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Healthy Eating During Cancer
Eating Well During Cancer Treatment
Good nutrition is very important for people with cancer. There may be some changes you can make now that will help you during treatment. Start by following a healthy diet. This can make you stronger, help you maintain (stay at) a healthy weight, and help you fight infection. It may even help you prevent or manage some side effects of treatment.
During treatment, you may have good days and bad days when it comes to eating. The suggestions below can help you get the most from your meal routine:
- Eat small, frequent meals. For example, have 6 to 8 meals a day instead of 3 main meals.
- Eat every few hours. Don’t wait until you feel hungry.
- Eat foods rich in protein (such as chicken, fish, pork, beef, lamb, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, nuts or nut butters, and soy foods).
- Add fiber to your diet one food at a time.
- Well-cooked, peeled and puréed, or canned fruits and vegetables.
- Try to drink at least 8 to 10 (8-ounce) glasses of liquids per day.
During your treatment, your clinical dietitian nutritionist may recommend certain foods to help you get more calories, get more protein, or eat more comfortably. Your clinical dietitian nutritionist can help you find an eating plan that works best for you.
Eating well can help you feel better and stay stronger during and after cancer treatment. Patients who eat well and maintain a healthy body weight often tolerate treatment side effects better. Watch the video here to learn how good nutrition can help individuals with cancer.
If you are interested in reading more about how to eat healthy during cancer click here: https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/eating-well-during-your-treatment