Nutrition Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend eating a healthy well-balanced diet that includes all foods during cancer treatment, no matter which type of cancer you have. However, some types of cancer and their treatments may affect your ability to eat. Cancers of the head and neck area and the GI tract (esophagus, mouth, throat, stomach, intestines, or colon) may require special diets and/or alternative methods of feeding, such as tube feedings or IV nutrition. See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who can individualize an eating plan specifically for you.

Advocates of alkaline diets claim that they help you lose weight, increase your energy, and even reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer. While their arguments sound persuasive, they are unproven. The body has several mechanisms in place to make sure that fluids, tissues and cells aren’t too acidic or alkaline, but stay in a healthy pH range. When your pH shifts outside the healthy range and becomes too acidic or too alkaline, your body automatically corrects itself to bring things back to normal. We know that people whose diets are high in fat and low in fiber are at higher risk of certain types of cancer, but claiming that restricting certain foods and eating others will make your pH alkaline enough to prevent or cure cancer is more fiction than fact. See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who can individualize an eating plan specifically for you.

At this time, there is not enough scientific evidence to prove or disprove that any herbs can boost the immune system. However, what we do know is that eating well-balanced meals rich in vitamins, minerals and protein will help support your immune system best.

This is a simple question, yet is not so easy to answer. Sugar, or glucose, feeds all cells in the body, including cancer cells. The body needs glucose for fuel, or energy. Your brain actually demands glucose to function. If you do not eat enough food to provide glucose to the brain, your body will begin to break down fat and protein in your body (which leads to weight loss from fat stores and muscle) to make glucose. Loss of protein and fat is NOT desired during cancer treatment.

Choose to eat what tastes good during treatment. If that includes sugar, try to choose healthier sweets that provide calories, protein, fiber, or vitamins and minerals. Try fresh fruit, yogurt, ice cream topped with fresh fruit and nuts, mashed sweet potatoes, tossed salad with a raspberry vinaigrette or honey mustard dressing or oatmeal mixed with dried fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Generally speaking, vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to function, but they do not provide “instant energy.” Energy comes from carbohydrates, fats and protein. In some cases of a vitamin and/or mineral deficiency, taking a specific vitamin or mineral may improve energy by correcting the vitamin deficiency. Multi-vitamin/mineral supplements providing 100% of the Daily Value for each nutrient can be considered safe and likely adequate for healthy individuals, but it is important to evaluate individual need according to each cancer survivor’s diagnosis, symptoms and treatments. When a diet includes many fortified, enriched and functional foods, it may already be providing the recommended amounts of nutrients. If you decide to take a vitamin supplement, be sure your physician, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and pharmacist are aware.

https://www.oncologynutrition.org