For many people, food is significant in a way that goes beyond carbohydrates, proteins and calories. The meals bring us together with dear beings, remind us of darling memories and connect us to our cultural heritage.
For people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, challenges related to digestion and nutrition are common, which can make it more difficult to take advantage of eating. Sometimes surgery, prescription drugs or cancer itself can reduce appetite or change the way food tastes. Weight loss, either through cancer treatment, or the malabsorption of nutrients, is also often a concern. Some patients who have surgery for pancreatic cancer may also need to manage diabetes diagnosis.
Despite these challenges, by modifying the ingredients and cooking methods, it is possible to continue to explore traditional dishes which have a particular meaning while maintaining good nutrition.
Here, we explore some of our favorite resources reflecting different cultures and communities – all with advice and revenues to make them healthier or more beneficial for patients confronted with cancer.
Hispanic communities
- The American Institute for Cancer Research provides advice and meal recipes in Spanish. All recipes are designed to support “the reduction and survival of cancer risks” by incorporating foods such as beans, whole grains and a variety of vegetables. Discover options like chilaquiles with beans and tacos of corn and pistachio crumble.
- Nuestra Cocina who is a stubbornness: recipes from our community cuisine from the Institute for Health Promotion Research in Ut Health San Antonio are available in English and Spanish. It includes more than 40 recipes “directly real Latin kitchens”, with modifications by a dietitian to make them healthier.
- The California Department of Health offers a healthy Latino recipe kitchen book, including breakfast ideas and recipes for dinner and party meals.
Black communities
- The National Cancer Institute publishes a healthy kitchen book at home Down Home which has recipes incorporating “basic staples of traditional soul food”, including dark leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes and black peas rich in fiber.
- The Doctors Committee for Responsible Medicine offers plant-based recipes and demos that “honor African-American culinary traditions”. The videos offer instructions on how to cook dishes such as jerk lenses and cheese macaroni, while a blog offers a range of recipes.
- The moving recipes, from California Department of Health, include advice on fruits and vegetables as well as recipes focused on the construction of healthy traditions.
Aboriginal communities
- The American Indian Cancer Foundation has developed food and healing: a nutritional guide for American and Alaska cancer survivors to “help support indigenous cancer survivors, caregivers and survivors through this emotional and difficult period”. It includes a guide of native foods highlighting different healthy foods, including salmon, berries and corn, as well as regional recipes.
- Traditional foods in native America, the wellness program for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, highlight the “traditional food programs in six Aboriginal communities in America / Alaska and geographically diverse”. It includes dishes recipes such as squash pie, green corn soup and salmon and nettle soup
American / insular Asian communities of the Pacific
- Chinese recipes: recipes for people affected by cancer includes healthy meal options which are “culturally relevant to members of the Chinese community undergoing treatment against cancer”. It is published by the Center for Rural Health of the University of Tasmania.
- The Nourish project, of the Stanford Medicine Center for Asian Health Research and Education, includes videos and recipe guides that are easy to follow for a range of kitchens such as Japanese, Philippine, Indian and Korean. All resources aim to manage diabetes and promote a healthy diet.
Each patient with pancreatic cancer has individual nutritional needs. It is important to consult a dietitian or a recorded doctor before making food changes.
