Circadian Rhythms
WHY?
One of the most unexpected things I learned during treatment was how disorienting it can be to your internal rhythms. Between naps at odd hours, hospital lighting, and the stress of it all, I found myself completely disconnected from time.
Your circadian rhythm plays an important role in immune function, healing, digestion, and mental health. Research is early (but promising) that the time of day has a significant impact on the success of the treatment.
DAILY FIXES
- Try to get natural light in your eyes within 30 minutes of waking.
- If you’re in a darker climate or stuck indoors, I used a new novel light therapy lamp for an hour each morning while eating breakfast or journaling.
TREATMENT TIME
Your treatment time matters. It sounds small, but the hour you receive radiation or chemotherapy can affect your body’s reaction.
- If you can, unless you are a night owl or have a substantially different circadian rhythm, I recommend pushing for morning appointments. Early research studies have shown they are correlated with greater treatment success.
Nutrition - During Treatment
Your primary and sole focus should be to eat what you can eat. Do not worry about nutrition or following an anti-cancer diet. You need to get calories in.
- Antioxidants in food are okay, but you do not want to take additional supplements if you are undergoing radiation treatment. Check with your oncologist.
- Cancer treatments cause gas and bloating.
My acupuncturist recommended the following diet to limit additional gas, but you should do whatever you need to do to keep your weight up:
- No dairy products, no beans or nuts or seeds, no brown rice, only sticky rice, no wheat products or grains, no raw vegetables, just cooked vegetables, no carbonation in drinks, and no alcohol, no processed sugar, please drink plenty of water.
FASTING BEFORE TREATMENT
All evidence on fasting before treatment is very early, but the treatment is at risk if you lose too much weight. It’s not worth it.
THE IMPACT OF TREATMENT ON THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
- Ask your oncologists whether the treatment will impact your digestive system or your ability to eat.
- What is healthy = what you can digest.
- Chemotherapy, radiation, and the associated meds can also cause diarrhea and constipation. Ask your oncologist for recommendations tailored to your specific treatment.
- Chemotherapy may change your taste buds. I would recommend not eating any of your absolute favorite foods at the start of chemo because it may take a long time to get back to them.
- Bone broth is a great way to get nutrients. One of my cancer friends loved milkshakes. Do whatever you need to do.
- I liked everything as plain, odorless, and tasteless as possible.
FIELD NOTE
For several weeks during both of my treatments, I have had to revert to a BRAT (banana, rice, apple sauce, toast) diet. The notion of “healthy” is less relevant than what’s digestible. If you’re having digestive problems, focus on a low-residue diet (cooked vegetables, proteins, white starches). As you feel better, you can slowly start to add in more fiber.
NOTES ON NUTRITION IN RECOVERY
- Once you are a few weeks out from treatment, you can start to think about an anti-cancer diet.
- My nutritionist helped me a lot with supplements to rebuild my gut
- I’ve had a lot of success with a low-glycemic Mediterranean diet.
FIELD NOTE
Low-glycemic doesn’t mean cutting out all sugar. It reflects the glycemic load of your body. You can look up the glycemic index and glycemic load of most foods with ChatGPT. To bring the glycemic load down, add protein and fiber. Never eat a carb alone, and always try to walk after meals to help your digestion.
Hydration
- Cisplatin caused me to have some kidney problems, which caused an electrolyte imbalance. I recommend no-sugar, salt-based electrolytes (like LMNT).
- Because of my lightheadedness, I asked for additional hydration between cycles.
Movement
- Try to move as much as you can each day. This could range from a long walk outside to stretching.
- Studies have shown the benefit of aerobic exercise every day, but depending on your treatment, that can be hard to do.
- You need to avoid stillness becoming stiffness.