Weight Gain After Cancer Treatment

WEIGHT!
This word is of great importance. In our daily life, most of us are concerned about it.

Why?
It’s simply because maintaining healthy weight is very essential. It not only helps in preventing from diseases but also reduces the risk.

Maintaining healthy weight is also the key factor for cancer patients as it helps in promoting cancer survivorship. Many cancer patients lose weight because of the specific cancer that they have or due to the treatments they undergo.

People going through cancer treatment face various symptoms like changes in taste, loss of weight and others. These symptoms make it difficult and undesirable to eat. But after the treatment of cancer it is essential to maintain your weight for which your body may require more calories than usual.

You must be tensed about your weight after cancer treatment, we understand.

To make you stress-free and tension-free, here are few steps that will help in preventing from excess loss of weight and will also help you in maintaining healthy weight during and after cancer.

• Try to eat throughout the day. This can be done by taking small and frequent meals and snacks.
• Try to include nutritious foods and foods with a lot of calories in your meals.
• Protein is essential for the immune system so as to fight against fatigue.
• Take more liquids in the form of soups and smoothies which will provide necessary nutrients to your body.

There are cases of cancer patients where in the weight gain is also an issue. About more than a half of people with breast cancer face issues of weight gain during or after their treatment. The excess weight gain can lead to various health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.

Let’s look at some causes of weight gain:

• Chemotherapy
• Hormonal Therapy
• Steroid medications

How Can This Weight Gain Be Managed?

Before you follow any kind of diet plan or adopt any eating habits, you should consult your doctor or the healthcare team. You can also consult surgical oncologist, Dr. Ajay and me, Radiation Oncologist Dr. Lahari Chanakya for proper management of your weight after cancer treatment.

Here are some tips for you who will help you in managing weight gain during or after the treatment:
• Various physical activities like walking, bicycling, etc.
• Strength-building activities
• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• Drink plenty of water/fluids [sugar free]
• Avoid processed food and cultivate cooking methods which are healthy
• Reduce the intake of sugar, fat and refined flour

There are ways to manage weight loss as well as weight gain. It is always better to consult your doctor before following any diet plans during or after cancer treatment.
Eat healthy, manage weight!