Eating a Healthy Diet During Radiation Therapy Cancer Treatment

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that shrinks and destroys cancer cells. During radiation, it’s important to eat well. A proper diet for radiation therapy keeps the body and its immune system strong, giving it the nutrients it needs to promote the regrowth of healthy tissues. Eating well during radiation also maintains energy, helps patients tolerate radiation side effects, lowers risks of infection, and speeds up recovery.

“Food is a part of the medical treatment during cancer therapy,” says Shayna Komar, a registered dietician specializing in oncology. “It helps support a patient’s immune system and decreases side effects. Radiation can be tiring and tough on the body. What a person eats will help keep them strong enough to get the treatment they need.”

However, the nutrients and foods a person needs during cancer treatment vary based on the individual, how their body responds to radiation, the treatment area, and the length of treatment. While there is no one-size-fits-all radiation diet, there are some guidelines and tips that can help you find the best one during your cancer treatment.

When it comes to healthy eating, we know that usually means eating plenty of vegetables and fruits. But what about milkshakes and gravy sauce? Would you ever expect those to be good for you too?

Your diet during radiation might include foods you wouldn’t normally eat when otherwise healthy. That’s because your body’s needs during radiation are different.

What you eat during radiation therapy will be a combination of what tastes good and what your body needs during treatment. Your diet during radiation might include foods you wouldn’t normally eat when otherwise healthy. That’s because your body’s needs during radiation are different. For example, here are some of the ways that the key components of your diet may change:

Calories: Some radiation patients need a higher-calorie diet to make sure that the food they are able to eat provides the body with enough energy to promote healthy tissue growth.

“Patients should aim to consume 25 to 35 calories per kilogram of body weight,” says Vanessa Lara, a dietician with a background in cancer biochemistry. “For example, a 150-pound male should try to eat between 1,705 to 2,386 calories.”

Protein: Protein helps maintain muscle and supports a healthy immune system — both critical functions needed during radiation. That’s why many radiation patients also have high protein diets.

“While every food group is important, protein trumps them all during radiation,” says Komar. “Protein is used for growth, repair of body tissue, and immune system support.”

Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins and minerals also help keep the immune system strong and support healthy tissue repair. Maintaining adequate levels can be important. You should discuss with your doctor whether vitamin supplements are recommended. In some cases, your doctor may recommend you stop certain supplements during radiation therapy.

“Supplements can be a safe way to ensure patients undergoing radiation therapy get enough vitamins and minerals,” says Lara. “However, they can also be harmful if taken improperly.”

Softer Foods: When radiation is directed towards the mouth or throat, it can cause irritation and mouth sores, making it difficult to eat certain foods. You may need to find softer foods, incorporate broths or sauces, or blend fruits and veggies into a smoothie that you can drink with a straw.

“Limiting the diet to only soft foods is usually recommended for patients having trouble chewing and swallowing,” says Lara.

Bloating and Diarrhea: Sometimes radiation can cause bloating or loose stools, requiring patients to adjust their diet to avoid gas-producing foods. A low-residue (low-fiber) diet may be recommended by your doctor to help manage diarrhea during treatment if that is an expected side effect.

“The low-residue diet consists of lower fiber, soft, mostly cooked foods without added spices,” says Komar. “A client can eat some raw fruits without seeds or peels as tolerated.”

Including these 5 components in a healthy diet during radiation therapy is a recipe for a swift recovery with fewer side effects. Radiation therapy can change how a patient’s body accepts certain foods and uses nutrients. Each radiation therapy patient reacts differently to treatment, but here are the basic guidelines for developing a diet while undergoing radiation therapy for cancer:

• Pay attention to your side effects and how they affect your appetite. Discuss the changes with your doctor.
• Plan ahead for changes to your diet.
• Focus on nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean proteins. Avoid saturated fats, sugar, salt, and alcohol.
• Change your eating habits and times. Eat smaller meals more frequently.
• Stay hydrated. Water is best but there are other healthy options.

• Chew your food slowly. Take your time eating each small meal.
• To make sure you’re getting enough calories during radiation, ask yourself, “What can I add to this meal to make it more nutrient-rich?” Think about topping your dishes with dressings and sauces. Or, think about adding extra ingredients you can add in or on top of your dishes.
• Cook foods that smell good
• Drink beverages that are high in healthy calories
• Eat foods in a stress-free relaxing setting to make eating a positive experience
• Eat every few hours vs waiting until you’re hungry

• Excess processed sodium (salt)
• Refined sugars
• Unsaturated fats
• An excess of alcohol
• Some salt, ideally unrefined, is needed in all diets. Your doctor or dietitian can recommend how much salt you should consume based on your medical history.

In addition to foods to avoid that are listed above, spicy foods can cause gastrointestinal problems during radiation therapy. While nausea and diarrhea are symptoms of radiation therapy, spicy foods can lead to cramping, and diarrhea.

“One of the potential side effects of radiation therapy includes intestinal problems, such as bloating,” says Lara. “Patients should watch out for foods and dietary habits that may cause bloating such as cruciferous vegetables, carbonated beverages, and drinking from straws.”

If you are receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, refrain from consuming foods that may get stuck when swallowing (e.g. dry bread) or those that are high in acid (tomato-based foods, etc.) which can be irritating.

Listening to your body, being prepared, eating nutrient-dense meals, making your own mealtime rules, and drinking plenty of liquids is a recipe for success in treatment. By following these top 5 components to a healthy diet during radiation therapy, patients will improve their odds of staying active and strong during and after treatment.