Food and eating play an important role in your care and recovery. When your weight is steady, it helps support your treatment and recovery. Try to keep your weight the same, even if you have a few extra kilos.
Sometimes it can be challenging to eat and drink. When it is hard to eat, many people lose weight without trying. Some of the problems can be
- don’t feel hungry
- feel full quickly
- chewing or swallowing is difficult or painful
- feeling sick (nausea)
- things don’t taste or smell like usual
Why is nutrition important?
- Support Healing:
A well-balanced diet supports the body’s healing process during cancer treatment. Good nutrition before and after surgery, chemo, or radiotherapy is essential. It helps your body to have fuel for repair. Protein repairs tissues and wounds, and supports strength for recovery and energy levels.
- Strengthening the Immune System
Nutrition helps support the immune system. The fuel we eat helps our bodies fight infections and reduce inflammation. Protein and calories help produce antibodies and immune cells. They also help prevent muscle breakdown. Vitamins and minerals help make and control immune cells. Food is the best way to get the right balance of protein, calories, vitamins and minerals our bodies need.
What is good nutrition?
- Protein – maintains our muscles, supports healing and immunity. Protein foods are meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and legumes.
- Calories – if eating is difficult, make the most of high-calorie foods. High-calorie foods can add extra fuel to make the most of small meals. Try fats like avocados, nut butters, and olive oil. Add butter and cheese to vegetables for extra calories.
- Small meals often – eat 6 small meals or snacks throughout the day. Focus on protein foods first. Add extra calories to meals to make the most of each bite.
- Soft foods – if chewing is hard work, choose soft foods with extra sauce or gravy. Ideas include smoothies, yoghurt, casseroles, mashed potatoes, and cooked vegetables.
- Hydration – drink plenty of fluids. Smoothies or milkshakes are a great way to get protein and calories. Your dietitian may recommend supplement drinks.
- If you have a sore mouth or throat, avoid foods that scratch or burn. These could be crackers, toast, citrus fruits and vinegar.
Feeding tubes
Some people need a feeding tube until they recover and can eat more. If this is the case for you, your team will discuss what is involved. Feeding tubes are sometimes used for a short time to help people through recovery. Some people need feeding tubes for longer.
Tube feeding topics | Healthify
Where can I find support?
Please speak to your treating team; they can arrange a referral to a dietitian. A dietitian is an expert in food and nutrition who helps people with their diet. If you are having problems swallowing, your team can refer you to a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT). A SLT is an expert in speech and swallowing. Your SLT will teach you ways to make swallowing easier.