Eating with Cancer

A cheerful place to eat helped           

 

These suggestions come from reference material I found online, things given to me by the nurse practitioner, and from my own experience. I wrote this for a friend's sister and thought I might need it and others might find it helpful, so here it is. 

1. Nausea Meds -Get prescription medication from her doctor to help with nausea. It can really help. Take your anti-nausea medication as prescribed. Medications work differently so you may need several medications to find a solution. I took -

• Ondansetron (also gave during surgery to keep me from getting sick)

• Prochlorperazine (Compazine)

2. Don't smell the food any longer than it takes to eat it - It helped me (and still does) not to smell the food. I ate outside when I could. Garrett cooked while I stayed in another room. Eating in a room near a window helped instead of the smell remaining in the room where I spent most of my time in. Garrett opened windows so the smell of the food would go away quickly. If any smell makes you sick then try cool foods.

3. Eat small amounts Slowly - Eat snacks instead of meals. Quit when nauseousness increases. Pushing the person to eat more just makes them throw up the food. Nibbling all day works. It helped to never go more than three hours without eating something.

4. Eat a small snack before bed - Going to bed on an empty stomach make cause you to be ill during the night. Eat a small snack such as toast or crackers, before bed. 

5. Eat most of your food when you feel the best - I eat most in the middle of the day and light in the morning and evening. I snack mid morning and mid afternoon. I had a snack in the evening. If I went too long without eating, I became more nauseous.

6. Start with Liquid Foods - Sip slowly. I could usually get down ginger and ginger ale (real from the Health food store). Try clear liquids like ginger ale, apple juice, broth, water, or Pedialyte. 

7. Eat food that appeals to you - Some foods can sound a little good. Eat a little of these. If even the thought of a food makes you feel more ill, don't even try it. 

8. Don't drink while eating - Drinking and eating together can make you throw up. Drink between food snacks.

9. Eat and Drink foods at room temperature - Too hot or cold foods can make you throw up. Warm or cool your foods and drinks.

10. Keep well hydrated - This will help to feel less nauseous and feel better in general. Keep water or juice always with you and sip all day.

11. Avoid strong food smells - Onions, spices, garlic, fish, broccoli, and other strong smelling foods may make you feel more nauseous. 

12. Sit up for at least an hour after eating - It will help to keep the food down. Two hours worked better for me and sleeping with my head up on high pillows also helped with the nauseousness. 

13. Rest during and after meals - I watch TV, listen to inspiring talks and videos (Conference Talks, Church videos), listen to relaxing music, read a fun story or have someone read to me, and having relaxed company while eating really helped. Keeping my mind diverted from food helped me get it down and for it to stay there. Getting anxious or worrying about eating made the nauseousness worse. 

distract yourself with music, TV, or friends

14. Relax - Practice relaxation, meditation, or guided imagery. Prayer, reading scriptures, and being in nature all helped me feel calmer and less nauseous.

15. Wearing loose comfy clothes helps - It really does make a difference and make it easier to keep food down. 

16. Keep fresh air where you are - It helps to relieve nausea. If the room is too warm or stuffy it will increase nausea. Can use a fan to give air flow.

17. Get plenty of rest - Tiredness will increase nauseousness. Try to eat when you feel the most rested. 

18. Check out sites on line about eating with terminal cancer - This is a great booklet https://www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/eating-hints  also https://www.oncolink.org/support/hospice-and-palliative-care/food-and-nutrition-with-advanced-cancer

19. Eat bland, soft foods - eggs, puddings, toast, noodles, crackers, gelatin, applesauce, broth, bouillon, soups, cottage cheese, milk, juices, potatoes, cream of wheat, chicken, cheese, tortillas, squash, sweet potato, white rice, custard, fruit, sherbet, ice cream (no chunks), yogurt, avocado, carrots, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, cream of rice, baby food, bananas, hummus, yams

20. These foods are often well tolerated - Popsicles, Jello, or sherbet;  gelatin

hard candies with pleasing smells, dry toast, crackers, or pretzels

Cream of Wheat or rice cereal or oatmeal

Noodles, potatoes, rice, ; sweet potatoes

Bananas, applesauce, or canned fruit

21. Eat high calorie foods - If you can get much down, make every bit count. Use nut butters (add to food), milk shakes, cheeses, ice cream, honey, jelly, gravy, syrup, avocado, sour cream or bean dips. Add more eggs, cheese, milk (can use powdered so not too runny), use whole milk, dairy, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, wheat germ to foods.  

22. Eat enough to keep up your weight - Use high calorie foods, or eat your favorite foods, but don't let your weight go down.

23. Use Food Supplements - Carnation Instant Breakfast, Ensure and Boost, Resource, Breeze, Ensure Clear

24. Avoid Throat Irritation - I had trouble with things such as coconut, peal on fruit and veggies, granola, dry crackers, spaghetti squash (too long), some nuts (try a nut butter). I would gag, or cough, or feel nauseous. It could even trigger vomiting. 

25. Avoid Foods which are acidic or cause gas - Orange juice, beans, or acid foods such as some salad dressings and pickles can make a throat that is sore from vomiting hurt a lot. Foods such as broccoli and cabbage may not be appealing or tolerated. I couldn't eat them at all for a long while. 

26. Avoid Foods that are high in fat - If they make you nauseous. I could eat some nuts or cheese, but fried foods made me feel ill. I did best with cold pressed oils. Hydrogenated oils made me feel sick. Health food stores have many good oils. 

27. Avoid Foods that are very sweet - Very sweet things can make you more nauseous.

28. Avoid Dairy - If you are nauseous, have diarrhea or cramping, try leaving dairy products out of your diet and see if you feel better. 

29. Take Probiotics - They may help you feel better and eat better if they are taken regularly. 

30. Blend Foods - Use a blender to make fruit, vegetables, meats easier to get down. You can also use stained baby food, but I thought the meats are pretty gaggy, so mix them. Eat Fruit purees, smoothies, blended soups, 

31. Exercise all You Can - Even if it is just to walk across the room, it helps. I felt far less nauseous when I walked some.

32. Take Ginger Before Chemo - taking ginger pills 3 or 4 hours before chemo helped me to not be as nauseous. (I got them at a health good store, but many pharmacies have them)

33. Manage constipation - use a stool softener or a mild laxative. It will help you feel better and therefore eat better.

34. Keep a food journal - Write down what, amount, when the person ate. Use this information to supply foods the person can keep down. Remember that a person with terminal cancer has a body which is changing and will become less able to digest and keep food down. 

35. Remember the person is the final authority - Don't push them to eat. They will eat what they can when they can. Just offer foods they might like and accept their limits. What I could eat changed over my cancer treatments and changes from day to day and even during the same day.