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Sarcoma Cancer & Nutrition
Sarcoma Nutrition
When you are faced with a sarcoma diagnosis, nutrition can be an important part of your journey. Eating a well-balanced diet before, during and after cancer treatment can help you feel better, maintain your strength and speed your recovery.
Here are some more tips for making healthy choices during your cancer journey:
- Maintain a healthy weight: Unintentional weight loss can be caused by cancer treatments or cancer itself. Monitor your weight closely.
- Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day: Eating frequent small meals will ensure your body is getting enough calories, protein and nutrients to tolerate treatment. Smaller meals may also help reduce treatment-related side effects like nausea.
- Choose high-protein foods. Protein supports cell and tissue repair. It also helps strengthen your immune system. Sources of lean protein include:
- Beans
- Eggs
- Dairy substitutes
- Lean meats such as chicken, fish or turkey
- Low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese
- Include whole-grain foods: Whole-grain foods provide a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, which help keep your energy levels up. Good sources of whole grain foods include:
- Oatmeal
- Whole wheat bread
- Brown rice
- Whole grain pasta
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Choose sources of healthy fat: Avoid fried, greasy and fatty foods; instead, opt for baked, broiled or grilled foods. Healthy fats include:
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Avocado oil
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Cut back on refined carbohydrates: Processed, refined carbohydrates can spike your blood sugar and lack many of the nutrients and fiber your body needs. Refined, processed carbohydrates include:
- Regular pasta
- White bread
- Pizza crust
- Potato and corn chips
- Pretzels
- Cornflakes
- Sugary cereals
- Limit sweets and added sugars.
Most importantly, know that your cancer journey is unique to you and your treatment. You may experience side effects that affect your ability to follow these suggestions. A registered dietitian can suggest nutrition guidelines that will be appropriate for your cancer journey.
To access the full article and get more nutrition tips for Sarcoma, click here.
