Benefits of Good Nutrition During Cancer Treatment

You need protein to grow, repair body tissue, and keep your immune system healthy. If your body doesn’t get enough protein, it might break down muscle for fuel. This can slow your ability to recover from illness and lower your resistance to infection.

People with cancer often need more protein than usual. After surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, extra protein is often needed to heal tissues and help fight infection.

Protein sources include fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs, low-fat dairy products, nuts and nut butters, dried beans, peas and lentils, and soy foods.

Carbohydrates are your major source of energy for physical activity and normal functions.

The best sources of carbohydrates – fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – also supply the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs. Fiber helps move food waste out of your body and binds with water in the stool to help keep it soft.

Other sources of carbohydrates include bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, [HM1] [BG2] [BL3] grains, cereals, corn, peas, and beans. Sweets (desserts, candy, and drinks with sugar) can supply carbohydrates and calories, but they have few vitamins, minerals, or fiber.

Fats and oils are other sources of energy. Your body can use fats to store energy, insulate body tissues, and transport some vitamins through your blood.

Some fats are healthier than others.

• Try to get most of your fat calories from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
• Get no more than 10% of calories from saturated fats as they can raise cholesterol and your risk for heart disease.
• Avoid trans fats which come from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. These largely have been removed from the food supply in the US.

Water and other liquids are vital to your health. If you don’t take in enough liquids or lose too much through vomiting or diarrhea, you can become dehydrated. This is when your body doesn’t have as much fluid as it needs.

To keep from being dehydrated, you should try to drink at least four 8-ounce glasses of liquid each day. You may need extra fluids if you’re vomiting, have diarrhea, or even if you’re just not eating much. Water is the best choice, but all liquids (soups, milk, even ice cream and gelatin) count toward your goals. Eating fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water, such as lettuce, cucumbers, or melons, can also help.

Your body needs certain vitamins and minerals to function properly. You can most often get what you need by eating a healthy diet. But it can be hard to eat a balanced diet when you’re being treated for cancer, especially if you have certain side effects.

If you have trouble eating for several weeks or months because of the effects of cancer or treatment, be sure to tell your doctor. Your doctor or a registered dietitian (RD) might suggest that you take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement. You might also need to have blood work done to check your vitamin or mineral levels.

If your doctor says it’s OK for you to take vitamins, look for a supplement with no more than 100% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamins and minerals. Be sure to ask your doctor or RD if there are any vitamins or minerals that you shouldn’t take.