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                                                 Cancer related lymphoedema and diet 
                 
                What is lymphoedema?                                                      If you are currently receiving cancer 
                Lymphoedema is the build-up  of fluid                                     treatment, check with your doctor before 
                resulting in swelling in one or more                                      commencing a weight loss program as 
                regions of the body.  For people with                                     weight loss can impact your treatment. 
                cancer, this may occur following surgery                                  The following website  provides  some 
                to remove the lymph nodes;  or                                            resources to help you get started if you 
                radiotherapy which can cause damage to                                    decide to lose weight:  
                the lymphatic system.                                                     www.healthyweight.health.gov.au 
                                                                                          Remember that weight loss is best 
                Healthy body weight                                                       achieved by consistently  following a 
                Weight loss has been shown to be                                          healthy eating plan.  Overly restrictive or 
                effective at  reducing lymphoedema  in                                    ‘fad’ diets that eliminate food groups can 
                women with breast cancer.  Extra body                                     result in poor eating habits, missing out 
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                weight places greater strain on the                                       on important nutrients and unsustainable 
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                lymphatic system’s ability to move fluid                                  results. Speak to your doctor or dietitian if 
                around the body.                                                          you require further advice.  
                                                                                           
                For men and women aged 18-64 years,                                       Is there a special diet for people with 
                your  waist circumference measure and                                     lymphoedema?  
                body mass index (BMI) are a good guide                                    There is no special diet or foods that will 
                as to whether you are a healthy weight.                                   reduce or cure lymphoedema. People 
                Men should aim for a waist circumference                                  with lymphoedema should drink at least 2 
                measure under 94cm and women under                                        litres of water (or non-caffeinated fluids) 
                80cm. You can measure your BMI on the                                     each day, as dehydration may increase 
                chart  (over  page).  For those aged 65                                   swelling.        People with lymphoedema 
                years and over, speak to your doctor or                                   should eat a healthy balanced diet that 
                dietitian as a higher body weight may be                                  includes foods from the five core food 
                healthier at this stage of life.                                          groups: 
                                                                                           
                This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.                                
                Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer                                         Developed: May 2019 
                Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement                                                 Due for review: May 2021 
                                                                                                                        
                 
                 
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                •     Breads and cereals (preferably                                      What about exercise? 
                      wholegrain)                                                         There is some evidence that exercise 
                •     Vegetables (fresh, frozen or tinned)                                may be  beneficial in preventing and 
                •     Fruit (fresh, frozen or tinned)                                     reducing lymphoedema                           and         its 
                •     Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts,                              symptoms. Regular exercise also assists 
                      seeds, lentils, legumes and/or tofu                                 with achieving and maintaining a healthy 
                •     Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or dairy                                  body weight and positively impacts other 
                      alternatives (such as fortified soy                                 health measures.  Speak to your doctor, 
                      products), mostly reduced fat                                       physiotherapist or exercise physiologist 
                                                                                          about what is appropriate for you before 
                Should I avoid any foods?                                                 commencing a new exercise program. 
                There is no evidence that a low salt diet                                  
                reduces lymphoedema, however there                                        Myth busting 
                are other health benefits associated with My  There are many myths about healthy 
                                                                                          eating and lymphoedema and sometimes 
                a low salt diet.  Avoiding high salt foods                           My 
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                                                                                          it’s hard to know what to believe.  The 
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                and  added salt is advisable for general 
                health.  Limiting processed foods is                                      following may help with deciding which 
                important for achieving and maintaining a                                 advice to follow and which to ignore.  If 
                healthy weight.                                                           you are still unsure, talk to your doctor or 
                                                                                          dietitian about what’s right for you. 
                Medium and long chain triglycerides                                        
                A small number of studies have shown                                      Low carbohydrate diet  
                that altering the fat content of the diet                                 This is sometimes promoted to achieve 
                may reduce lymphoedema swelling.                                          rapid weight loss.  Exclusion of 
                Currently there is not enough evidence to                                 carbohydrates results in reduced intake of 
                recommend this as an effective treatment                                  certain  nutrients  and  may lead to 
                for lymphoedema as more research is                                       deficiencies and protein breakdown in the 
                needed.  For more information speak with                                  body. The high fat content of this diet may 
                an accredited practising dietitian.                                       increase the workload of the lymphatic 
                                                                                          system and contribute to poorer 
                                                                                          cardiovascular health. 
                This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.                                
                Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer                                         Developed: May 2019 
                Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement                                                 Due for review: May 2021 
                                                                                                                        
                 
                 
                                                                                           
                                                                                           
                There is no evidence that this diet will                                  Alkaline diet 
                improve lymphoedema and it may even                                       Some websites promote this diet as a 
                make it worse.                                                            cure for lymphoedema however there is 
                                                                                          no scientific evidence to support the 
                Low protein diet                                                          alkaline diet as a treatment for 
                This is sometimes promoted to reduce                                      lymphoedema.  The pH of the body is 
                lymph fluid as lymph fluid is high in                                     strictly maintained between 7.3-7.4 and 
                protein. However, changes in dietary                                      altering your diet will not affect this.  
                protein intake have not been shown to                                      
                have any effect on lymphoedema. A diet                                    Further information 
                low in protein can result in the body                                     Healthy Eating and Breast Cancer  
                breaking down its protein stores resulting                                https://www.bcna.org.au/media/2132/bcna-
                in muscle wastage and malnutrition.                                       healthy-eating-booklet.pdf 
                                                                                          Australasian Lymphology Association 
                                                                                          https://www.lymphoedema.org.au/
                                                                                                                                          
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                This is a consensus document from Dietitian/ Nutritionists from the Nutrition Education Materials Online, "NEMO", team.                                
                Disclaimer: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/disclaimer                                         Developed: May 2019 
                Copyright: www.health.qld.gov.au/global/copyright-statement                                                 Due for review: May 2021