Cancer Protective Diet

Weight Gain: Steroids & Hormone Blockers

The idea that weight gain can occur during chemo goes against the classic notion of what being a cancer patient means. Many do experience terrible weight loss, but for others, the problem can be... keeping the weight off. It’s worth noting that for women being treated for breast cancer, the mix of anti-inflammatory steroids they take during chemo and the hormone-blocking drugs they’re often given afterward to protect against recurrence, can present these women with the double whammy of bloating during treatment followed by weight gain from the abrupt onset of drug-induced menopause. But being overweight can increase the chances of recurrence too, so what’s to be done?  First of all, be prepared. If you have to go on hormone blockers, talk to a registered dietitian about tactics. Secondly, don’t despair. This is not about deprivation and dieting, it’s about tweaking your lifestyle to stay healthy and cancer-free. A good place to start on the plus side is to increase your intake of the low calorie, nutrient-packed fresh fruits, veggies, and dark leafy greens that are so good for us all, and eat more whole grains, beans, and healthy lean proteins. On the minus side, avoid eating red meat and saturated fat, and cut out or cut drastically down on refined carbs including white foods; bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta, on sugary treats like candy, cake, and cookies, and also on processed snacks like chips. We are a nation of snackers and grazers, and we know how hard making these lasting changes can be, but it’s not impossible.