Recipes are organized by symptom (diarrhea, sore mouth, etc.) and by treatment stage (day of treatment, post treatment). Each one that I tried was easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. There is definitely no sacrifice of taste for the sake of nutrition in these recipes.

The author answers questions such as "What should I eat prior to treatment?", or "Is there a certain time of day that is better for eating?" and similar concerns of the cancer patient. The final chapters include changing eating habits to a healthier style post treatment or prior to having problems.

Whether you are undergoing treatment or just want to eat healthier as a preventative measure, this book has it all. With cancer being as prevalent as it is today, even if you don't know someone with cancer sooner or later you will. When they return home after a treatment and you want to help by taking something over for dinner you will be glad you have this book. It belongs on the bookshelf of everyone who loves to cook for others.


Great for everyone   April 4, 2001
 24 out of 25 found this review helpful

I originally bought this book because my father had cancer. However, the food was so good and the recipes so easy that I use it for my entire family. I am not a very good cook but with this book my kids actually are eating my dinners. This is a great book; you can't go wrong. It really is for everyone and I use it for everyday cooking.


This book concerns me   May 11, 2007
 17 out of 22 found this review helpful

This book has numerous tasty recipes that everyone in the family can enjoy. The book is also nicely organized with a chart that summarizes which recipes are particularly good for specific side efects of cancer & cancer treatment.

On the negative side, and this was a big negative for me personally, if you are trying to follow an anti-cancer diet that avoids sugar, processed flours, and other ingredients that many believe are at least questionable if not outright harmful for a cancer patient, then this is not the book for you. Many of these recipes include the use of table sugar & other processed sweeteners, processed grains, and higher amounts of animal protein than are usually recommended for cancer patients (or for anyone, for that matter). The author even recommends adding extra sugar to some recipes to make them taste better.

I understand firsthand that some, perhaps many, cancer patients' palates change during treatment. When combined with nausea or other side effects, it can be difficult to find any foods that are appealing. At times, simply getting the patient to eat *anything* in order to get some calories must take precedence over ensuring that those meals are truly healthy. If this is the situation you are facing, then this book might provide you with some tasty options. But I believe it is irresponsible for the author to provide recipes and food suggestions that at best are not truly healthy and at worst could feed a patient's cancer.

Instead I recommend "Nature's Cancer-Fighting Foods" as a source of sound nutritional advice (for anyone, not just cancer patients) and simple, health-promoting, and appealing recipes.



life-changing   April 9, 2001
 16 out of 17 found this review helpful

I have only owned this book for a few days, but as a cancer patient, I have found it extremely useful. I'm sure all cancer patients agree that the side effects from the chemo are the worse part of suffering from cancer. However, using these simple recipes, the pain has actually become bearable. I am not expecting anything miraculous. Its just nice to know that I can live my life, eating well, with less pain. Thank You