Thriving Through Treatment review: How mindful eating can aid in cancer recovery

Cancer treatment, be it surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy, is a long-drawn and arduous journey. You hear them talk about the various forms of medications, therapies, procedures and all-consuming fatigue and painful procedures and aggressive treatment they are undergoing. Navigating the physical and emotional challenges during diagnosis and treatment can be overwhelming. As someone who is concerned and wants to help, what do you say or don’t? What to say that’s right? What can you do that could be comforting and productive?

Amidst the barrage of medications, therapies, and procedures, one fundamental aspect of care that is sometimes overlooked is nutrition. Samara Mahindra’s Thriving Through Treatment: Your Culinary Companion while Healing from Cancer (Bloomsbury) has been a constructive conversation maker currently for me. It goes beyond a regular cookbook with a collection of recipes. It is perhaps the first ever book in India with recipes for specific symptoms during cancer treatment. It highlights the pivotal role food plays in palliative care and healing for those going through various stages of cancer. As Dr Ashok Vaid, oncologist and haematologist, writes in the foreword, “the cornerstone of a patient’s overall wellbeing, especially during such trying times, often rests on something basic but equally powerful — the food we eat.”

‘A compassionate companion’

Author Samara Mahindra, founder of India’s pioneering integrative oncology company, doubled as a caregiver for her mother who was battling cancer. She realised that healthy eating and nutrition are important features of caregiving. The book was born of combining “scientific rigour with culinary art” to be a compassionate companion to those battling cancer through the basic aspect of health, food. “Nutrition is the fifth pillar of cancer treatment,” rings true.

Cancer treatments take a toll on the body leading to a range of side-effects that can make eating and digestion challenging. In such times, food becomes more than just sustenance; it becomes a source of comfort, strength, and healing. Thriving through Treatment offers recipes that cater to the fluctuating needs of the body during treatment.

The book is structured around specific symptoms that cancer patients often experience, such as nausea, diarrhoea, energy loss, sugar cravings, constipation, sore mouth, taste changes, acidity, bloating, and weight loss. Each chapter provides plant-based recipes meticulously designed to alleviate these symptoms. Foods that provide an energy and immunity boost, both of which are severely compromised during treatment, along with weight loss, and cooling and soothing foods (for the gut), for improving blood count, low carb-no grain, semi-solid and liquid foods.

Recipes — homespun and inventive

There is a short list that includes food safety precautions, dos and don’ts while eating at restaurants and nutrition and dietetics advice on what to avoid (sugar, salt, deep-fried or processed or raw foods) and how to remember hydration, to eat mindfully and watch portion control and seasonal foods and regional varieties that can be best for meal plans during therapy or convalescence.

Thanks for this, but what about taste, you ask? Does the patient have to forgo the basic joy of food? The miracle about food is it can be delicious and not compromise on taste even when its purpose is nutrition and palliative healing. Mahindra’s recipes are homespun and inventive that do not compromise on flavour, texture or taste. The watermelon and mint smoothie or the desi buttermilk recipes offer to cool the gut with natural probiotics and combat dehydration and nutrient loss. Ginger, peppermint, applesauce, bananas and rice are highlighted for their abilities to soothe the digestive system and restore the gut balance. Check out the smoothies, nut butters, and whole grains featured prominently, offering a natural, nourishing way to combat fatigue. High-fibre recipes, including those with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are offered that double as natural laxatives.

While it’s common to experience cravings for sweets, especially during stressful times, managing sugar intake is crucial. The book provides alternatives to processed sugars, using natural sweeteners like dates, honey, and fruits. These recipes satisfy the craving for sweetness while avoiding the spikes in blood sugar that can be detrimental to health. The book provides alkaline recipes that help balance pH levels in the body, using ingredients like cucumbers, leafy greens, and watermelon, which are known to reduce acidity and ease bloating. There’s a variety of nourishing broths, smoothies, and juices that deliver essential vitamins and minerals which are easy to consume. These recipes ensure that even when solid foods are not an option, patients can still receive the nutrients they need. Care is taken to include calorie-dense, nutrient-rich foods that can help patients maintain a healthy weight. Avocados, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are incorporated into meals that are both satisfying and beneficial.

Eating: A form of self-care

It is not a wholly vegetarian book and includes fish and chicken recipes. Since research is strong on how a plant-based diet, rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals, and essential nutrients, can contribute to the body’s ability to fight cancer and recover from the rigours of treatment, Mahindra’s recipes are primarily plant-forward, with a careful selection of nourishing ingredients, with specific health benefits to supplement the treatment.

The age-old wisdom of Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine,” resonates profoundly in the context of cancer treatment. The holistic approach to food as medicine is not new, but it is particularly poignant in the context of cancer care. Where the goal is to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life, using nutrition to support the body’s ability to heal, to strengthen the immune system, and to provide comfort during a time of great physical and emotional stress becomes pivotal.

Thriving Through Treatment embraces this philosophy, offering recipes that are crafted with care, recognising the emotional and psychological importance of food. Eating well can restore a sense of normalcy, provide pleasure, and serve as a reminder of the joys of life, even amidst illness.

It’s difficult not to smile when a photo of a glass of ruby red beet smoothie is shared on WhatsApp, with a message, “Trying out the recipes from the book you gifted.” Thriving Through Treatment’s appeal is to remind us that the role of food is beyond immediate symptom management. When the body is battered and worn, the simple act of eating well becomes a powerful form of self-care.