Nutritional Therapy

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NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

There is a lot you can do to give yourself the best chance to win the fight against cancer. Staying nutritionally fortified is one positive way to take control of your life and your well-being. Optimal nutrition allows your body to function at its best. Maintaining optimal nutrition can provide several benefits for people living with cancer, including:

• Support immune function
• Preserve lean body cell mass
• Rebuild body tissue
• Decrease your risk of infection
• Improve strength and increase energy
• Improve your tolerance to treatment
• Help you recuperate faster after treatment
• Improve quality of life

Good nutrition is essential to keep you strong-to increase the chance that your cancer treatment goes uninterrupted. Your body needs more "fuel" than normal during this time, because it needs to repair from the effects of cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. If you are unable to consume the fuel you need, your body will soon draw upon what it has stored-fat and protein. When your body uses stored protein, malnutrition and impaired functioning of your immune system may result.

According to the National Cancer Institute, about one-third of all cancer deaths are related to malnutrition. Therefore, it is important to give your body a constant supply of nutrients to use as fuel during the healing process. This supply of nutrients includes calories from all macronutrients, including carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Dietitians can help by making recommendations for how to keep you nourished with healthful foods and a well-balanced diet. Dietitians are health professionals with extensive training in nutrition who help with dietary choices.

Our aim at DHRC is to keep you strong and nutritionally balanced so your cancer treatment is not interrupted.

The department is led by licensed and registered dietitians who provide expert care for you through comprehensive nutrition assessment, education and supplementation-with an emphasis on proactive nutrition intervention. Our goal for you is to prevent malnutrition, reduce side effects, promote positive healthy eating habits, and enhance your overall well-being and quality of life.