A small but critical part of your digestive system is the colon. Its primary job is to process and pump nutrients to your whole body and keep it hale and hearty. Ensuring a balanced diet keeps the colon healthy and your body strong. If diagnosed with colon cancer, maintaining a nutritious diet should help significantly in recovery. Take a look at a suggested food regime for before and after colon cancer treatment.

1. Electrolytes
Among the minerals that are essential to maintain a balance of fluids during the treatment of colon cancer are potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium. You can replenish them by eating lettuce, kale, bananas, watermelons, avocados, beans, almonds, to name a few. Colon cancer treatments often interfere with electrolyte absorption. Hence one should monitor their intake, or else it could lead to an imbalance in their system, which has dire symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, or sweating.

2. Protein
Colon cancer, like any disease, is a kind of infection that the body is battling a war against. Having proteins is equivalent to reinforcing the immunity of your soldiers in that battle. It nourishes the immune system and helps faster repair after tissue damage post-surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Your consulting doctor should prescribe the exact amount, but be sure to include lean proteins and not fatty-rich foods like processed meat. Eating eggs, fish, lentils, nuts, and legumes are advised.

3. Fiber
Plant-based foods are perfect for digestion. They help food pass easily through your intestines, so try and incorporate whole-grain flour, brown rice, s eeds, and legumes like lentils and black beans  in your meals to aid digestion. But consume fibrous foods post-surgery.

4. Carbohydrates
Your body needs the energy to battle cancer, and carbs are the source of energy. They are important not just for the body but for the brain as well. Complex carbs such as beetroots and sweet potatoes are highly recommended post-treatment as they are excellent sources of antioxidants. Complex carbs help maintain your blood sugar, muscle mass and replenish fiber in the body. Stay away from simple carbs like refined sugar and syrups. They can cause adverse effects like weight gain and unstable sugar levels, strain your already weak system.

5. Healthy fat
Healthy fats are beneficial to reduce inflammation.  They help in the smooth functioning of your brain  and nervous system. Good sources for healthy fats include fish, avocados, and olive oil. Try and get 25 percent of your calories from these sources. These foods can be consumed. Don’t eat a lot of cheese, processed meat, dairy, and butter which could be heavy for your stomach to digest. Make sure you speak to an expert for a proper guided plan on foods that could help your body maintain its health and stability during your treatment.