Patients dealing with cancer are very motivated to make changes that would have seemed unworkable before their diagnosis. Unfortunately, they aren’t always as sure about just what changes to make. It can be hard to sort through conflicting recommendations from friends, books, the internet and even their health care providers.
Once they decide on the overall changes they do wish to make, they often need help figuring out the specific ways that they can adjust their diet on a day to day basis. Changing eating patterns is not an easy task because it involves more than just changing one behavior! We make choices about eating many times each day. Most of us do not deliberately make harmful choices, but sometimes do so because we aren’t sure of what a good choice might be or how to fit better choices into our busy lifestyle.
Phase changes in to limit stress: One around nutrition and one in physical activity!
The goals of our counseling sessions:
Identify and fix immediate risks or problems:
- Any difficulties with eating that are limiting your ability to get enough calories, protein and nutrients to maintain your strength and immune function.
- Review any vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements you are using or considering,
to evaluate those that are worthwhile and those that may be a waste of your money or potentially dangerous. - Identify any potential risks associated with changes in diet or supplementation that you are considering.
Consider your options for changes in diet and supplementation:
- Provide an overview of the nutrition interventions that are backed by scientific research for your cancer diagnosis. This does not mean that you must wait for the results of clinical trials that prove benefit beyond a shadow of a doubt. But it is important to look at the strength of the evidence that is available for various options you might consider.
- Help you prioritize the changes that will be most helpful to you.
- Develop a plan that helps you gradually phase in these changes. To be successful, your plan must be one that you help to develop, based on your own likes and dislikes!
We make choices in eating every day, many times a day.
Learning simple strategies to improve these choices can be empowering!
Choose the services that are right for you!
Colleen is happy to work with you in the way that best meets your needs, identifying your priorities and helping you learn the skills that will help you to reach your goals.
Individual Counseling: The initial visit
Download the medical history form, fill it out and bring it with you to your first appointment. This helps focus the time in reviewing your individual medical and nutrition history, so we can identify your priorities and the interventions and educational materials to support those goals.
Follow-up sessions can provide ongoing support and/or accountability. Many people find it useful to touch base periodically to find solutions to small problems that come up as they begin to make changes, or to establish new goals, once they have mastered one.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Attend a class:
Choose the subjects you find interesting and attend them at your own pace. See the class list for topics and to find a location that works for you.
View a CD:
Not able to attend due to distance or timing? Consider purchasing a CD and listen to it at your convenience. These topics are being recorded, so check back for updates on their availability:
Managing Eating Problems
Does Sugar Feed the Tumor?
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My Recent Posts
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