Cancer treatment can take a toll on appetite, taste, and energy — but a monthly class at Scully-Welsh Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital is helping patients and their families fight back with food.
The Center’s Oncology Teaching Kitchen brings together Gabriela Sabanilla an oncology dietitian at the Cancer Center, and Chef Travis Leopold of Morrison’s Food Services as they walk patients through recipes they can enjoy before, during and after treatment.
The class meets on Thursdays at the end of each month at 2 p.m., and it's open to patients and their families.
"Both of us, we go over recipes for patients that they can have and enjoy before, during, and after treatment," Sabanilla said.
Sabanilla said good nutrition isn't just about comfort — it can shape how well a patient gets through treatment.
"Maintaining proper nutrition before, during, and after cancer treatment can make a difference in patient's health treatment outcomes," she said. "With adequate nutrition, patients can continue to schedule treatments without sick day interruptions."
She said eating well during treatment also helps patients maintain strength and energy, and lowers the risk of malnutrition over the course of a treatment plan.
Certain foods, Sabanilla said, can give patients an added boost.
"I recommend patients to choose bright colored fruits and vegetables, as these are packed with phytonutrients," she said.
Phytonutrients are the compounds that give plants their color, Sabanilla explained, and they strengthen a plant's immune system — research has linked them to anti-cancer effects in humans as well.
She pointed to deep greens like kale, brussels sprouts and broccoli, along with berries such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, as examples of foods rich in those compounds.
Treatment side effects — including changes in taste, smell and appetite — can make it harder for patients to eat enough or absorb nutrients properly, Sabanilla said, which is where the Teaching Kitchen comes in.
"During nutrition sessions, I help personalize a nutrition plan for each patient based on their likes, dislikes, lifestyles, and any concerns and symptoms that they might be experiencing in treatment," she said.
The program, she said, gives patients a chance to ask questions and learn to prepare nutrient-dense meals — skills she hopes will carry them through treatment and beyond.
The Oncology Teaching Kitchen meets on the last Thursday of the month at Scully-Welsh Cancer Center, 3555 10th Court in Vero Beach.