Eating good food is important when you are well and it is also important when you are receiving treatment for cancer. You may be wondering if you are eating the right foods or if you should change your diet in some way.

The best thing you can do is to make sure that diet is balanced. It is vital that you eat well so that you will:

• Feel better and have more energy
• Get the most benefit from your treatment with fewer side effects
• Improve your body’s ability to heal and to fight infection
• Keep your weight at a healthy level.

There are no special foods you must use or avoid when you have cancer. But there are probably some changes you can make in your diet to keep you healthy and to help with any eating problems caused by the cancer or by your treatment.

Once a cancer has developed it can’t be cured though diet alone. There is no evidence to support claims that special diets can cure cancer. Some diets do no harm, but there are some which are harmful and can interfere with the success of your treatment. Diets which ban a great number of foods may result in you getting fewer nutrients than you need.

If you’re think about making a dramatic change to your diet, look at your choices closely and discuss them with your doctor or dietitian before deciding.

(From ‘Eating Well/Kia Pai te kia’: The Cancer Society of New Zealand)