Fatigue-reduction diet: What to eat during cancer fatigue
Fatigue is the MOST common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment.
Chemo, surgery, immunotherapy, and radiation all cause you to be more tired and fatigued.
However, cancer-related fatigue is different than feeling tired.
Fatigue is an overwhelming amount of tiredness that isn't resolved by sleeping—meaning you get rest, and you still wake up tired.
This constant and extreme fatigue can affect your nutrition, and it can be confusing to know what to eat during cancer fatigue.
However, what you eat can greatly impact your cancer fatigue.
Therefore, in this article, you will learn what foods may help reduce fatigue based on research studies and how it could help.
That being said,
1) Always talk to your oncology-certified dietician before applying any nutritional advice, as this is general and not specific to your needs.
2) Never take any supplements without talking to an oncology-certified dietician or your physician.
3) There is no such thing as eating a cancer diet or a fatigue-reducing diet. Rather, research shows, that certain eating patterns have been shown to be helpful.
Cancer-Related Fatigue
While chemo, surgery, and radiation all increase fatigue, your nutrition, physical activity, and stress can help reduce cancer fatigue.
And there are 7 Ways To Reduce Cancer Fatigue, but a common question to ask is: what should I eat during cancer?
There are 3 main aspects to learn when establishing a fatigue-reduction diet:
The type of food you eat during cancer fatigue needs to be anti-inflammatory
What to avoid to reduce fatigue (i.e. what foods cause inflammation?)
How much protein you are eating during a fatigue-reduction diet: are you fueling your body with what it needs?
The fatigue-reduction diet isn’t as much of a diet as it is an eating pattern.
The type of food you eat does not need to be “alkaline.” But it does need to be anti-inflammatory.
Contrary to popular belief, alkaline diets do not work, and they don’t make your blood “less acidic.”
Your body controls pH levels tightly, and what you eat doesn’t change it enough.
Your body needs to stay at pH of 7 to function properly, so alkaline diets don’t have the effect they’re advertised to.
BUT focusing on anti-inflammatory foods might make a difference for you.
One of the biggest aspects of fatigue is the inflammation it causes in your body.
We know that the more fatigue, the more inflammation there is. And what you eat can either add to the inflammation or reduce it.
*Always talk to your oncology-certified dietician before applying any nutritional advice, as this is general and not specific to your needs.*
Anti-inflammatory needs
The first thing to know about a fatigue-reduction diet is that there really isn’t just one specific anti-inflammatory diet, but rather anti-inflammatory eating patterns that can help you reduce inflammation and stay healthier.
In general, foods in the fatigue-reduction diet are foods that bring down inflammation.
Such foods are those high in:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Vitamin C
Polyphenols
Fiber
Therefore, to build a fatigue-reduction diet, focus on the following foods to reduce cancer fatigue.
*Never take any supplements without talking to an oncology-certified dietician or your physician. *
5 Servings of Vegetables A Day
Two servings out of the 5 should be leafy greens—such as kale, spinach, collared greens, Romanian lettuce, arugula, Swiss chard, and/or bok choy.
Leafy greens are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which helps lower your risk of heart disease and a second cancer.
Focus on eating two handfuls of leafy greens a day.
Focus also on eating one serving each of red, yellow, and orange vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers, butternut squash, potatoes, summer squash, sweet corn, carrots, yellow peppers, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.
Vegetables of all three of these colors have been shown to improve vision health, improve immunity, and lower the risk of second cancers.
2 Fresh Fruits A Day
One or both servings of fruits should be high in vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, or strawberries.
However, any fruit, such as apples, berries, avocados, and grapes, would be helpful and beneficial,
Focus on eating one whole fruit 2x a day.
Vitamin C has been shown to help reduce fatigue and be protective against cancer.
3 Servings of Whole Grains A Day (Not White Grains)
Whole grains are a good source of fiber.
Focus on consuming 3 servings of whole grains a day, which is about 1/2 a cup of whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread.
But make sure to look at the food label and evaluate the fiber content.
The key is 1 gram of fiber per 10 calories.
1 Serving of Healthy Fats With Omega-3
One serving of omega-3 fats is helpful in reducing inflammation during cancer.
One serving would consist of about 4 oz of oily fish, such as salmon, cod, etc. or 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds, like walnuts or flaxseeds
Eating enough of omega-3 fats helps improve the efficacy of chemotherapy, survival, and maintain muscle mass.
Now, while what you eat can help reduce your inflammation and fatigue, the opposite is also true.
Some foods can also increase inflammation and fatigue.
A fatigue-reducing diet is one that emphasizes lowering inflammation.
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet—something high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, nuts, and healthy oils.
And try to reduce, avoid, and/or limit inflammation-producing foods as much as possible.
Reduce red meat, such as steak and hamburgers to <18 oz per week, and ideally <12 oz per week for most people if possible.
Avoid commercial-baked goods, such as cakes, pies, cookies and brownies.
Avoid refined grains, such as white flour, flour tortillas, cornbread, white rice, white bread, or pretzels. Eating whole grains and white flour are two very different things.
Avoid fried food, such as French fries, fried chicken, and donuts.
Avoid sugary drinks and/or foods high in sugar, such as candy, jelly, syrup, sugary coffee, concentrated juices, sports drinks, canned tea, or sodas.
The inflammation is NOT worth the calories. Keep in mind: this is very different than having either vegan or 100% homemade cookies or pies where you know exactly what’s going in and how much.
Eliminate:
trans fats found in margarine, microwave popcorn, refrigerated biscuits, lard, and non-dairy coffee creamers.
processed meats such as bologna, bacon, sausage and lunchmeat.
alcohol or at least avoid it a lot. More and more research shows that any amount of alcohol increases your risk of heart disease and cancer.
Getting Enough Protein
When it comes to fatigue, having enough muscle to carry you through the day is important.
So, eating enough protein is a major part of a fatigue-reduction diet.
Eating more protein is a big component in helping you stay active and energized throughout the day during and after cancer treatment.
The goal is to focus on foods high in protein from your animal proteins, such as:
grass-fed steak within the recommended limit.
chicken or turkey (not in the form of deli meat)
fresh fish
Other great plant-based sources that add to your protein is:
edamame
lentils
beans
tempeh
tofu
When working to increase your protein intake, the goal is to choose or create meals based on what you enjoy or adding your selected protein(s) into your meal, and if needed, adding it to shakes, such as with Greek yogurt or protein powders.
Simply eating more protein helps only to maintain muscle.
But it doesn’t help to build muscle without proper exercise.
Incorporating a fatigue-reduction diet in your day
The key is to be consistent with nutritious foods that reduce inflammation and, if needed, to work with an oncology-certified dietician for specifics on how they can help you.
But here are some tips that some of the most successful online coaches have incorporated to reduce fatigue:
To reduce inflammation, baking, steaming or fast stir-frying are preferable to deep frying or grilling.
Instead of frying or grilling at high heat, microwave your food.
Avoid grilling meat, but you can grill vegetables
Keep flavors simple: olive oil, salt, peppers, and herbs and spices rather than sugary high-fat condiments. The benefits of healthy items, like fish and vegetables, can be reversed when adding high-inflammatory condiments.
Ask a caregiver to help you meal prep and cut up food if possible. Have them help you set aside foods you can freeze for later, such as soups, chili, or overnight oats.
Create a list of recipes that are easy to cook and prepare, while focusing on making small meals and quick and easy snacks.
Make small and manageable changes to your eating habits by adding in some fruits daily, snacking on raw vegetables, or having some nuts/ seeds.
Have fun and get creative with the healthy changes. For example, switching a charcuterie board to vegetable slices with hummus, or switching French fries to baked sweet potatoes, and if you have a sweet tooth, instead of pies, opt for dates or dark chocolate with raspberries.
Keep in mind, this is a fatigue-reduction diet, not a fat-loss diet.
For more information on fat loss, check out How To Lose Belly Fat After Chemo.
There are plenty of ways to incorporate a healthier fatigue-reducing diet.
However, cancer treatment can cause many issues when eating, so if you are having any issues eating during cancer treatment, check out How To Stop Feeling Sick During Cancer Treatment to help you eat and reduce side effects.
And, when in doubt, meet with an oncology-certified dietician for help.
Lastly, remember there isn’t a particular food or food group that reduces fatigue.
Rather, your whole diet pattern has the most impact on fatigue.
After a cancer diagnosis, it is common to feel fear and uncertainty regarding food.
But when it comes to fatigue, and what to eat during cancer, you may need to change your diet—especially when the traditional American plate is not a healthy meal.
So ask for help if you need it, make small changes as you go, and stay happy and healthy!
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