Are you about to start or finish a radiotherapy treatment for your prostate cancer? Do not be surprised when the bathroom becomes your headquarters.
Do not be surprised if you spend more time than usual in your bathroom. Indeed, given the proximity of the prostate and the rectum, gastrointestinal disorders may occur. They usually go away after treatment, but some may last several months, and some may be years after radiotherapy. occur months or years after treatment.
Whether for external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy for prostate cancer, a healthy and balanced diet is recommended. No particular diet – let alone the miracle recipes found on the Web – has shown any benefit. However, it is important to maintain optimal energy intake during treatments. This is not a good time to try to lose weight. Your body needs a lot of energy to fight prostate cancer!
Although you can eat whatever you want during your radiation treatments, you should expect to make some adjustments to your diet. And make your bathroom your headquarters not being the most enjoyable, we take the situation in hand.
Five practical tips
- Have you been offered a meeting with a nutritionist or a dietician? Say yes!
- You were not offered to meet with a nutrition specialist? Ask for it!
- Your bowel function is turned upside down by treatment? Do not be too long! Talk to your urologist or family doctor
- During treatment, avoid foods that greatly increase the activity of the intestines
- After treatment, these foods are still avoided until our intestines are functioning normally
What to eat or not to eat
We avoid …
- Avoid whole grain bread, dried fruit, fermented cheeses (Brie, Oka), legumes, a significant amount of juice, ice cream, fatty foods, fried, spicy or sweet
- Avoid foods that are considered natural laxatives, such as prunes, prune juice, rhubarb and papaya, chewing gum and sweets that contain sorbitol
- Limit your intake of foods or drinks that may cause gas or bloating such as soft drinks, beer, but, leeks, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, squash, cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, beans, garlic, peas and onions
- Reduce your coffee and milk consumption
We choose …
- Opt for foods that are low in fiber, such as bread and pasta made from white flour, bananas, melons, applesauce, mashed potatoes or baked without the skin, meat, poultry and fish
- Eat foods high in potassium/sodium such as bananas, oranges, fruit juices or nectars (in small quantities), energy drinks, clear broths
- Sip liquids slowly and do not drink with a straw
- Drink a lot of water
Take light meals or snacks more often during the day. And do light exercise, such as walking, that may help ease your discomfort.
Take the time to visit each of our pages on this website, as well as our YouTube channel, in order to get familiar with the disease with our expert lectures, our section on available resources, the support that is offered to you.
Do you have any questions or concerns? Above all, do not hesitate. Contact us at 1 855 899-2873 to discuss with a nurse specializing in uro-oncology. It’s simple and free, like all our services.
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