Supplying your body with vital nutrients and maintaining good eating habits is essential if you have been diagnosed with cancer. Eating the right foods before, during, and after treatment will help you stay strong and give your body the vitality it needs to fight the disease.

Cancer and your diet

The nutritional needs of people living with cancer vary from those of healthy individuals. Following the guidelines below will allow you to enter treatment with the energy to rebuild tissue and prevent infection.

In many cases it is wise to consult a nutritionist for assistance in developing an eating plan before receiving cancer treatments.

• Load up: Eat more food when you feel the hungriest.
• Serve small portions: You'll be happy you finished your meal and can always go back for seconds.
• Start grazing: Have several small meals and snacks throughout the day.
• "Fancy-up" the place: Make the atmosphere pleasant when you eat. Buy fresh flowers or play your favorite music. Go out to a nice restaurant.
• Plan ahead: Preparing meals ahead of time and freezing them makes it easier to stick to a meal plan. Try stocking up on appropriate foods to reduce the frequency of trips to the store.
• Indulge at times: Give in to certain "comfort" foods such as pasta, ice cream and chocolate. Enjoy these goodies in moderation. If you find the cravings are constant and out of control, consult your healthcare team.
• Listen to your body: Not everyone experiences difficulty eating as a result of their treatment plans. Many experience problems only occasionally. Try to tune in to what your body is telling you.
• Relax: Keeping anxiety levels low helps restore regular eating habits. A psychologist, social worker, or support group may help with this.

Foods that fight cancer

According to nutritional wisdom, everyone should eat five to ten servings of fruit and vegetables a day to consume enough fiber to prevent common forms of cancer. Many experts now say that in order to consume the healthiest diet possible, it’s best to aim for nine servings of produce a day in the hopes of getting at least five.

Some foods help in the battle againt cancer by bolstering up the immune system and giving your body loads of vitality. Garlic, for example, has powerful immune-enhancing effects and some researchers believe that maitake mushrooms contain a substance that actually fights cancer.

The following is a list of foods that are good for you and may contain cancer-fighting properties. Consult a nutritionist to find out whether these or other foods will work for you:

There is enough evidence to suggest that certain foods may reduce our risk of cancer. Some of these include:

• Algae and seaweed
  
• Avocados
• Beans of all kinds
• Bok choy
• Brown and wild rice
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cilantro
• Cinnamon
• Collards
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Mustard greens
• Nuts and seeds
• Onions
• Parsley
• Parsnips
• Pomegranates
• Soy-based foods such as tofu
• Turnip greens
• Tomatoes and tomato products including tomato sauce and ketchup
• Tumeric
• Wheatgrass juice
• Wild Pacific salmon

Foods to avoid

It follows that if there are “cancer-preventing foods” to eat, then there are also foods to avoid. These include:

• Alcohol most of the time (extremely moderate drinking is heart-healthy)
• Anything high in fat most of the time
• Trans fatty acids (used as a preservative)
• Deep fried food
• Charred meats most of the time
• High-sodium foods most of the time.

See also

• Managing side effects
• Re-allocating responsibilities
• Recipe ideas
• Staying positive