Healthy Foods Make a Positive Impact on a Cancer Patient

Having lost my mother and my father-in-law to cancer in the last few months I feel it was fitting to blog a guest post from Jillian McKee on the health benefits of healthy eating with cancer patients. You can follow Jillian on Twitter @jillianmckee or connect via Facebook.


Cancer patients deal with many different issues. These can include, physical changes, weight loss, weight gain, loss of muscle tone, lack of energy, and severe mood swings. Dealing with these issues on top of cancer treatments, medication and treatment side effects, and financial issues can be absolutely draining. Incorporating a healthier diet and researching beneficial foods can play a large role in increasing energy as well as improving moods which can provide a lasting, positive result for many cancer patients.



Salad with egg

The National Cancer Institute recommends cancer patients try out foods such as whole grains, eggs, extra dairy foods, and foods that are low in fiber.  In addition to consuming more of these foods, increasing the intake of vegetables and fruits will also help to increase energy, add endurance, and improve the body’s immune system in many cases. Each person reacts and responds differently to both treatments and food. Trying out the recommended foods and discovering which ones work best is the best place to begin changing an old diet with a new diet.


One of the biggest benefits that whole foods, dairy, natural fruits, and vegetables can give to a cancer patient is the strength to continue through rounds of treatment. Side effects and the treatments themselves often prove to be very trying and draining on a person in both physical and mental ways. By increasing the amounts of healthy, whole foods, and foods rich in vitamins and proteins will help a person to be more physically prepared to deal with treatments, as well as cancer side effects and mesothelioma side effects.


If a cancer patient has a family living with him or her, getting the entire family on board with new eating changes will also benefit the other members in the family by giving them quality nutrition and wholesome foods to feel better and have more energy throughout their day. This also is a great way to form a support alliance for a person who is going through cancer treatments. Support groups, exercise, and healthy nutrition are vital for a person who is undergoing consistent rounds of treatment.



Colourful veggies, great for roasting
For healthy recipes containing roasted vegetables, click here

Because some foods can become boring to eat when they are consumed in the same way meal after meal, there are many creative ideas for menus and snack suggestions in which healthy foods can be prepared in fresh and appealing methods.  Blended fruit drinks, grilled vegetable kebabs, cheese and vegetable quiches, and homemade pizzas loaded with cheese and vegetables are simple meals to prepare that are also delicious and fun to eat.