We want you to be in the best possible physical condition for your treatment
Since your diagnosis you may have many questions. These could include:
“What should I be eating?”
“What foods could help my treatment?”
“Are there any foods I should be avoiding?”
Nutrition has a real impact on your bodies ability to manage health.
The most important message is to continue to eat well. Choosing a wide variety of foods and well-balanced meals can help you feel better and optimise your energy levels. Trying to lose weight is generally not encouraged.
What you eat is so important in ensuring you have the best nutrition. Maintaining a good general body condition and weight will enable better outcomes from treatment.
Eating well
Macmillan have produced a handy video guide to help you looking after yourself, your nutrition and making sure you get the right calories to help you stay active. Click on the video below for some top tips.
Calorie Boosting Nutritional Guidance and Support
Your energy levels may fluctuate before treatment. It can be helpful to add extra protein calories in your everyday food. This can help you to prevent unnecessary weight loss, or may assist to put weight on if you need to. Macmillan Cancer Support provide helpful hints and tips via their webpage.
The Eatwell Guide
The Eatwell Guide shows the different types of foods and drinks we should consume and the proportions needed to have a healthy, balanced diet. This guide shows the main food groups that form a healthy, balanced diet:
- Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
- Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible. These are great for slow-release energy
- Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
- Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
- Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts
- Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts.
This is a general guide and you should speak to a dietician in your area if you have any concerns or questions. Click on the tabs below to get more helpful information on nutrition.
