A healthy diet and plenty of exercise play a crucial role in fighting off things like a common cold but they can also do a lot to treat and beat cancer.  Not to mention possibly help prevent it from returning.

Wally Bucher has battled Hodgkins Lymphoma for 10 years and over that time, his diet has made a significant turn around.

“The fruit cup and bananas, grapes.  They offer it all here,” Bucher said.

He's been in and out of the hospital for several months.  Sanford registered dietitian Mary Bills is making sure he and other patients fighting cancer are getting the proper nutrition.

“I know that if people can maintain good nutrition throughout their treatment, they're able to tolerate more treatment.  They're going to feel better throughout their treatment.  Their immune system is going to function better so they're maybe going to avoid getting sick during their treatment,” said Bills.

Since cancer treatment can be hard on a person's body, Bills meets with patients to answer any of their questions.

“Sometimes they're just having trouble maintaining their weight.  Maybe having some problems with their appetite, they may be having some side effects from their treatment like nausea or sore mouth or something along those lines,” Bills said.

So when it comes to treating patients with a good dose of nutrition she likes to focus on fruits and vegetables and ways for them to get enough protein.

“A significant number of cancers probably have at least, part of it is related to nutrition in some way,” said Bills.

But treating and beating the disease isn't solely based on medicine and a good meal. Patients also need to keep moving if they can.

“You gotta get out, you gotta exercise your body. Otherwise, some things are not gonna work right after while,” said Bucher.

“Anything they can still do will still be worthwhile. But they maybe have to downsize their goals a little bit,” Bills said.