Patient education
Nutrition
Food advice during cancer has to come from the treating team, especially if swallowing, the bowel, or immunity has changed. These are general points only.
There is no single anti-cancer diet that replaces treatment. Be wary of juices, supplements, or fasting plans that promise to shrink a tumour.
When appetite is poor, smaller meals more often are easier than three large ones. Protein foods — dals, eggs, dairy, fish, meat, nuts, and soy — help the body keep strength.
If white cells are low, the clinical team may ask for stricter food safety: well-cooked food, washed fruit, and no food left standing in the heat. Follow that advice over general tips.
Nausea, mouth sores, constipation, and diarrhoea each need a different change. A dietitian who knows the treatment is the right person to individualise this.
After treatment, a usual healthy pattern is enough for most people: vegetables, fruit, pulses, whole grains, enough protein, and limited alcohol.