Healthy Eating on Your Cancer Journey

As a Cancer survivor, during treatment and after treatment, you may have experienced many changes in your eating habits- such as not being hungry at all, changes in your taste, and you might experience side effects from treatment that made it hard to eat altogether. Remember that no matter which phase of the cancer journey you might be in, you must eat a healthy diet to ensure you have enough energy and strength to do the activities you love, rebuild and maintain body tissue that can be impacted by cancer, and to feel better overall.

We will discuss some strategies that you can implement in your life to eat a healthier diet.

First, you should check with your oncology provider regarding any food or diet restrictions that you need to take. Include a variety of vegetables, fruits, and legumes (beans and peas) in your diet. These food items provide a rich source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals needed for your body to heal from cancer. A good tip for buying these foods is to “try to buy a different fruit, vegetable, low-fat food, or whole-grain product each time you shop for groceries” that way you can access various nutritional sources (American Cancer Society, 2022, para.3). Shop at local farmer markets for fresh produce at cheaper prices.

There are also food and drink items that you should avoid or limit in your diet. Such as sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grain products (white rice, white flour, white bread), and alcohol (this is a known cancer-causing substance).

You should also limit or avoid red meats (beef, pork, or lamb) and processed meats. By avoiding or limiting these food sources in your diet, you can maximize your body’s ability to recover from cancer and increase your health. Eating healthier can improve your health and give you the energy to thrive as a cancer survivor. 

Resources:  
American Cancer Society. (2022). Eating well after treatment. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/be-healthy-after-treatment/eating-well-after-treatment-ends.html