Eating well during cancer treatment

When you have cancer, eating the right foods can help you feel better.

• Eat a mix of foods (a balanced diet)
• This helps keep your energy up and supports your body during treatment
• Don’t try to lose weight unless your doctor tells you. If you do need to lose weight, a dietitian should help you. This will help you to you stay healthy.
• If you’re not eating much or losing weight, talk to your cancer nurse specialist. They can give you more support and advice, and might need to refer you to a Dietitian.

How to eat healthily

A healthy diet provides essential nutrients. Aim for a balanced diet with a variety of foods. This should include 3 meals and 1-2 snacks each day. Plan ahead to stay on track.

• Include starchy foods (carbohydrates) like bread, pasta, potatoes at each meal. Starchy foods give you energy. It is also important to eat starchy foods before you exercise.
• Aim for 2 portions of protein (chicken, eggs, fish, beans) every day. Eat protein 90 minutes after you exercise to help your muscles recover. Protein will help to keep your muscles strong and help you to feel better.
• Have 2-3 portions of dairy (cheese, yogurt, milk, soy milk) daily. This gives you calcium and protein.
• Aim for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This gives us vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried all count. Fruit juices and smoothies count as 1 portion.
• Try not to eat foods high in fat and sugar (sweets, crisps, butter, oil). However, if your medical team says you need to gain weight, they might tell you to eat more of these foods.
• Aim to drink 6-8 cups of non- alcoholic fluids every day. Drink during and after exercise to replace lost fluids.

Low fibre diets

Only follow a low fibre diet on the advice of your medical team. These diets can be short term, depending upon your treatment. Remember, low fibre doesn't mean no fibre. If you have questions, speak to your cancer nurse specialist.

Vitamins and minerals

• If you eat a mix of foods, you do not need to take vitamins or mineral supplements
• High doses of vitamins and minerals can affect cancer treatment.
• If you can't eat a balanced diet you might be advised to take a supplement. This should be under the advice of a healthcare professional.
• Vitamin D levels can often be low in the UK due to limited sunlight. If you are concerned about your levels, it is a good idea to speak with your healthcare team. You can also find more information on the NHS website.

Food safety

Cancer treatment can weaken your immune system. This can make you more likely to get food poisoning. Avoiding certain foods and following good hygiene tips will help to reduce your risk.

See this website for more tips.

What to do if you are struggling with side effects of cancer or cancer treatment

This booklet is for people who are eating well and not having problems with food.

If you have any of the following problems, speak with your cancer nurse

• losing weight
• food tastes different
• you don’t feel like eating
• other problems because of cancer and it’s treatment

These helpful videos made by the NHS Royal Surrey team can also give you tips and support.

Common cancer food myths

There is a lot of confusing information about food and cancer. Common dietary myths include those around sugar, dairy, vitamin supplements and many more.

The British Dietetic Association has put together this helpful resource with common myths and the evidence surrounding these.

If you’re thinking about changing what you eat, it is important to get the right information. Trusted sources include:

• British Dietetic Association
• Cancer Research UK
• Macmillan
• World Cancer Research Fund