SUPPORTING MUSCLE MASS FROM DIAGNOSIS TO RECOVERY
Cancer brings change. Every day tasks can become harder but supporting your body by maintaining muscle mass with the right nutrition and exercise could give you the strength you never knew you needed. If you are looking for support on how to help yourself or someone living with cancer stay strong, these videos might help.
Changes to your body during cancer can negatively impact your health and quality of life. Maintaining muscle mass could be one way of improving outcomes. Skeletal muscle makes up 40% of your body and is important for movement, balance, immune support and wound healing. It can also support you to better tolerate cancer treatment. The right nutrition and exercise can help you maintain muscle mass.
Proteins are the building blocks of muscle so eating enough is essential to keeping yourself strong. Because of the way cancer can affect your body, you may need up to double the amount of protein compared to usual. For more information and resources on following a high-protein diet CLICK HERE.
If you lose your appetite, it may be harder to get enough protein from food alone. Your healthcare professional might recommend oral nutritional supplements (ONS), which can help you meet your daily protein requirements. Paired with regular exercise, you can slowly rebuild your muscle mass and strength.