All cells need nutrients to grow and work. Lack of vitamins, minerals, calories, and protein can make your immune system weaker. Poor nutrition makes your immune system less able to find and destroy germs. This means people who are malnourished are more likely to develop infections. People who are malnourished either do not take in enough calories and nutrients, or the body can’t use the food they do take in. Either way, it can weaken your immune system.
People with cancer might be poorly nourished for many reasons:
- The cancer itself may make it hard to eat or digest food. This is common in people with cancers of the digestive system, mouth, or throat.
- Cancer treatments, like radiation therapy and chemotherapy, may cause nausea and a loss of appetite.
- People with cancer often need extra calories and protein to support their immune system cells and other tissues.
- Recovery from surgery increases the body’s need for nutrients.
- Cancer cells use up nutrients, leaving less to meet the needs of normal, healthy tissues.
People with cancer often need help from dietitians or doctors to get enough calories and nutrients. Dietary supplements, tube feedings, or even intravenous (IV, through a vein) feedings may help in some cases.
Nutrition counseling and stress management may help improve the immune function of people with cancer, which may help prevent some infections. Nutrition counseling should include the importance of a high intake of calories, protein, and vitamins. This is tailored to each person’s food intake and nutrition problems. Other therapies such as biofeedback, humor, music therapy, guided imagery, counseling, and meditation may help manage stress and make it easier to eat.
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