Nutrition Before Cancer Treatment Begins
By Stanford University Cancer Center
Eating well before cancer treatment begins may help to increase your energy and improve your sleeping patterns. If you have lost weight before starting treatment due to your cancer, you may be encouraged to follow a high-protein, high-calorie diet. To prepare yourself and your home for your nutritional needs during cancer therapy, consider the following suggestions:
Stock the refrigerator with plenty of your favorite foods so that you will not have to shop as often. Make sure these are foods you can eat when you are not feeling well.
Cook large portions of your favorite dishes in advance and freeze them in meal-sized portions.
Save your energy and buy foods that are easy to prepare, such as peanut butter, pudding, frozen dinners, soup, canned fish or chicken, cheese, and eggs.
Ask family and friends to help you cook and shop.
Talk to a registered dietitian about meal planning, grocery shopping, and reducing side effects of treatment, such as nausea and diarrhea.
Talk to your physician or registered dietitian about whether you should take a multivitamin.
By planning ahead, you will have foods on hand that you like to eat, which will be beneficial to you later. You will have good things to choose from in your kitchen even if you do not feel well enough to prepare an elaborate meal. You may also come to think differently about your weight. If you have been concerned in the past about weight gain, your focus will likely change to eating enough to keep your weight constant.
Before treatment begins, a cancer tumor itself can cause problems that may result in eating problems or weight loss. It is not uncommon to have lactose intolerance (intolerance to milk sugar), nausea, vomiting, poor digestion, or a feeling of early fullness, sleepiness, and forgetfulness even before treatment for cancer.
18 Healthy Snacks on the Go
By Colleen Doyle, MS, RD, Director of Nutrition and Physical Activity; Copyright 2013 © American Cancer Society
It’s easy to stop for fast-food burgers or fries, or grab a bag of chips or candy for a snack, lunch, or while traveling. But with just a little bit of forethought at the grocery store, you can pick up healthy and delicious eats you and the kids will love. And what’s more: regularly choosing foods that help you maintain a healthy weight can lower your risk of several cancers, including breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers.
For Traveling
- String cheese or cheese cubes and whole-grain crackers
- Hummus and whole-wheat pita bread
- Carrots, pepper strips, and celery sticks (sometimes with ranch dressing to dip)
- Edamame (soy beans) and sweet cherry tomatoes
- Whole fruit or fruit slices (dipped in lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown)
- Trail mix made with cereals, nuts, pretzels, dried fruit, or raisins
For the Lunchbox
- Whole-wheat tortillas smeared with low-fat refried beans (or filled with black beans and/or leftover rice), with salsa for dipping
- Whole-wheat tortilla with turkey, cheese, and apple or avocado slices
- Peanut or almond butter sandwich on whole-grain bread with banana slices or raisins
- Leftover grilled or baked chicken strips with honey mustard for dipping
- Any kind of leftovers, heated and put in a thermos (chili, spaghetti, stir-fry, soup, etc.)
- High-fiber, low-sugar cereal and low-fat or skim milk (look for cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar per serving)
- Single portion-sized cups of unsweetened apple sauce or fruit packed in its own juice, without added sugar
- Celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter and sprinkled with raisins or other dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries)
- Colorful salad greens topped with cut-up vegetables and/or dried fruit. Optional: add a protein source such as hard-boiled egg slices, leftover rotisserie chicken, chickpeas, or nuts. Pack dressing on the side, or put it in the bottom of the salad container and shake it before eating to spread the dressing around.
Other “Sides” and Snacks
- Individual serving-sized packages of low-fat, low-sugar yogurt (look for no more than 20 grams of sugar per 6 ounces)
- Baked tortilla chips and salsa
- Popcorn without added salt or butter
Additional Resources
Nutrition for Cancer Survivors is an educational group that provides information on eating or optimal health. Class meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 5:30-6:30 at the ThedaCare Regional Cancer Care-Appleton. Contact Karen Junek, RD, (920) 364-3807.
