The side effects of cancer treatment are often made worse if you are not eating enough or if you are not eating the right foods. Maintaining good nutrition can help you feel better and have more energy. The following strategies will help improve your diet:
Meet your basic calorie needs. Calorie needs are different for everyone and depend on height, weight, side effects and treatment. The estimated calorie needs for someone with cancer is 15 calories per pound of weight if your weight has been stable. Add 500 calories per day if you have lost weight. Example: A person who weighs 150 lbs. needs about 2,250 calories per day to maintain their weight.
Get plenty of protein. Protein rebuilds and repairs damaged (and normally aging) body tissue. The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein needs are 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weigh. Example: A 150-pound person needs 54 grams of protein per day. The best sources of protein include foods from the dairy group (8 oz. milk = 8 grams protein) and meats (meat, fish, or poultry = 7 grams of protein per ounce), as well as eggs and legumes (beans). Cancer stresses the body and you may need more protein while undergoing treatment.
Make an appointment with a dietitian. A registered dietitian can provide suggestions to work around any eating problems that may be interfering with proper nutrition (such as early feeling of fullness, swallowing difficulty, or taste changes).
A dietitian can also suggest ways to maximize calories and include proteins in smaller amounts of food (such as powdered milk, instant breakfast drinks, and other commercial supplements or food additives).
Note: Vitamin supplements do not provide calories, which are essential for energy production. Vitamins are not a substitute for food.
