DEFINITION

The following are general diet hints for people having radiation therapy and chemotherapy treatment for cancer. You should consult your Doctor about your nutritional needs during cancer treatment.

DIET HINTS

RADIATION THERAPY (RADIOTHERAPY)
- Have a balanced diet that includes a variety of healthy foods. If you don't feel like eating some days, try to catch up on days when you do feel like eating.
- You can enrich drinks with powdered milk, low-fat yoghurt, eggs, honey or commercially prepared liquid supplements.
- Include foods rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, which possess powerful antioxidant properties. There is evidence to suggest that these vitamins reduce certain side effects of Radiation Therapy.
- Radiation Therapy can increase a person's caloric requirements due to the high-energy repair processes that go on in the body following treatment. Liquid nutritional supplements can be used by patients receiving Radiation Therapy to supplement protein and calorie intake between meals.
- Radiation Therapy can cause a 'metallic' taste in the mouth because it affects taste buds. Ways to overcome this include marinating meats for better flavour; eating cold foods instead of hot foods; using herbs for added flavour; adding sauces such as apple sauce, yoghurt dressings and salad dressings to make food easier to chew.

CHEMOTHERAPY
Extra fluid may be required following each Chemotherapy treatment so that the drugs can be removed from the body quickly once they are no longer needed and to help reduce side effects. Ask your Doctor how much fluid you should be drinking.

Dietary Advice
- Avoid eating favourite foods within about 24 hours of Chemotherapy treatment so that if treatment causes nausea and vomiting, there will not be negative associations with these foods at a later time.
- Eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods. If your appetite is weak on a particular day, eat small frequent meals or healthy snacks and catch up on days when you are feeling hungrier.
- If you find you are losing weight during treatment, take measures to maintain your weight. These may include increasing your protein and energy by having snacks between meals (e.g. egg flips, milk, cheese and biscuits, toast, yoghurt or icecream); possibly eating extra amounts of fats and sugars; drinking fortified milk and having moderate exercise like regular walks to help put weight back onto your muscles.
- If you have any concerns about your diet before, during or after Chemotherapy treatment, ask your Doctor, Specialist or Dietitian for advice.

ORGANISATIONS and SUPPORT GROUPS

See the Australian Cancer Society topic on the Healthpoint.

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