People diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma have much on their minds, and so do their family members, friends, and loved ones. The rare asbestos-related disease can make celebrating the holidays a challenge: Your treatments are probably exhausting you and it’s hard to find things to be thankful for when facing a grim prognosis. Rather than dwell on the negative, we encourage you to enjoy your moments with your family and work to make happy memories. A traditional Thanksgiving meal may not be as palatable to you as it has been in the past, but you can still enjoy the special day.
Mesothelioma Treatments May Not Mix with Traditional Foods
We all know that traditional Thanksgiving foods are loaded with fat, salt, and sugar, and that combination can be hard to digest if you’ve undergone chemotherapy for your mesothelioma. You may want to ask your family members to modify their recipes to make them a bit more healthy and less heavy, using olive oil instead of butter and opting for salt-free seasoning and fresh herbs. Turkey is always a safe bet unless it’s been deep fried, and try to steer towards fresh vegetables rather than mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, which may be too heavy for your system.
Spending Time with Loved Ones is the Best Medicine for Mesothelioma
In the face of a dire mesothelioma diagnosis, it’s easy to concentrate on all that’s going wrong, and you want to be mindful of your overall health and protect yourself from the risk of cold and flu. Still, spending time with your loved ones, even if it means replacing the traditional family touch football game with a session by the fireplace, recounting old stories, is the best medicine of all, and will build happy memories that will be cherished in the future.
The Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. If you need assistance, contact us at 1-800-692-8608.
