LIVING WITH cancer
Advice for eating when you don’t feel hungry
Nutrition is an important part of staying healthy, especially during cancer treatment. But eating when you have no appetite or feel full all the time can present a challenge. Eight tricks to try, from Upstate Cancer Center registered dietitian nutritionist Maria Erdman:
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Small, frequent meals may be easier to stomach than three full sit-down meals.
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Choose foods high in calories and protein. (See list.)
What sounds good?
Plan to eat on a schedule, rather than just when you feel hungry. Set an alarm to go off every couple of hours and have a few bites of something.
Drink liquids 30 minutes before or aer meals, and limit yourself to sips as needed while you are eating.
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Here are Erdman’s high protein/high calorie suggestions: Eggs
Yogurt (Greek has more protein; plain with fresh fruit has less sugar; add granola or muesli with nuts if tolerated.) Milkshakes (made with Ensure or Carnation Instant Breakfast, with or without creamy peanut butter cocoa powder and banana – use frozen chunks for thicker texture.)
Milk or chocolate milk (add 2 tablespoons powdered milk to 1 cup milk to make it “fortified.”)
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Cottage cheese with fruit and/or seeds (chia, ground flax, sunflower), if tolerated
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or peanut butter on crackers, or spread on toast with fruit
Macaroni and cheese cooked with fortified milk (stir in so-cooked vegetables for nutrition boost.)
Cheese with crackers, melted on veggies or grilled in a sandwich
Baked turkey, chicken or fish
Hummus with vegetables to dip (stir in olive oil for added calories.)
Hot cereal cooked in fortified milk
Cheese or vegetable pizza Mashed potatoes with fortified milk
Tuna/chicken/egg salad sandwich
Beans and lentils (dry or from can, rinsed to remove excess sodium.)
Baked beans, refried beans, multi-bean salad with olive-oil based dressing
Prevent becoming full too quickly by chewing slowly and thoroughly. Focus on foods that have enticing smells and look good. If certain food smells turn you off, try eating the food cold or at room temperature. Avoid foods that make you gassy or bloated; they can leave you feeling full. Exercise to help stimulate your appetite. ●
Nuts – almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts or pecans Guacamole (avocado mashed with salsa, lime juice, plain Greek yogurt, as a dip or on top of scrambled eggs or beans.) Coconut milk (from a can, add 1 to 2 tablespoons to smoothies and cereals for added nondairy calories.) Tofu (add to smoothies, cook into stir-fry, or use to make chocolate pudding.)
CANCER CARE
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