Reducing Animal Proteins, Increasing Fiber May Benefit Patients With Cancer

In an interview with CancerNetwork® on nutrition in cancer treatment, Denise B. Reynolds, registered dietitian at Atrium Health Levine Cancer, discussed nutritional advice she gives to cancer survivors to help promote long-term health.

She began by highlighting her practice’s adherence to the American Institute for Cancer Research guideline-based diet, the New American plate, which promotes a diet richer in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, while reducing the portion sizes of animal proteins. Likening it to a “Mediterranean-style diet,” Reynolds expressed that this diet is recommended to help patients attain a healthy weight while increasing the amount of fiber they are ingesting.

Furthermore, she encourages her patients to remain physically active to help combat fatigue for survivors or those who have finished treatment, while expressing that the New American plate diet may also serve to do so. Reynolds concluded by highlighting hydration, which may also serve to help patients who may be experiencing fatigue.

Transcript:

We always follow the American Institute for Cancer Research guidelines. They have something called the New American plate, and it is similar to a Mediterranean-style diet, in that we are reducing the amount of red meat that they are eating, and then fish and chicken are in smaller portion sizes. We are trying not to overload [them] with animal proteins and bring back those fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, increasing the amount of fiber that someone is getting, trying to get someone to reach a healthy weight, whether they are underweight or overweight. [We are] trying to get their nutrition status back to where they are reaching that healthy weight again.

Not necessarily nutrition-based, but we always want to get people moving again if they can. Fatigue is a common lingering effect for cancer survivors after they have finished their treatment, but eating a good, healthy diet, rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains, and getting in some exercise can help with that fatigue. Lastly, staying hydrated, because it's easy to get dehydrated, even again, for a healthy person. Making sure that, as a survivor, you are staying hydrated can also affect fatigue.

Reference

Setting Your Table to Prevent Cancer. American Institute for Cancer Research. Accessed September 2, 2025. https://tinyurl.com/w7pfsc9d