Nutrition Resources

Side effects from cancer and its treatment can affect how you eat. Decreased food intake can be serious. It can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, loss of muscle strength and increase risk of infection. Weight loss can also interfere with your treatments. After treatment is completed, you may be interested in learning how to improve eating habits to achieve your best possible health.
 
Ask your physician or nurse to schedule you to meet with a Registered Dietitian at Smilow Cancer Hospital to learn how to manage these issues. If you are receiving care at any Smilow location, you can also request a complimentary nutrition consultation by contacting smilownutrition@ynhh.org or 203-688-0705. If you do not receive care at a Smilow location, you can request a nutrition consultation at Yale New Haven Hospital’s Center for Nutrition and Wellness at 203-688-2422. We will assist you in obtaining a physician referral. Your insurance may cover the cost of this visit and we will provide you with information to determine coverage. 

A Registered Dietitian can help by:

• Recommending nutrition approaches to help decrease side effects.
• Help you stay at a healthy body weight by calculating your energy and protein needs.
• Provide samples and suggestions for nutritional products.
• Provide fact-based information regarding dietary supplements.
• Provide reliable answers for any nutrition questions.

Some suggested recipes to help you navigate a cancer diagnosis and side effects: