Cancer – and the therapies used to treat it – can change how your body uses food and its need for certain nutrients. Eating the right food is an important part of your cancer journey.
Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute nutrition counselors ensure you’re getting everything you need during your treatment to maintain adequate levels of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and electrolytes.
How Nutrition Counseling Can Help
A cancer diagnosis, treatment and the required recovery can make it difficult to follow your regular eating habits.
Eating and drinking the right foods and liquids during and after treatment can help keep your strength up, prevent infection and repair and rebuild damaged tissue.
By maintaining your weight and staying well-nourished, you have a better quality of life during treatment, tolerate higher dosages of specific treatments and experience less fatigue. Your care team may recommend nutritional counseling to help you cope with any treatment side effects and maintain the best nutritional habits.
Resources
Our registered dietitians can help you cope with any eating problems as they arise, in a variety of ways:
- Design eating plans based on your cancer type and food preferences.
- Provide easy-to-follow written materials to help combat treatment side effects and special dietary needs.
- Work with your care team to ensure continuity of care.
Nutrition Counseling Team
Registered dietitians with The Department of Food and Nutrition Services at Hartford HealthCare design dietary plans and provide educational materials tailored to your nutritional needs and preferences. Our dietitians work with the rest of your care team to support you through treatment.
To schedule a nutrition counseling session, speak with a member of your care team.