ICMR has published 17 dietary guidelines for Indians with an aim to help make informed choices to maintain good health and avoid malnutrition in any form. These guidelines also prevent chronic lifestyle disorders like diabetes, hypertension, IBS etc. From 17 ICMR guidelines, cancer preventive guidelines are as mentioned below.

Guideline 1: Eat a variety of foods to maintain a balanced diet. Plan your meals to include all food groups to make sure you get all essential nutrients in the right proportions.

Guideline 3: Ensure exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months and continue breast feeding for 2 years and beyond. Breast feeding not only ensures the baby's health but also reduces mothers risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer.

Guideline 6: Eat plenty of vegetables and legumes: Vegetables and legumes are packed with fibre which have cancer preventive effect. Moreover, polyphenols in vegetables boost our immunity thus preventing cancer.

Guideline 7: Use oil/fats in moderation; chose a variety of oilseeds, nuts, nutricerals and legumes to meet daily need of fats and essential fatty acids (EFAs): Fats are essential for overall good health, but in taken in excess quantities has harmful effects. Good quality fats like walnuts and flaxseeds, which are rich in omega 3 fatty acids,  when taken in moderation have been proven to have cancer preventive effect.

Guideline 8: Obtain good quality protein and essential amino acids through appropriate food combinations and avoid protein supplements for body building. Natural proteins with high biological value like eggs, milk, and curd are best as they are readily absorbed in our body as compared to synthetic protein powders.

Guideline 9: Adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent abdominal obesity, overweight and overall obesity. Excess body weight or body fat invites a lot of metabolic disorders which if not corrected can lead to cancer.

Guideline 10: Be physically active and exercise regularly to maintain good health. Regular physical activity makes sure our body is functioning in the best possible way. Lack of exercise makes one vulnerable to various metabolic diseases.

Guideline 15: Minimize consumption of high fat, and ultraprocessed foods (UPFs): UPFs are carcinogenic and induce cancer.

Guideline 17: Read information on food labels to make informed and healthy food choices. Reading labels to make sure we are avoiding UPFs and other carcinogenic ingredients is best practice to prevent cancer. 

Purva Sharma

Onco-dietitian

Consultant at Renatus Cancer Centre

When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, the immediate focus naturally shifts to scans, oncologists, chemotherapy schedules, and radiation slots. The medical roadmap takes center stage.

But there is an unsung hero working quietly in the background of active recovery—one that you have complete control over every single day right in your kitchen. That hero is nutrition.

As a cancer dietitian, the most common phrase I hear from families is: "We will look into a strict diet once the treatments are over."

But waiting is a mistake. Nutritional care isn't a post-recovery luxury; it is an active, vital part of your cancer treatment. Here is why what you put on your plate during chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation can completely change your healing journey.

1. It Keeps Your Body Strong Enough for Treatment

Cancer treatments are incredibly powerful. They are designed to target rapidly multiplying cancer cells, but in the process, they also take a heavy toll on your healthy cells.

To withstand back-to-back cycles of chemotherapy or weeks of daily radiation, your body requires an immense amount of energy and building blocks (proteins). Proper nutrition acts like fuel for a car on a long, grueling journey. If the fuel tank is empty, the car stalls. This frequently forces oncologists to delay treatment cycles—something every patient wants to avoid.

2. It Preserves Muscle Mass (Fighting Cachexia)

Many people believe that losing weight during cancer is inevitable. However, rapid weight loss during treatment usually means the body is burning its own muscle tissue for energy. This condition is known as cancer cachexia. Losing muscle reduces physical strength, affects mobility, and can even lower immunity. Good nutrition will ensure your muscle mass is intact and thus help in your treatment.

3. It Helps Manage Severe Side Effects

Nausea, mouth ulcers, metallic taste, diarrhea, and constipation are common side effects of cancer therapies. Often, patients stop eating simply because the act of eating becomes painful or unappealing.

Nutrition therapy isn't just about telling you what is healthy; it’s about adapting food to your side effects. Right guidance from an Onco-dietitian will help to increase appetite and reduce the effect of side effects on your diet.

4. It Powers Up Your Immune System

Treatments like chemotherapy temporarily lower your white blood cell count, making your body highly vulnerable to infections. A well-nourished body has a much better defensive shield. Furthermore, during active treatment, food safety becomes just as important as food nutrients.

 Nutrition is not a secondary thought. It is the very foundation that allows your medical treatments to do their job effectively. Every small bite of wholesome, well-tolerated, home-cooked food is a step toward rebuilding a healthy cell, healing a tissue, and giving your body the strength to fight back.

If you or a loved one are navigating cancer treatment, don't guess your way through nutrition or follow restrictive internet trends. Reach out to a qualified oncology dietitian who can map out a personalized, culturally familiar, and side-effect-friendly plate designed specifically for your recovery.

Purva Sharma

Onco-dietitian

Consultant at Renatus Cancer Centre