A Dana-Farber Nutritional App Helps Fight Cancer
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Want to fight cancer? There’s an app for that. Really. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced this week that their free nutrition app, called Ask the Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer, is now available on both iPhone and Android platforms.
The nutrition app provides recipes and nutrition information for cancer patients based on their needs and treatment schedules. The app contains more than 100 easy-to-prepare recipes, according to the Dana-Farber report, ranging from snacks to main dishes to desserts. Plus, Ask the Nutritionist also gives individualized nutritional advice, and new recipes are added each month. The app was developed by a team of dietitians from Dana-Farber, who hope to find the optimal diet for any type of cancer. It allows users to ask direct questions, and it offers the ability to sort recipes by common symptoms (like nausea or mouth sores).
“Eating a well-balanced diet is one of the best ways to lower the risk of cancer,” said Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, a nutritionist at Dana-Farber, in the report. “Our hope is that this app will not only be a useful tool for cancer patients and their families but will also make choosing the healthiest foods easier and more fun for everyone.”
In a press release, Steven Singer, senior VP of communications at Dana-Farber, said that he hopes Ask the Nutritionist will encourage and empower cancer patients:
“Studies have long shown that good nutrition is tied to good health, and, for those with cancer, treatment side effects can make eating well a real challenge,” Singer said.
The app has been upgraded to allow for better functionality for users, the report says. Because the nutritional information on the app would likely be helpful to anyone, not just cancer patients, the developers hope that bringing the app to Android and improving functionality will bring in a wider audience.
Dana Farber’s app, Ask the Nutritionist: Recipes for Fighting Cancer, is now available for Apple and Android platforms. Photo by Jenni Whalen.
