Managing Side Effects with Food

Preventing weight loss

What to eat or do:
1. Eat several small meals throughout the day, rather than fewer large meals
2. Eat healthy protein first, before anything else. Healthy proteins are beans, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu, and lean meats
3. If you can, take a walk before eating, this will help increase your appetite
4. Drink beverages between meals, rather than with meals, as they tend to fill your stomach
5. Consume liquid meals, like soups. They may be more appealing than solid meals

Diarrhea

What to eat:
1. Drink brown rice water (NOTE: Boil a handful of brown rice with a cinnamon stick in a gallon of water until rice is mushy, about 1 ½ hours)
2. Drink barley tea (make the same as rice water)
3. Drink liquids at room temperature – they are easier on the stomach than cold or hot liquids
4. Eat steamed white rice or apple sauce
5. Eat yogurt or kefir to replenish friendly bacteria in the stomach
6. Eat bananas and potatoes (like potato soup) to replenish lost potassium
7. Add a piece of kombu/kelp to soups to replenish minerals

What to avoid:
1. Carbonated drinks
2. High fiber foods, like broccoli, corn, beans
3. Dairy products, except yogurt or kefir
4. Raw vegetables or fruits
5. Fried or spicy food
6. Sugar or sugar-free products
7. Prune juice, apple juice and pear juice

Constipation

What to eat or do:
1. Hydrate as much as possible with water, soups and teas
2. Drink prune juice, apple juice, unsweetened cranberry juice (NOTE: mix cranberry juice with equal parts water)
3. Fiber-rich food, like beans, lentils, peas
4. Eat whole grains like brown rice and quinoa
5. Consume vegetables at every meal (sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and carrots)
6. Increase fruit intake (papaya, apples, berries)
7. Chew your food well and eat slowly
8. If severe, increase fiber intake by adding a fiber supplement, like rice bran, wheat bran, ground flax seed or psyllium seeds. You can add it to soups, smoothies or yogurt.
9. Include naturally fermented sauerkraut or pickled vegetables in at least one meal per day.

What to avoid:
1. Dairy, including milk, cheese and eggs
2. All fried foods
3. Any white flour or refined grain

Nausea and Vomiting

What to eat or do:
1. Drink small amount of liquids; try herbal teas (ginger, chamomile, cinnamon) at room temperature
2. Eat plain boiled rice without salt or fat
3. Eat crystallized ginger or candied/dried ginger
4. Drink clear and salty liquid, like a clear broth
5. Eat in a calm and relaxed atmosphere, without stressful, heavy conversation or discussion
6. Eat small amounts of food, often and slowly
7. Do not eat foods with strong odor (onions, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, hot peppers)

What to avoid:
1. Fried, greasy food
2. Spicy food
3. Candy, pastries, or other rich desserts

Dry mouth

What to eat or do:
1. Drink a glass of water with a few drops of lemon juice (NOTE: tart stimulates saliva)
2. Eat smaller, more frequent meals
3. Eat moist food, like soups and porridges
4. Eat pickled vegetables
5. Sip water frequently
6. Suck on ice chips

Taste changes

What to eat or do:
1. Snack on crackers or unsalted pretzels
2. Drink peppermint or lemon tea
3. If you have a bitter taste in your mouth, avoid beef
4. Try adding or decreasing salt intake – one or the other might help
5. Use herbs and spices to increase flavor, but avoid hot spices, hot peppers, and cumin
6. Try eating food at cold or room temperature

Difficulty swallowing

What to eat or do:
1. Eat soft, non irritating foods, such as porridges, well cooked whole grains (quinoa, brown rice) puree vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes, potatoes
2. Eat food at room temperature
3. Drink vegetable soups
4. Eat apple-kuzu pudding (see recipe section)
5. Drink raw juiced vegetables using only acid vegetables
6. Try to follow a liquid diet to help you with your inflammation
7. Avoid dried, rough foods

Electrolyte imbalances

What to eat or do:
1. Add sea vegetables kombu/kelp to soups and beans
2. Eat miso soup
3. Use gomasio as a condiment, sprinkled in your food
4. Drink high mineral broths (see recipe section)

Fatigue

What to eat:
1. Protein, both plant-based and animal-based, such as:
a) Fish and poultry
b) Lean meat
c) Chicken breast
d) Whole wheat bread
e) Beans
f) Asparagus

Sources

What to Eat if You Have Cancer by Maureen Keane and Daniella Chace.
(Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1996.)
Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Health, Food Therapy Course