Eating to prepare for cancer treatment

Good nutrition is important in all aspects of general health, especially when preparing for cancer treatment. It is important to eat a range of different foods, in the right balance, to ensure your body is getting everything it needs. This is also important to help prevent your body becoming malnourished.

Malnutrition is a condition caused by the lack of key nutrients. It can cause you to lose weight and become weak, tired, have difficulty fighting infections or completing planned cancer treatments.

Following a diagnosis of cancer, you may have lost weight or have difficulty eating and drinking. This can be due to anxiety and worry, difficulty swallowing, a reduced appetite, or a change in the way your body digests your food and drink. It is important to prevent any unplanned weight loss and maintain a good nourishing diet.

Through following a nutritious diet, you can:

Maintain a healthy body weight.
Protect muscle and strength.
Reduce the side effects of treatment.
Promote physical resilience to complete planned treatment.

The more you can do now to improve your diet, the more reserves your body will have for your upcoming treatment and to continue your usual activities.