During chemotherapy and radiation, meals are usually anything but "normal." I am fortunate to live in a neighborhood where everyone takes care of everyone else. I hardly had to think about a meal, even if I could think, during the months I was in treatment. Other fortunate patients have relatives or other household members to pitch in. In many cases, patients and their families resort to fast food, because the household order is disturbed and meals can take a back seat to survival or just getting through another day.
After chemotherapy and radiation, it's imperative for your brain health that you eat food that helps repair the damage caused by therapies. If you believe that you were eating healthy before treatment, you will need to evaluate more critically what you were preparing and achieve a higher level of nutrition specifically targeted for brain repair.
In my Chemo Brain Recovery ebook, I explain why you need to eliminate chemicals and artificial colors and sweeteners. So no artificial substitutions (sometimes known as "shortcuts") for healthy ingredients when you are preparing meals.
Here are some meal ideas that can help you get started. I eat these often, even 5 years after chemo and radiation have ceased.
I hope the nutritional explanation only helps whet your appetite to try them.
Chicken and walnut salad. Forget chicken Caesar salads-- the dressing can be loaded with MSG.
Brain nutrition in the recipe below:
Chicken provides Choline (needed for acetylcholine, a memory neurotransmitter), and protein.
Walnuts contain critical fatty acids needed for cell communication.
Berries contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, and Vitamin C.
Dark salad greens provide calcium and magnesium, needed for a calm central nervous system.
This is an easy-to-assemble recipe. Buy organic or hormone-free, antibiotic-free chicken strips and brown them in a pan with a little garlic and onion. You can do this ahead of time and use them as you need during the week.
Assemble organic spring mix, including spinach, on individual salad or dinner plates.
Sprinkle some shredded cucumber strips or green onions over it.
Add sliced strawberries or blueberries (not shown in photo).
Place chicken strips on top.
Shred parmesan cheese, chop walnuts, and sprinkle on top.
Drizzle with ORGANIC raspberry or pomegranate dressing. (Very important to read salad dressing ingredients!)
Serve as side or main course.
Organic chicken pizza (this one is very easy!).
Use the same cooking procedure for the chicken strips above, and spread about a pound around the top of an Amy's frozen no-cheese pizza. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella or provolone on top, and pop right on the rack in a pre-heated 425 degree oven.
The primary nutritional value of this recipe is the choline and protein in chicken. Serve with a salad, and see above for preparation ideas.
Salmon cakes
This is a tasty way to load up on the Omega-3 fatty acids you need for the building blocks of new brain cells, and for communicating between cells. An advantage of cakes vs. fresh salmon is that you can use leftover or high quality canned salmon.
I like the recipe from www.epicurious.com, except that i would never use cornflakes (try breadcrumbs or cracker crumbes-- see the recipe comments). Make sure you use organic ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed crumbled cooked salmon
- 1/2 cup cornflake crumbs
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise (ORGANIC)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter - for cooking
