Pretreatment Eating

As you get ready for your cancer treatment, it can be helpful to focus on eating a well-balanced diet so that your body is as healthy as it can be. Be sure to include lean protein sources, such as legumes (beans), fish, chicken, and eggs in your diet. Add in plenty of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains to give your body the wide range of nutrients needed for optimal healing. The better nourished your body is going into treatment, the quicker you will be able to get on the road to wellness after treatment is completed.

Before treatment even begins, you can focus on giving your body the fuel it needs for optimal healing. As an example, an eating plan to get your body well-nourished before treatment might include the following:

• Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Try a few scrambled or hard-boiled egg whites for high-quality protein. Add in a small bowl of oatmeal for whole grains. Stir some fresh or frozen berries or other fruit into your oatmeal. Sprinkle on a few  walnuts or almonds for healthy fat. Have a small glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice and you're good to go.
• Add in a healthy mid-morning snack. For a quick and easy snack, you can try yogurt with a few nuts or some whole grain cereal stirred in. Or try some baby carrots dipped in hummus or salsa. An apple with some peanut butter is also a great option for snacking.
• Make a healthy lunch part of your day. For lunch, you might try a tuna or peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread. When you mix up your tuna, try using plain, nonfat yogurt instead of mayonnaise. If you use yogurt, pack the tuna separately from the bread in a small container so the bread does not become soggy. Include some chopped up veggies, such as baby carrots; red, yellow or green peppers; cauliflower or broccoli; radishes; or celery. Try using a prepared bean dip (jar) as a side for those veggies. A piece of fruit and a glass of skim milk will round out a nice lunch.
• Include a healthy mid-afternoon snack. Be sure to include a healthy mid-afternoon snack to prevent the slump in energy that we sometimes feel during the late hours of the working day. Again, a piece of fruit with some peanut butter or a handful of nuts is a good option. Whole grain crackers with cheese will work well, too. Just make sure you keep the cheese portion moderate to avoid loading up on too much saturated fat. Even a small bowl of whole grain cereal with skim milk, soy milk, or rice milk can be a filling snack in the afternoon. Some people enjoy a handful of trail mix made with raisins, other dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. Whatever you enjoy as an afternoon snack, be sure to plan ahead so that you don't find yourself hitting the vending machine in the afternoon.
• Enjoy dinner. Having a healthy dinner is important because you may not be eating again until the next morning. That's the longest period of time that most people go during their day and night without eating. You might have an evening snack, but if not, it may be a full 12 to 15 hours before you eat again. For dinner, try quick one-dish meals that include all of the healthy elements in a single selection. For example, you can try our recipe for Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce or Tasty Tempeh Stir Fry. Each of these recipes takes only about a half an hour to prepare and includes vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats all in one dish.
• Include a healthy evening snack if needed. If you find that you are hungry again in the evening, be sure you have a nutritious snack to tide yourself over until the morning.

By eating healthfully when you can, both before treatment begins and in-between your treatment sessions, you can help your body heal and recover. During treatment, make sure you eat whatever works well for you, even if you aren't feeling the best. This way, you'll be nutritionally prepared to get through your treatment and on the road to recovery as soon as possible.