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Creating a Nutritional Base
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Eating a variety of foods is especially important for people with cancer. Your body needs many nutrients from many sources to meet the physical and nutritional challenges ahead. But you face unique issues as well. For example, you may have difficulty maintaining a reasonable weight. Or maybe your treatments are causing nausea. And perhaps you've had surgery and need help healing.
Follow the guidelines below to create a sound nutritional base. Then, as you face dietary challenges, refer to the tips found later in this guide. Choose those appropriate to your needs. This allows you to create a flexible, personal nutritional plan which can easily be adapted to your changing needs.
- Drink three cups of milk daily, or substitute other dairy choices such as cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, or ice cream.
- Eat two or more two- or three-ounce protein servings daily. Good protein choices include meat, eggs, fish, poultry, dried beans and peas, peanut butter, and nuts. One serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
- Include two cups of fruit or fruit juice every day. Be sure to include one citrus serving, if you can tolerate it. Use fresh, frozen, or canned.
- Choose 2½ cups of vegetables each day. Make sure one is a dark-green, leafy vegetable, or a yellow vegetable.
- Eat three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grain products per day.
- Include nutritious snacks such as nuts, cheese, and crackers between meals and before bedtime.
- Meal times can actually be mini-meals or snacks when you include six to eight eating occasions per day.
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