Nutrition

Good nutritional advice is essential after a diagnosis of cancer. Eating well during treatment can help you to tolerate treatment better, maintain energy levels and strength, lower your risk of infection and accelerate your recovery. Our dietitians have specialised in oncology for many years and work closely with the medical team to provide evidence-based nutritional advice to help support you during and after your cancer treatment.

Our services include education, assessment and advice in:

Management of treatment side effects
A build-up diet prior to and during therapy
Weight loss advice
The use of nutritional supplements
Stoma management

Dietary and nutritional concerns are common among cancer patients. Most nutrition guidelines stress eating lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. We recommend limiting the amount of red meat you eat, especially those that are processed or high in fat, cutting back on sugar, alcohol and salt and maintaining a healthy body weight.

The advice for ‘eating well’ during treatment may differ slightly to the standard healthy eating advice depending on the type of cancer you have and the symptoms you are experiencing. If you are experiencing difficulty eating, weight changes or loss of appetite during treatment, it may be useful to speak to a dietitian for tailored advice. It is not recommended to take any vitamin and mineral supplements during chemotherapy.