Nutrition resources at Roswell Park

March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme encourages us to Celebrate a World of Flavors! We all have different bodies, goals, backgrounds and tastes. When it comes to nutrition and health, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. That’s especially true for cancer patients, whose nutritional needs and challenges can be very different. As we get ready to celebrate National Nutrition Month and National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) Day on March 9, let’s talk about some nutrition resources available to you and how meeting with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center's Clinical Dietitians can benefit you.

Look for our upcoming nutrition video series

Throughout the month of March, we will release a series of four nutrition and cooking videos sponsored by General Mills. Join our Clinical Dietitian — Sara Jank, MS, RDN, CDN — to learn about key nutrition recommendations, tips and demonstrations of quick, easy, affordable and delicious meal and snack recipes! Keep an eye on our social media for the weekly release of these videos, and when you are done watching, be sure to fill out the survey that will follow for the chance to receive a Tops gift card to help kickstart your grocery shopping to try out these recipes. Watch the first video below.

Check out our online nutrition resources

Our nutrition team can play a large role in your care. Learn more about all the services we offer on the Nutrition and Food Services page on our website. From this page, you can also navigate to information on topics such as Nutrition and Cancer Prevention, Nutrition at Diagnosis and During Treatment, Nutrition and Survivorship, Frequently Asked Questions, Nutrition Resources and additional nutrition education videos.

Read our Cancer Talk blog

Each month we add a new nutrition article to our Cancer Talk blog. If you haven’t already read our past articles, here are some great reads to check out during National Nutrition Month:

• For Healthier Cooking, Explore a Whole New World of Flavors
• Diet Makes a Difference: Try These Healthy Cooking Methods — and Recipes!
• Mindful Eating Promotes a Healthy Relationship with Food
• Saving time in the kitchen
• Healthy eating on a budget

Watch our Survivorship Healthy Lifestyle series

On our YouTube page, you can find a series of short (1-5 minute) videos on a variety of nutrition and physical activity topics. Some of the topics include goal setting, label reading, spotting fad diets, and exercises you can do at home. Check out the full playlist here: Survivorship Healthy Lifestyle Series - YouTube

Meet 1-on-1 with a registered Dietitian

All dietitians at Roswell Park are registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), and they’re an important part of your healthcare team. Our dietitians specialize in working with cancer patients to improve their nutrition before, during and after cancer treatment. Our RDNs can use their nutrition expertise to make personalized recommendations and provide:

• Assessment of your personal nutrient needs throughout your cancer care and tips to meet your vital nutrient needs, especially calories and protein to keep up your strength and energy and prevent loss of muscle mass.
• Strategies to improve your tolerance to treatment to avoid gaps in your plan of care.
• Approaches to minimize symptoms of nausea, constipation, taste changes and difficulty with chewing or swallowing.
• Guidance to promote healing after treatment to assist your recovery and reduce your risk of infection. 
• A path forward with customized food choices to help you meet your individual nutrition needs and goals and promote a healthy eating lifestyle during and after your cancer treatment.

If you’d like to meet with an RDN, ask your Roswell Park medical team to order a nutrition consultation.