Changing Tastes and Healthy Eating

Since being diagnosed with Leukemia back in 2008 eating has been anything but normal or easy. I immediately had to get used to being on a low microbial diet, which consists of not eating any fresh fruit or vegetables. If I wanted to eat any of these things they had to be cooked thoroughly. Also anything else I ate had to be processed and contain lots of preservatives. If I wanted to eat meat of any kind it had to be well-done.
Then once I started treatment I had to continue to follow this diet but I rarely wanted to eat going through all the treatments of chemotherapy and radiation.
After receiving my bone marrow transplant I had many
more restrictions to follow and starting a regimen of
steroids really messed up my eating habits. I would go
from being ravioness and eating everything in sight to
having to force myself to eat something so I can take
my medicine every day.
Now I am very, very close to being completely off the
steroids and am able to eat whatever I want now. Just
as long as it is washed well and not contaminated in any
way. I am pretty much having to teach myself how to
eat again. I am finding myself just grabbing and wanting
to eat all these packaged processed foods because that is
what I am used to doing for almost the past 2 years. Back
then that is what was the best for me and the only food
I was allowed to eat. Now that I am recovering and trying
to build my immune system and body back to it's old self,
I should really be working on eating fresh and healthy
foods.
I am reading this book right now, Eating Well Through
Cancer which has been a huge help in helping me understand what are the best foods for improving certain areas of my body. Also since I still occasionally struggle with nausea and certain other side affects, it gives you certain foods that are best to eat when you have these symptoms. I am also super excited because Moores Cancer Center is offering monthly cooking classes for patients and family members with a different topic and food category each month. Since I love cooking and especially love learning new things about cooking I am really excited to jump into this new adventure next month.
One last thing that has been really strange and a huge adjustment is that my taste buds have changed quite a bit since my transplant. I used to love love spicy foods. The spicier the better was my motto and I used to laugh at those that could not handle hot salsa or other hot food. Well I am now one that cannot eat ANY spicy food. Even mild things burn my mouth like crazy. I am a pretty big wuss now. This has been really disappointing for me since Mexican food is my favorite. I am experiencing all these weird cravings for foods I was never really fond of. I know there is no proven theory that you can inherit your donors likes and dislikes but after speaking with other transplant patients who have experienced the same thing I am beginning to believe that it is very possible. Crazy to think huh!!!! (: