Food and Cancer
What do you need to know about food and cancer? It's the wild, wild West out there, so we worked with some brill experts and friends to bring you everything you need to know. Our guide is a no-nonsense, evidence based guide designed with you in mind.
What do you need to know about food and cancer? It's the wild, wild West out there, so we worked with some brill experts and friends to bring you everything you need to know. Our guide is a no-nonsense, evidence based guide designed with you in mind.
Navigating all the information around diet and cancer can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of confusing stuff out there and we know you probably don’t have the time or energy to digest it all. So we’ve created this guide to everything you might be asking about how what you put into your body affects it during treatment and beyond.
We ran a survey and found that 43% of our community consult the internet for advice or information on nutrition. 20% refer to social media. 45% said they feel social media makes them confused about what to eat. Less than half said they felt comfortable discussing their diet with their oncology team. Basically, when it comes to what to eat when you've got cancer, it's less than clear.
We're in the process of updating our food and cancer booklet launching later in 2024, but if you'd like to get your hands on the original version, email us.
The latest research on nutrition and cancer
But it doesn't need to be. We’ve included the latest research and unpacked controversial topics in a balanced way offering you all the information you need to make decisions that work for you. Our expert contributors Dr Hazel Wallace, Dr Ailsa Sita Lumsden, Camilla Ferraro, Toral Shah and Monika Siemicka have got you covered on all the need-to-knows while community members Sarah Dixon, Dani Binnington and Alice-May Purkiss have made sure your concerns are covered.
Everything you need to know about food and cancer
We partnered with Hazel Wallace, aka The Food Medic, to get her expertise. She said:
"You never expect to get diagnosed with cancer, let alone when you’re in your 20s or 30s. When it does happen, it understandably shakes every aspect of your world. You don’t need me to tell you how much of a shock a cancer diagnosis can be, how hard treatments are, how difficult recovery can be, or how much it can change the way you feel about yourself and your body. Finding some sense of normality is key at such a turbulent time."
Giving your body the right support
If there’s one thing that remains totally constant throughout your treatment and recovery, it’s the need to give your body the support necessary to deal with all of the treatments and stresses that are being thrown at you. Food can play an important role here. But the internet, and of course social media, is the modern-day equivalent of the Wild, Wild West – full of misinformation, dubious claims, and conflicting advice. When we asked, 45% of you said that social media makes you confused about what to eat. So, how do you know what to trust and what to listen to? It’s a minefield, but hopefully, we can help with that.
"When I came on board as a Trekstock Ambassador, I realised there was a need for a nutrition resource that was available specifically for people going through cancer treatment and recovery. So Trekstock and I brought together a group of doctors, dietitians, patients, and members of the Trekstock community to create a no-nonsense, evidence-based, and easy-to-follow nutrition booklet to help support you." Hazel Wallace
Other resources
Life Kitchen by Ryan Riley
Life Kitchen is a not-for-profit organisation focused on helping people with cancer rediscover and revive their love of food. Life kitchen provides recipes and events for people living with cancer.
The Food Medic is an educational platform and media group, founded by Dr. Hazel Wallace, that's aimed at bridging the gap between traditional medical advice, nutrition and other areas of lifestyle. Through social media platforms, podcasts, books, and the website you will find informative articles which are grounded in science, easy-to-follow recipes, and actionable tips and guides, to help you make informed healthy lifestyle choices.
Founded by Toral Shah, The Urban Kitchen focuses on the role of diet and nutrition in the prevention of disease, and particularly cancer. Her mission is to help people enjoy delicious food every day, whilst ensuring they receive the appropriate health benefits from her personalised approach. As well as nutritional consultations and recipe development, she helps like-minded healthy eating brands to grow through her brand consultancy.
Dani Billington aka Healthy Whole Me is a wellbeing expert, yoga teacher and founder of the ‘Superfood Supperclub’. Dani’s journey to seek a holistic approach to her wellbeing started after her breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 33, and she is passionate about creating a wholesome, balanced and sustainable lifestyle for her herself, her family and her clients.
The Chemo Cookery Club has a selection of delicious recipes to help make everyday food a positive part of life for cancer sufferers and their carers. With tempting treats and healthy food ideas, the emphasis is on the nutritional values that can make a difference.
Other resources
Conversations around cancer aren't always easy. Whether you're talking to your pals, loved ones, partner or even your medical team, knowing how to deal with topics that might feel tricky can go a long way in helping you manage your relationships. Check out our top tips for having those difficult conversations.
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Lifting the Lid aims to create a safe environment to delve into important topics, while letting our community of people living life alongside cancer know that there are experts on hand who understand their experiences. Check out the full library
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If you’re the parent of someone in our community with cancer, we know there’s not a lot of information out there to support you. We explore how you might be feeling, how you can help and how to take care of yourself in amongst it all.
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Whether you love it or hate it, exercising beyond a cancer diagnosis can be hugely beneficial. We look at the things that might be stopping you from exercising and help unpick how to tackle them
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Navigating sex and cancer is a minefield. Whether you’re trying to do the deed after diagnosis, you’re living with cancer or you’re in the realms of that elusive new normal we hear so much about, the truth is, the whole thing can be, well...Tricky. Here's our tips on sex and cancer
Parenting is tough enough without adding cancer into the mix. While there's no single formula that can make parenting through cancer easy; there are some practical tools, strategies, resources and services that can help.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis in your 20s or 30s is hard enough. When you are from the LGBTQIA+ community there can be a number of issues you may face. One of these may be your sex life and sexual health. Stewart from LGBTQIA+ cancer support charity OUTpatients and experts share their tips and advice that can help you navigate sex after cancer.
Menopause is a common but not often discussed side effect of breast cancer treatment. Stacey didn't realise how much her menopausal symptoms were impacting her until she joined Trekstock's menopause programme.
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Lydia's cancer diagnosis when she was. Her diagnosis meant she had to undergo a complete hysterectomy – having her uterus and cervix removed. As a result, she found herself facing the menopause. Here’s her story on how she’s reached an understanding with her symptoms.
Early menopause is a side effect of cancer treatment a lot of people aren't prepared for. There are ways to cope and to manage those side effects. However early menopause is impacting you, Dr Lousie Newson, GP and menopause specialist, has some tips.
Exercise and cancer don't seem like ideal partners. But the truth is they go together exceptionally well. Exercise has tonnes of benefits for those going through cancer treatment and living with any long term impacts. Exercise physiologist Tom Cowan explains the benefits of exercising with cancer and shares the best ways to make it work for you.
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Living life alongside cancer when you’re in your 20s or 30s brings its own unique set of challenges. But we exist to help you make the most of the parallel lives you’re living as both patient and person. Here’s a rundown of everything we offer.
We're able to consume more content and information than ever before. A world of news, dating apps and online shopping is always just a few seconds away. But humans have not evolved to handle this kind of consumption. We're still in the process of figuring out what exactly it does to us. This year's Men's Mental Health Week is focusing on the internet and its impact on male mental health
There are loads of ways to nurture body confidence, even with cancer in the mix. We're here to support you every step of the way, providing resources to enhance both your physical and mental well-being. Together, we can help you embrace self-love and find a sense of comfort in your own skin, even in the face of cancer.
So you’ve just been told you’ve got cancer. And then you’re told your ability to have kids in the future might be impacted too. Because cancer’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Finding out you might be infertile because of your cancer treatment can have a huge emotional impact. Even if kids are the last thing on your mind, making sense of having this decision taken away from you is important. If you’re experiencing fertility issues and it’s impacting your mental health, it’s OK. There are people and organisations out there designed to help.
Just because you've been diagnosed with cancer during your education doesn't mean you should be held back. Here's everything you need to know about living life alongside cancer and education
Tips for opening up about your health at work - from what your rights are to how to talk to your employer and what to do if you decide to stop working.
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Ambassador Carolina shares what the Trekstock community means to her and how she found support from people who'd been through cancer treatment at a young age.
Because navigating friendships in your 20s or 30s is hard enough without cancer.
No matter who you are, the physical changes that might occur because of cancer or its treatments can be really difficult. Whether you're dealing with nausea, hair loss, early menopause or anything else, learning how to manage these impacts is key to a better quality of life.
Cancer’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s OK to find it tough to cope.