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ABC Medical Center > Digital magazine > Exercise and diet for cancer patients

Exercise and diet for cancer patients

20 June 2022

Key points:

  • A correct diet and exercise will help in the recovery of patients living with cancer.
  • If you receive chemotherapy treatment, aerobic exercise is beneficial, however, it is important to be careful if you will be placed or have a port catheter or other devices for the administration of your treatment.
  • The type of foods allowed or that have to be removed from the diet will depend on the type of cancer and the indicated treatment; remember to always ask your doctor.

A very important matter in all cancer patients, and who will undergo some type of cancer treatment, is the type of diet and exercise to perform.

Dr. Roberto Alfaro Lara, an oncology specialist at ABC Medical Center, says that the correct choice of both diet and exercise to be performed will be of great importance for your treatment.

Food choice

Generally, during cancer therapy the consumption of almost any food is allowed, says Dr. Alfaro Lara, but in some cases, the doctor may decide to remove irritants, some seasonings, or certain types of food, for example, those that could be consumed on the street since it could trigger a gastrointestinal infection, due to a weakened immune system.

For cases of combined treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy in some areas of the body, it will be very important to ask the radiation oncologist the type of diet to follow, as well as the type of food that cannot be consumed. Ask your team! They will give you the best recommendations.

What kind of exercises can I do?

Aerobic exercise is the main non-pharmacological measure that helps reduce fatigue caused as an adverse effect of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other cancer treatments.

Depending on the type of cancer and the treatments chosen for it, it will be important to be aware of different factors. If you have been placed a port catheter or some special device for the administration of chemotherapy, you must be careful not to pull it or injure that area.

In general, increasing and toning muscle mass helps cancer patients tolerate better chemotherapy treatment, be it intravenous, oral, or even radiation therapy. But the amount of exercise, the type of effort, and the intensity should be discussed with your medical team, to suffer the least amount of complications when performing excessive exercise or physical activity.

At ABC Medical Center’s Cancer Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!

Fuente:
Dr. Roberto Alfaro Lara – an oncology specialist at ABC Medical Center
https://youtu.be/0xeL5yBr2QY

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    Dr. Roberto Alfaro Lara

    Dr. Roberto Alfaro Lara

    Medical Oncology

    Formed as Médico Cirujano at the Universidad del Noreste. Specialized on Medical Oncology at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

    Medical License: 7049350

    Learn more about this doctor Medical profile