. How can I best adjust my diet so that I have the fewest complaints?
Rina
Willemijn Wissekerke, nutritionist:
It’s going to be a tough time for you now with the colon cancer and radiation. I’m sorry you’re having diarrhea because of this. Because this has nothing to do with your diet, it is difficult to do anything about it. But you can of course try to keep it under control with your diet as much as possible.
If you suffer from diarrhea, it is important that you eat enough fiber. Fiber ensures that more water is absorbed, giving the stool more volume. Fiber can be found in: whole-wheat bread, crackers, rye bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit (fresh but also dried fruit contains a lot of fiber), oatmeal and legumes.
You can also try how it goes if you put bran or wheat germ in your yogurt or cottage cheese, which are also high in fiber. Try to eat in small portions, these are often better tolerated and reduce the risk of severe diarrhea.
Also keep drinking a lot, because if you have a lot of diarrhea you will become dehydrated quickly. 2 liters is actually minimum. Because you lose a lot of moisture, you also lose a lot of salt. Broth can help to bring your salt level back up to standard, this at the same time provides extra moisture.
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