ACS :: Benefits of Good Nutrition

Nutrition for the Person with Cancer

Nutrition Before Treatment

In this Section:

Introduction

Benefits of Good Nutrition

Before Treatment Begins

Preparing Yourself for Cancer Treatment

Good nutrition is especially important if you have cancer because the illness itself, as well as its treatments, can affect your appetite. Cancer and cancer treatments can also affect your body's ability to tolerate certain foods and to use nutrients.

The nutrient needs of people with cancer vary from person to person. Your doctor, nurses, and a registered dietitian can help you identify your nutrition goals and plan ways to help you meet them. Eating well while you are being treated for cancer can help you:

Eating well means eating a variety of foods that will give you the nutrients you need to protect your health while fighting cancer. These nutrients include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals.

We need protein for growth, to repair body tissue, and to keep our immune systems healthy. When your body doesn't get enough protein, it takes you longer to recover from illness and you have lower resistance to infection. People with cancer often need more protein than usual. After surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, extra protein is usually needed to heal tissues and to help prevent infection. Good sources of protein include lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, nuts, dried beans, peas and lentils, and soy foods.

Fats play an important role in nutrition. Fats and oils provide a rich source of energy for the body. They are used to store energy, insulate body tissues, and transport some types of vitamins through the blood. They also play an important role in food preparation by enhancing food flavor, making baked products tender, and conducting heat during cooking. You may have heard that some fats are better for you than others. When considering the effects of fats on your heart and cholesterol level, choose unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated).

Monounsaturated fats are found mainly in vegetable oils such as canola, olive, and peanut oils. They are liquid at room temperature.

Polyunsaturated fats are found mainly in vegetable oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn, flaxseed, and canola oils. Polyunsaturated fats are also the main fats found in seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature. Certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, are called essential fatty acids, because the body cannot make them. They are needed to build cells and make hormones. Essential fatty acids must come from foods we choose.

Saturated fats (or saturated fatty acids) are mainly found in animal sources such as meat and poultry, whole or reduced-fat milk, and butter. Some vegetable oils like coconut, palm kernel oil, and palm oil are saturated. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature.

Trans fatty acids are formed when vegetable oils are processed into margarine or shortening. Sources of trans fats in the diet include snack foods and baked goods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. Trans fats also are found naturally in some animal products, such as dairy products.

Carbohydrates give the body the fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function. There are also good and bad sources of carbohydrates. The best sources of carbohydrates -- fruits, vegetables, and whole grains -- supply needed vitamins and minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients to the body’s cells. Other sources of carbohydrates include bread, potatoes, rice, spaghetti, pasta, cereals, dried beans, corn, peas, and beans. Sweets (desserts, candy, and drinks with sugar) can supply carbohydrates, but provide very few nutrients.

Water and fluids are vital to our health. All body cells need water to function. If you do not take in enough fluids or if you are vomiting or have diarrhea, you may become dehydrated. In general, a person should drink about eight 8-oz. glasses of water or clear liquid each day to be sure that all the body cells get the fluid they need.

Vitamins and minerals are needed for proper growth and development. They also allow the body to use the energy (calories) supplied in foods. A person who eats a balanced diet with enough calories and protein usually gets plenty of vitamins and minerals. But it can be hard to eat a balanced diet when you are being treated for cancer and have treatment side effects that last for long periods of time. When that is the case, your doctor or dietitian may suggest a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement. If you are thinking of taking a vitamin or supplement, be sure to discuss this with your doctor first. Some people with cancer take large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements to try and boost their immune system or even destroy cancer cells. Some of these substances can be harmful, especially when taken in large doses. In fact, large doses of some vitamins and minerals may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. During treatment, it may be best to choose one with no more than the Daily Value (DV) for all nutrients and one without iron, unless your doctor thinks that you need iron. Again, discuss this with your doctor first.

Antioxidants are substances that protect the body's cells from damage caused by free radicals (by-products of the body’s normal processes). Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A (beta carotene), and selenium. If you want to take in more antioxidants, health experts recommend eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants. Taking large doses of antioxidant supplements is usually not recommended while having chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Talk with your doctor to determine the best time to take antioxidant supplements.

Herbs have been used to treat disease for hundreds of years. Today, herbs are found in many products, such as pills, liquid extracts, teas, and ointments. While many of these products are harmless and safe to use, others can cause severe and harmful side effects. Some may even interfere with proven cancer therapies, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and recovery from surgery. If you are interested in using products containing herbs, talk about it with your doctor or nurse first.

Many people believe that if they find a pill or supplement in stores , it is safe and effective. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out new rules in 2007 to help ensure that supplements contain what their labels claim they do. However, some of these rules will not be fully in effect until 2010. Even then, the supplement's safety and its effect on the body are not addressed by the new FDA rules. The FDA does not require manufacturers of these products to print possible side effects on their labels. The FDA cannot pull a dietary supplement or herbal product from the market unless it can prove that the product is unsafe.

Tell your health care team about any herbal products and supplements that you are using or are thinking about using. Bring the bottle(s) of the supplement to your doctor to talk about the dose and to be sure that the ingredients do not interfere with your health or cancer treatments. Some other safety tips:

Some people with cancer take large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements in an effort to enhance their immune systems or even destroy cancer cells. Some of these substances can be harmful. In fact, large doses of some vitamins and minerals may reduce the cancer-fighting effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. If you would like to learn more about herbs and supplements, call us at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit our web site at www.cancer.org.

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