Research supports the vital role of nutrition in cancer care. You can help yourself to get ready for cancer treatment by trying to eat a varied and balanced diet. This will help you to:
- Improve nutritional and functional status
- Increase treatment options and viability
- Enhance recovery post treatment
- Reduce the risk of complications
- Improve immunity and reducing illness
- Reduce length of hospital admission
- Improve medical outcomes
- Enhance overall quality of life and survival
If you have concerns that you might be underweight or are losing weight and at risk of being undernourished, you can complete the BAPEN Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool.
Eatwell Guide
The Eatwell Guide shows the different types of foods and drinks we should consume – and in what proportions – to have a healthy, balanced diet.
The Eatwell Guide divides the foods and drinks we consume into five main groups. Try to choose a variety of different foods from each of the groups to help you get the wide range of nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and work properly.
The five main food groups are
- Fruit and vegetables
- Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates
- Dairy and alternatives
- Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
- Oils and spreads
Maintaining muscle mass could be one way of improving outcomes as it can support you to better tolerate cancer treatment. The right nutrition and exercise can help you maintain muscle mass.
The following resources have more information on protein and muscle:
There is also support and advice available on the Macmillan website.
Weight loss and,or poor appetite
You may find you have been losing weight unintentionally before or after your cancer diagnosis. You may need to maintain or regain some of this lost weight before starting treatment.
If you are struggling with weight loss, struggling to gain weight, or have poor appetite, eating energy and nutrient dense foods will help you meet your needs without increasing portion sizes.
During this time, it is best to avoid low fat foods and drinks, however the general principles of healthy eating remain. To optimise your intake, choose full fat versions of foods.
You can add extra calories and protein to the foods you already eat by incorporating some high calorie (kcal) nutrient dense foods.
Appetite video
The links below provides information and food fortification recipes to help manage malnutrition. They can help support you to improve the nourishment of your diet:
Taste changes
Cancer treatments and some medications can change the way that food and drinks taste. A dry mouth can also cause changes to your taste making food less enjoyable.
Changes to your taste can be temporary or longer term depending on the cause. However, it is important to try a range of food and drinks even those that are not familiar. Your diet can become too restrictive if you don’t and you will be at risk of missing out on vital nutrients.
Experiment with new flavours. Your taste may continue to change so re-try tastes that you have avoided – you might like them.
Change in taste video
Taste changes resources
The following resources can help support you with taste changes:
If you are concerned about your nutritional status or weight, please speak with one of the team.