Eating and Drinking
Ideally it is important to eat a healthy balanced diet that includes foods from the four main food groups:
1. Bread, Cereals and Potatoes
2. Fruit and Vegetables
3. Milk and Dairy Products
4. Meat, Fish and Alternatives
When you have some treatments, there may be times when you need to change your diet (such as following your surgery, if you have nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation). In these situations the dietary advice on this page may not be applicable to you, and you should follow the dietary advice given to you on the relevant symptom page. The dietary advice on this page may also not be applicable to you such as if you have diabetes or have had oral, stomach or bowel surgery. In these situations please contact your medical team for dietary advice that is relevant to you.
Why is a balanced diet important?
Eating healthily is important for everyone, but when you’ve had breast cancer you may become even more aware of what you eat and drink. A healthy balanced diet has been shown to have a range of health benefits and can help your body to cope with treatment side effects, resist infections, recover faster, feel stronger and have more energy.
However, it’s important to not feel guilty if you don’t stick to it all the time – especially while you are coping with the other physical and emotional effects of breast cancer and its treatment. It’s just about getting the balance right.
To achieve a healthy balanced diet you should aim to eat the following types of foods:
• Bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta, rice, oats, noodles, beans and pulses at each meal.
• Lots of fresh, frozen, canned, juiced or dried fruit and vegetables (at least 5 portions a day). Fruit juice counts as only one portion no matter how much you drink in a day. Beans and pulses also count as only one portion no matter how much you eat in a day.
Eat moderate amounts of the following types of food:
• Milk and dairy foods such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. Choose lower fat versions whenever you can. This group does not include butter, eggs or cream.
• Meat, fish and alternatives such as poultry, eggs, or nuts. Choose lower fat versions whenever you can. Fish can be frozen or canned, and eat at least one portion of oily fish (such as sardines or salmon) a week.
Eat foods that contain fat, salt and sugar sparingly such as the following types of foods:
• Crisps, butter and pastry, and choose low fat alternatives when you can.
• Biscuits, sweets and fizzy drinks and choose sugar free alternatives when you can.
Always wash your hands before preparing and eating food, and make sure you wash fresh fruit and vegetables before eating them. When cooking or re-heating food, make sure that it is cooked all the way through before eating.
Disclaimer: On this website you will find advice to help you manage some of the more common but milder symptoms and side effects of breast cancer surgery. Please ONLY use this advice if you are currently participating in the ePainQ research project, otherwise you must follow the advice given to you by your medical team.
Clicking on the links in the left hand menu will take you to advice on looking after yourself during treatment. If after following the advice you don’t feel your symptoms are being successfully managed or relieved, or if you become more unwell, you should contact your hospital medical team immediately.