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Your Diet
Your Diet
Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of cancer. Something as simple as a balanced meal can help to replenish lost nutrients and strengthen defenses. Those who eat well during cancer treatment maintain their strength better, are more active and are better able to fend off infections.
Tips for Eating Well During Treatment
The key to good nutrition is a balanced diet. The National Cancer Institute recommends that you include servings from the following four food groups each day.
- Fruits and vegetables - raw, cooked and juiced - are rich in vitamins A and C and minerals.
- Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, peas and nuts provide much-needed protein, plus vitamins and minerals.
- Grains - cereal, bread and pasta - supply carbohydrates and the B vitamins.
- Dairy products - milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream - supply protein, calcium, and several vitamins.
Eating When You Feel Ill
Some anti-cancer drugs cause nausea and vomiting. If this is true in your case, be sure to ask your physician to give you something to help prevent stomach upset. Being more selective about the foods you eat also can help control nausea. Here are some suggestions. Try several until you find what works best for you.
Eat, Eat!
Many people lose interest in eating during therapy. Many foods seem to lose their flavor. Chemotherapy can make some foods, such as red meat, taste bitter. If you experience this, try cooking meat in soy sauce, fruit juice, or wine.
It is very important for you to keep up your calorie intake, even on those days when foods don't taste quite the same as before. To make dinner more appetizing, try setting the table with good china and a bouquet of flowers. Candles or soft music can make mealtime more pleasant. Some people find that a walk before meals is a good way to stir the appetite.
Remember, you need to eat enough food so that your body can have the energy to heal itself.
For More Information
To receive a free copy of Nutrition for Cancer Patients, call the Canadian Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service toll free at 1-888-939-3333. It is a bilingual service available Monday through Friday from 9AM to 6PM. You can also email the Cancer Information Service at: info@cis.cancer.ca. The Canadian Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service offers information specific to callers' needs in clear, simple language. Such information helps people understand their disease and allows them to be informed members of their health-care team.
Caring professionals will provide information about:
- All types of cancer
- Prevention and early detection
- Cancer treatment
- Drugs and clinical trials
- Dealing with side effects
- Complementary therapies
- Emotional support programs
- Financial support for cancer patients
- Cancer statistics
- Nutrition
- Help in your local community
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