Nutrition Counseling

Eating healthy is always important for your overall well-being. During cancer treatment, it can be even more essential. Sometimes, though, symptoms and side effects can make it challenging to maintain a nutritious diet.

At Memorial Cancer Institute, we understand the importance of nourishing yourself properly during cancer treatment. That’s why we have a dedicated team of registered dietitians who specialize in helping people with cancer. We’ll work with you and your family to ensure you get the nutrients you need to feel better throughout your treatment.

How Cancer Treatment Impacts Nutrition

Cancer symptoms, as well as treatment side effects, can sometimes make it difficult to eat well. Symptoms that can affect your diet include:

• Changes in taste and smell
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing
• Dry mouth
• Loss of appetite
• Mouth sores
• Nausea or vomitingWeight changes

Our registered dietitians can recommend nutritious foods to eat during cancer treatment. They help you plan an optimal diet and teach you how to use nutrition to cope with cancer treatment side effects.

Optimizing Nutrition During Cancer Treatment: How We Can Help

Our oncology dietitians understand how cancer and its treatment impact your diet. We’ll help you and your family find ways to get the nutrition you need to boost your strength for healing.

The ideal cancer diet looks different for everyone. That’s why we customize a plan just for you, changing it as your needs change. Our nutrition experts will:

• Help you find foods you can tolerate through all treatment stages
• Work with you and your caregivers to help you receive nutrition through a feeding tube if necessary
• Find the best ways to supplement your diet with the calories, protein and other nutrients your body needs
• Teach you and your family the importance of healthy eating, with tips for making your diet work with your lifestyle

Healthy Eating Classes for You and Your Family

We’ve created Healthy Eating classes to teach you and your family how to improve your health and quality of life through diet. The right diet can help your body heal, avoid illness and prevent cancer recurrence. At our Eating 101 classes, you’ll learn:

• Easy cooking techniques
• New foods to incorporate into your diet
• Simple recipes for delicious, healthy meals

These classes are complimentary for Memorial Cancer Institute patients, families and caregivers. For login information to access virtual Eating 101 classes in English or Spanish, call 954-265-4325.