Losing your
appetite or desire to eat is a common side effect of cancer and its treatment.
Not eating can
lead to weight loss, weakness and fatigue. Eating can help you feel
better, maintain your strength, keep your weight up and recover from treatment
quicker.
Try the
following tips if you have a poor appetite:
If you are having symptoms that affect your appetite
like nausea or constipation, talk to your doctor or nurse and dietitian.
There may be medicines you can take to help the problem and/or foods you
can eat that will help, too.
- Eat small meals, often. Eat every 2 or 3 hours, even if
you are not hungry.
Don't wait to get hungry. Eat even if you are not
hungry - again, every 2 - 3 hours.
- Don't skip meals.
Keep easy to prepare foods on hand for when you are too
tired to cook.
- Have high-calorie, high protein foods as snacks and
mini-meals: 1/2 sandwiches, hearty soups, peanut butter and crackers,
granola, milk and cookies, etc.
- Drink fluids after meals so you don't fill up on them.
- Drink 1/2 a can of a nutrition supplement after
meals/snacks or with meals/snacks.
Talk to your doctor about medicines
you can take to boost your appetite. If you take one of these, use the
ideas listed above to increase your food intake.