A guide to your healthy eating, before, during and after cancer treatment.
Most patients focus on getting the right treatments,
when good nutrition is an essential part of both
treatment and healing. Eating the right amount of
protein and calories is important for healing, fighting
infection, and having enough energy.
when good nutrition is an essential part of both
treatment and healing. Eating the right amount of
protein and calories is important for healing, fighting
infection, and having enough energy.
- Eat food to improve your health. Eat right, healthy and balanced diet. Eat in moderation if you are a healthy weight. Avoid putting on excess weight.
- If you have a weight loss of 5 kg or more, you need to eat more. Eat what you like. Avoid food restrictions (avoid “parhez”), unless advised by your doctor. You may consult a registered practicing Nutritionist for expert advice on your nutrition.
- Eat frequent meals, at short intervals. Eat 6 small meals a day, instead of 3 large meals.
- Avoid skipping meals. Make your food and “eating-healthy” a priority.
- Remember health is holistic, it is important to do some physical activity, regularly. Walk around your home, or outside, 2-3 times a day, with or without support, to improve appetite, digestion, your physical and mental well-being. Do not sit in one place for long. Do mild- moderate exercises or yoga to improve your overall health and well-being.
- Also, learn to de-stress yourself: Practice meditation for mental relaxation. You can do yoga, or deep breathing exercises for improved health. Pursue any hobby you find interesting and is not tiring. Also do something, any activity that you enjoy doing, and which matches your energy levels.
- Pay attention to your sleep: sleep well, for a good 8-10 hours a day. Sleep promotes healing in our body.
- If you have pain, manage it. Take pain medications or ask your doctor to manage it. Avoid being in pain. Your eating and sleep must not be compromised due to presence of pain.
- Maintain a weight chart, and record your weight regularly. Keep your weight within healthy limits.
- Make a food diary. Write down everything that you eat, -and don’t eat, on a daily basis.
- Make a list of foods you like, that are healthy for you. Make a list of foods, you should not eat, and are unhealthy for you.
- Choose an anti-inflammatory diet. It will make you “feel good”, “look good”, and also give you good nutrition to fight the disease.
- Manage your nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Do not skip meals because of it, take medication instead. Speak with your doctor.
- Manage dehydration, if you have. Manage issues like constipation, loss of appetite, or any bowel/bladder disturbance, or obstruction, oral ulcers, etc. Ask your doctor to help you manage it.
- Manage your anemia, with foods and medication. Speak with your doctor to assess the cause of blood loss, or reduced hemoglobin status. Take iron-containing foods regularly.
- Eat fresh foods only. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, of different colors.
- Eat seasonal, and local produce preferably. Include an assortment of vegetables in every meal. Vegetables should be the centerpiece of your meal, not just a side dish.
- Avoid eating “Achaar” (pickles) with high salt, preservatives and high oil-content.
- Avoid eating foods with preservatives, food coloring, additives, taste enhancers, stabilizers etc. Check the bottle label; ensure it is safe for you.
- Avoid eating packaged foods, like milk in carton, heavy sauces, tinned/canned foods. Avoid beverages with soda and excessive sugars.
- Drink fresh home-made juices. Avoid packaged juices available in the market.
- Eat fiber in moderation. Fiber is good for us, however when consumed in large amounts it promotes inflammation.
- Keep dairy low-fat. Select skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and reduced-fat cheeses.
- Hard fruits like apple, and pear can be steamed or boiled to soften them, for patient consumption. Soft foods are easy to consume.
- For patients who cannot eat: It is possible to blend/puree most forms of food. Do not restrict intake of solid foods. Cook food until soft, and then blend/puree it, and sieve it, if required.
- Eat foods high in fiber. These include whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
- Include probiotic yoghurt in your diet. Home-made yoghurt is best.
- Choose less red meat. Include more fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins, such as beans.
- Include omega-3 and monounsaturated fats in your daily diet. Good sources include olive and canola oil, olives, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, and avocado. Coldwater fish, like salmon, trout, halibut, and tuna, are good sources of these healthy fats.
- Avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. These include sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, candy, and sweets. Choose fruit or dark chocolate in small portions as alternatives to sweets.
- Eat less refined “white” foods. These include white bread, white sugar, and white rice. These foods are processed in a way that removes fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Choose your food carefully, Avoid foods that cause you allergy. Avoid milk if you are lactose intolerant. Choose lactose free milk and dairy products, instead. Also, eat protein with caution if you are having kidney disease, or mal-functioning kidneys. Speak with your doctor first.
- Eat food to improve your health. Eat right, healthy and balanced diet. Eat in moderation if you are a healthy weight. Avoid putting on excess weight.
- If you have a weight loss of 5 kg or more, you need to eat more. Eat what you like. Avoid food restrictions (avoid “parhez”), unless advised by your doctor. You may consult a registered practicing Nutritionist for expert advice on your nutrition.
- Eat frequent meals, at short intervals. Eat 6 small meals a day, instead of 3 large meals.
- Avoid skipping meals. Make your food and “eating-healthy” a priority.
- Remember health is holistic, it is important to do some physical activity, regularly. Walk around your home, or outside, 2-3 times a day, with or without support, to improve appetite, digestion, your physical and mental well-being. Do not sit in one place for long. Do mild- moderate exercises or yoga to improve your overall health and well-being.
- Also, learn to de-stress yourself: Practice meditation for mental relaxation. You can do yoga, or deep breathing exercises for improved health. Pursue any hobby you find interesting and is not tiring. Also do something, any activity that you enjoy doing, and which matches your energy levels.
- Pay attention to your sleep: sleep well, for a good 8-10 hours a day. Sleep promotes healing in our body.
- If you have pain, manage it. Take pain medications or ask your doctor to manage it. Avoid being in pain. Your eating and sleep must not be compromised due to presence of pain.
- Maintain a weight chart, and record your weight regularly. Keep your weight within healthy limits.
- Make a food diary. Write down everything that you eat, -and don’t eat, on a daily basis.
- Make a list of foods you like, that are healthy for you. Make a list of foods, you should not eat, and are unhealthy for you.
- Choose an anti-inflammatory diet. It will make you “feel good”, “look good”, and also give you good nutrition to fight the disease.
- Manage your nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Do not skip meals because of it, take medication instead. Speak with your doctor.
- Manage dehydration, if you have. Manage issues like constipation, loss of appetite, or any bowel/bladder disturbance, or obstruction, oral ulcers, etc. Ask your doctor to help you manage it.
- Manage your anemia, with foods and medication. Speak with your doctor to assess the cause of blood loss, or reduced hemoglobin status. Take iron-containing foods regularly.
- Eat fresh foods only. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, of different colors.
- Eat seasonal, and local produce preferably. Include an assortment of vegetables in every meal. Vegetables should be the centerpiece of your meal, not just a side dish.
- Avoid eating “Achaar” (pickles) with high salt, preservatives and high oil-content.
- Avoid eating foods with preservatives, food coloring, additives, taste enhancers, stabilizers etc. Check the bottle label; ensure it is safe for you.
- Avoid eating packaged foods, like milk in carton, heavy sauces, tinned/canned foods. Avoid beverages with soda and excessive sugars.
- Drink fresh home-made juices. Avoid packaged juices available in the market.
- Eat fiber in moderation. Fiber is good for us, however when consumed in large amounts it promotes inflammation.
- Keep dairy low-fat. Select skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and reduced-fat cheeses.
- Hard fruits like apple, and pear can be steamed or boiled to soften them, for patient consumption. Soft foods are easy to consume.
- For patients who cannot eat: It is possible to blend/puree most forms of food. Do not restrict intake of solid foods. Cook food until soft, and then blend/puree it, and sieve it, if required.
- Eat foods high in fiber. These include whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
- Include probiotic yoghurt in your diet. Home-made yoghurt is best.
- Choose less red meat. Include more fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins, such as beans.
- Include omega-3 and monounsaturated fats in your daily diet. Good sources include olive and canola oil, olives, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, and avocado. Coldwater fish, like salmon, trout, halibut, and tuna, are good sources of these healthy fats.
- Avoid high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. These include sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, candy, and sweets. Choose fruit or dark chocolate in small portions as alternatives to sweets.
- Eat less refined “white” foods. These include white bread, white sugar, and white rice. These foods are processed in a way that removes fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Choose your food carefully, Avoid foods that cause you allergy. Avoid milk if you are lactose intolerant. Choose lactose free milk and dairy products, instead. Also, eat protein with caution if you are having kidney disease, or mal-functioning kidneys. Speak with your doctor first.
