Cancer Nutrition Consortium Releases Cookbook

Food is one of the basic necessities of life.

But for people fighting cancer, food itself can present a struggle as treatments often affect taste, smells, appetite, nausea and digestion. According to a 2015 study, “The Impact of Cancer Treatment on the Diets & Food Preferences of Patients Receiving Outpatient Treatment”, one of the biggest challenges for people undergoing cancer treatment is getting proper nutrition.

“Cooking Through Treatment”, available now, (all purchases are charitable donations) contains 43 convenient, nutritious recipes tailored to meet the various needs of people during cancer treatment and recovery.

Cooking Through Treatment is unique in that many of the recipes were developed by professional chefs, in conjunction with oncology dietitians at the nation’s leading cancer treatment institutions, including the Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center, the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, New York University Langone’s Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

Based on the results of the groundbreaking unprecedented multicenter clinical research study conducted by the Cancer Nutrition Center (CNC), each recipe included in Cooking Through Treatment was designed to address issues that cancer patients typically confront, which often interfere with getting enough good nutrition, including difficulty swallowing as well as the need for mild flavors. Using a system of nutrition indicators, each recipe is coded for specific nutritional needs, including heart health, high-protein, and energy boosting.

Cooking Through Treatment is produced and published by the Cancer Nutrition Consortium (CNC), a non-profit that works to promote and better understand the importance of nutrition for positive medical outcomes for patients during cancer treatment and recovery.

“The whole key behind the CNC is a scientific approach to maintaining good nutrition at any stage of the diagnosis and treatment of cancer,” said Dr. Bruce Moskowitz, a primary care physician in West Palm Beach and founder of the CNC.

Faced with questions about food and nutrition from patients fighting cancer, Dr. Moskowitz discovered a paucity of research and science-based information. The CNC was created to develop and share that knowledge. In addition to working with physicians and nutrition experts at leading cancer institutions, the CNC also has underwritten 6 scientific research studies of food and nutrition in people undergoing cancer treatment.

“Whether you’re just diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or are a survivor, having knowledge-based information is extremely important,” Moskowitz said.