Eating well and providing your body with adequate nutrition plays an important role in coping with having cancer and its treatments. It can help you to:

• Feel stronger and have more energy
• Cope with the side effects of treatment
• Tolerate the most beneficial dose of certain treatments
• Recover more quickly from treatments and fight off infections

Malnutrition or weight loss impairs the immune system, wound healing and increases the risk of infection. Weight loss is a common feature at diagnosis and at onset of treatment in people with certain cancers.

Which nutrients are important?

Your body needs a variety of nutrients in order to function properly, unfortunately no single food can provide us with all the nutrients we need, so we have to eat a variety of foods.

The following nutrients should form a key part of your diet during your treatment journey:

• Calories: Supply the energy you need every day, helping you to maintain your weight
• Protein: Important for wound healing and is essential to protect, maintain and build muscle
• Fibre: Important for maintaining regular bowel function and promoting good bacteria in your digestive system
• Vitamins and minerals: Help reduce tissue damage and support your immune system