But Jean, was definitely the person, my Dad looked to most...when battling cancer. Very early on, she gave us lots of tips. And tricks. And advice. All of which, we took to heart. The one thing, that she was very passionate about, was her brown rice protein shakes.
I'm not sure, how she first heard about it. But Jean swore by it. And it became one of my Dad's favorites too. Right before my Dad started chemo, I searched high and low, for this. And I finally found it, at Whole Foods. A can, was somewhere around $20. And between June and March, we went through 2 of these cans.
The way that both my cousin, and my Dad took it, was by a shake. For my Dad, I'd mix 1-1 1/2 scoops of strawberry ice cream, a splash of milk, and 2 scoops of the brown rice protein together. I actually bought, one of those "shakers," at Whole Foods as well. And that's how I'd mix it up. Throw everything in there, and shake it up.
My Dad had one of these shakes, once a day. Especially during chemo weeks. Sometimes, during those weeks, he'd have 2 a day. Or we'd add, the brown rice protein powder, to his oatmeal. Maybe even, his favorite Sonic milkshakes. But we made sure, he'd get it, twice a day.
The two weeks, prior to beginning radiation, it was advised, that we increase my Dad's protein intake. But not through animal sources. So we made sure, for those two weeks, that we included brown rice protein powder. It went in my Dad's snacks...cottage cheese and fruit, pudding, or his shakes. We added it to his oatmeal. And to anything else, we could think of.
I never tried it. Unfortunately, we don't have any, that was leftover. But my Dad told me, he never tasted it in his food. It never changed the flavor, of his food. And that was a good thing. Because I don't think, he would have used it, if it changed how his food tasted.
Protein is one of those things, that helps a lot during treatments. With recovery and healing. It also helps, to keep weight on. We found, that this, along with some other snacks...were our best bets. As the cancer took over, and my Dad struggled to eat, we tried things like Ensure. But he wasn't a big fan. He still wanted his protein shakes.
Towards the end of his life, I was encouraged, to mix this powder with applesauce. And his oatmeal. Those were the things he was eating. And it helped. A lot! Especially, since he wasn't eating much. His food, along with the protein powder, added a lot to him. In terms of, giving him strength.
I'd definitely, recommend trying this. But don't forget to ask your doctor. Before you try it. For us, this became a lifeline. Because in the Fall of 2014, my Dad started to have issues with gallstones. And his diet, started to have some limitations. Regarding animal proteins. Meat, in particular.
The brown rice protein, definitely became a staple in our home. It was a little difficult to find, at first. But it wasn't impossible, to find. And when our container was about halfway, I called our local Whole Foods. And I ordered two. I've shared this tip with many people. And everyone, has picked their favorite ice cream flavors. Given it, a try. And told me, it worked great. I hope that you, find the same results. ❤❤❤
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