Nutrition and Physical Activity

Healthy eating and proper nutrition can play an important role in developing a lifelong melanoma survivorship plan. It is important to eat a variety of foods every day. Be aware of portion sizes and understand the amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats your body needs.

Some melanoma patients experience decreased appetite, nausea, pain, discomfort or changes in taste. Eating small meals or snacks throughout the day, varying your diet, and making meals into social events may help improve your appetite and make eating more enjoyable. 

Regardless of how fit you were before your melanoma diagnosis, your physical conditioning may decrease as a result of your treatment. Improving your physical fitness after treatments can provide many benefits to your overall health and well-being. 

Exercise can improve your health in the following ways:

• Increased energy
• Reduced fatigue
• Improved sleep
• Increased self-esteem
• Improved sexual functioning
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Improved blood flow
• Reduced risk of blood clots and heart disease

You don’t need to overdo it. The overall goal is to simply try your best to maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise. Participation in low-impact activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, and walking can help. Exercising for 3-4 days a week for 20-30 minutes is enough to notice cardiovascular and muscular strength improvements. Consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.