To anyone who knows about a diet on throat radiation treatment

the doctor told my son zinc would give him back his taste

If someone is zinc deficient, it can cause loss of appetite.  But if someone's levels are already normal, I don't know if taking extra would increase appetite.

I found healing cancer-fighting recipies that can soothe the throat and help with other conditions at a site that shows how to make the recipes on videos. There are a lot of testimonials also from their forum members about how this plan helped them. The recipes helped me too and my sister.  The site is http://www.budwig-videos.com

Sara

On Apr 24, 2007 12:00 AM Stephaniewhite wrote:

My dad is the most important person in the world to me other than my fiancee'. He just finished his radiation treatment on his neck. His throat is the worst it has been so far. Sometimes he has trouble even drinking water because the inside of his throat is so raw, and there is so much phlim built up. He has been able to only get down water, Boost, Ensure, and asparagus and some creamy soups. He  has lost so much weight I am really concerned about his nutrition. I have tried to think of anything I can, any way that I can go buy and prepare something healthy that he can get down. Tonight I am going to go buy turnip greens or collard greens and cook them till they're real soft with a smoked turkey leg or something. I figured if he is unable to eat the greens he could drink the "pot liquor" and get nutrients from that at least. I've been trying to think of stuff that would taste good that maybe I could buy and cook and then blend. I have to be careful though because even green tea at room temp. he said feels like fire in his throat. I've got to think of stuff that is creamy and base-rich that will go down in a soothing fashion that can be served neither hot nor cold. Anything cold burns. Any creative ideas from anyone who has had experience with this with maybe a little more culinary experience than I have would be greatly appreciated. By the way his taste buds are almost gone. They are supposed to come back. But I was thinking of blending canned beets and trying to think of some way to blend cooked liver. The combination of the two has successfully raised his red blood cell count from 6 all the way back up to normal in the past. But because of his throat he hasn't been able to eat them and I'm real concerned about is red blood cell count since he;\'s had problems with it getting low before. Please help. We really need support. Thank you.

Hi, my mom had throat cancer (and lung) and it's always a challenge for her to eat. Except she can not have liquids, they must be nectar thick.

I found in the hospital w/my mom some food that actually tasted good and I like it myself (I taste everything I give my mom) They are made by the company Sysco, but the hospital then prepares it and packages it. I can give you the name of the hospital and contact person if you need to try to get further information.

WCA Hospital, Jamestown NY 716-664-8245 ask for Kim. Tell her Ivonne from New York City suggested you call. See where you can get etc.

*Food: Thick & Easy (pureed foods) Best is corn & carrots. Heat in microwave can add a little milk, butter to make tastier and smoother. they have beef/fish/Roast pork/turkey/chicken. We only liked the corn/carrots personally. WCA prepares it in the hospital cafeteria.

We also give her a pudding you can get in the supermarket in the Spanish section called "Flan" the eggs added help w/protien. Delicious easy creamy pudding. Goya is the best brand, can order on line too. I box can mk 5 servings (8oz) each cup.

As I see the date by now hopefully yr dad can eat a bit more types of food.

We now give her boxed mashed potatoes, creamy Betty Crocker (Traditional) best, to give added taste Heinz Gravy in jars. They come in all flavors as beef/pork/turkey.

Poached eggs w/Bacon Bits (fake kind) they are softer and easier to swallow then real bacon bits. I know sounds crazy, but I have spent so much time and money experimenting w/different foods.

My mom lost her teeth and can not chew w/dentures so more of a challenge. For her nothing can be thin liquid.

With time the burning will not be so intense in his throat. The taste buds are the hardest to deal with, but you need to find different sprays to help keep moist. I found "Rain" spray and it works great and I had to order through a store as they would not send directly. Contact my herbal store friend: Herb-4-U  716-484-0477 ask for the owner Faith or Jeannie. Tell them I sent you.

Have your dad also use Biotene mouthwash and gel. (Any drugstore, Walmart has best price).The gel, use about a thumb length and rub over entire tongue. Try to do this at least 45min before eating as it effects the taste.

Your doing the right thing w/making meats,veggies and pureed them, try to add things to give more taste. They won't eat if it tastes bad. I add some chicken broth and Sazon Goya seasoning. In Spanish food section in supermarket. We are spanish and my mom would not eat if it didn't have taste (not spicy just adding taste ) and I found this to be so helpful.

Your best friend will become a crock pot. You can make so much in there, cooks till soft and doesn't dry out.

Last is Carnation breakfast drink. Comes in a few flavors, we make it w/nector thick milk from Sysco. Vanilla is good and can mk in different thickness so he can enjoy as a pudding or as a drink. Experiment w/it.

I hope this was helpful and my prayers are w/you & yr dad. Pls keep me posted and if I can suggest anything else let me know. All my best.

Gosh, I know these posts are so old.. but it's unbelievable how much it has helped me.

My dad is tied w/ my husband for being my best friend in the world. He has just been diagnosed w/ cancer at the base of his tongue & one lymph node in the neck. He begins chemo & radiation in one week.

I have literally spent all morning just 'coping & pasting' all the things everyone has tried for food. I have been so worried about how to care for him. When he had the biopsy's in his throat he was absolutely miserable. His throat hurt for 3 weeks.

We have been told to expect MUCH worse. I'm so worried. Thank you, I don't feel so alone.

I know the person who suffering the esophagus cancer. He is one of my clients. He was treated by the chemotherapy and radiation. After his treatments had completed, he lost a lot of his weight and appetite. His friend recomended to take a lots of Vitamin C and some holistic herb such as mashroom and seaweed which I remembered to call fucoidan. Recently I asked him about his health condition, he told me that he gained his appetite and his weight was back to the way he was before and he has started doing the light exercise . I think sometimes the holistic herb treatment helps cancer.

On Sep 21, 2010 2:36 PM rachaelpr wrote:

Gosh, I know these posts are so old.. but it's unbelievable how much it has helped me.

My dad is tied w/ my husband for being my best friend in the world. He has just been diagnosed w/ cancer at the base of his tongue & one lymph node in the neck. He begins chemo & radiation in one week.

I have literally spent all morning just 'coping & pasting' all the things everyone has tried for food. I have been so worried about how to care for him. When he had the biopsy's in his throat he was absolutely miserable. His throat hurt for 3 weeks.

We have been told to expect MUCH worse. I'm so worried. Thank you, I don't feel so alone.

I spent nearly an entire year searching for help and basicly found nothing that did not end with spend some money and try our product. I have a permanent swallowing problem. After 3 years have come to the conclusion there is no help out there. However, If you can still swallow water you can eat everything and anything you always have! Everything will will not taste the same. It is purely trial and error to find what tastes good. Just about the time you figure that out your taste will change and you have to do it all over again.

You can mix approximately 50% solid food and milk or water and blend to a drinkable liquid.  I can put steak through a feeding syringe, no problem. You have to use a small blender like the magic bullet. (always leave an inch of air space at top)  Standard kitchen blenders will not get the job done. If you have a compatible blender you can take the blade off your blender and put it on a pint mason jar, then it will work. I have got use to it. It is no longer a viewed as a major problem. The down side to such a liquid diet is that you need a 16 ounce container at least a dozen times a day to take in a sufficient quantity food.

Have a question about this? Send me a message.

Thanks everyone for sharing. I'm about to start radiation for a node at the base of my tongue and swollen Lymph gland and want to get a head start on planning food.

need to talk to someone my husband has throat cancer i he has to take 7weeks of radiation just want to talk to someone that been there.hope you are doing great.

With two treatments to go (May 22/13) I have begun researching a diet for my soar throat/lack of taste. After reading just about all the panels of people talking about what they have found to work, it left me without the solid information I needed to find and prepare foods, meal by meal and item by item. I wanted to be told what to expect (understanding it depends on the person) and exactly what works beginning from two weeks to two years. I didn’t want to experiment for weeks to months and waste money on items that would not work. I’ve already tried this way for the past three weeks with giving my meals/food items to my friends next door (to their delight).

The below is a compulation of info from various sites. Hope it helps. Just after treatment ends as well as months to come.  Jack

For most people, dry mouth will slowly improve a few weeks to a few months after treatment. In some cases, the feeling of dryness in your mouth may never go away completely.What types of foods can I try eating when my mouth is dry?

Try adding fluids to dry foods, choosing moist foods and sipping on water or other fluids while you are eating.

Foods to try:

• Drink 8 or more cups of non-caffe inated drinks every day such as non-acidic juices (apple, peach, grape, pear), milk (flavoured, soy, rice) or water.

• Take a few sips of liquid after each mouthful of food to help wash food down.

• Use a straw when drinking thicker drinks such as supplements, smoothies or milkshakes.

• Try soft, moist foods such as:

stews

casseroles

soups

macaroni and cheese

oatmeal or cream of wheat

egg or tuna salad

scrambled or soft poached eggs

canned fruit with cottage cheese

pudding or yogurt

As the amount of swelling decreases, try more solid foods such as:

• Eggs, ground meat, fish and soft breads with spreads (cheese spread, tuna salad, egg salad).

• Different types of grains, such as:

soft breads

cold cereals

graham crackers

pancakes and waffles

pasta and rice

• Soft fruits such as canned fruits or bananas.

• Soft desserts such as pudding, ice cream or soft cookies and cakes.

• Use a blender or food processor to chop foods that are too hard to chew. Use milk, fruit or vegetable juices to make the food easier to swallow.

• To help thin out your saliva, try tart foods such as:

ice tea with lemon

pineapple

mandarin oranges

sherbert

• Try popsicles or ice chips to moisten your mouth temporarily.

• Use butter or margarine on vegetables or bread.

• Use gravy, sauces or cream soup on meat or chicken.

• Dunk dry foods in any liquid such as milk (flavoured, soy, rice), hot cocoa or even soups and sauces.

Foods to limit:

• Dry foods such as:

tough meat

raw vegetables

pretzels and chips

muffins

breads and crackers

•

Sugary and sticky foods such as:

dried fruit

candies and chocolates

honey, thick syrup

jams and jellies

gum or candies sweetened with sugar

Hot, spicy and acidic foods such as chilli, tacos or salsa.

• Food and drinks with caffeine such as coffee, teas, colas and chocolate.

• Beer, wine and alcoholic drinks.

Nutrition after chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer

Nutrition after chemotherapy and radiation for head and neck cancer

Taste changes

How long will these taste changes last?

Some people can taste foods slightly about 2 weeks after finishing treatment. The sense of taste may continue to get better very slowly. The changes in taste may last for 2 to 6 months after treatment. For some people, only part of the sense of taste comes back.

What types of food can I try eating while I have taste changes?You may have to try different types of foods in order to find flavours you enjoy. If your food tastes different such as metallic, bitter or sour:

• Try tart foods such as citrus juices, cranberry juice, pickles or relish.

• Try food at cold or at room temperature.

• Try different sources of protein rich foods such as:

milk (flavoured, soy, rice)

pea or lentil soups

baked beans

canned tuna or salmon

cheese, hummus spreads

eggs or quiche

yogurt

• Marinate meat, chicken and fish to help mask the bitter taste.

Marinades include:

orange or lemon juice

BBQ sauce

vinegar

soy sauce

sweet and sour sauce

beer

wine

Certain types of foods may irritate your throat.

Avoid foods such as:

• Tart, acid foods such as oranges, grapefruit, lemon, lime and tomatoes.

• Dry or rough foods that may scratch your mouth such as dry toast, crackers or hard rolls.

• Hard, crunchy foods such as popcorn, nuts, chips or raw vegetables.

• Irritating condiments such as pepper or pepper sauces, salsa,

pickles, horseradish and vinegar.

• Very hot, spicy foods such as tacos or chilli.

• Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and commercial mouthwashes may also irritate your mouth and throat.It ’s hard for me to swallow because of the swelling in my throat. What types of foods can I try eating?You may have to experiment with different foods until you find some that you can swallow. Try starting off with fluids and then moving to soft, moist foods (see above food lists).

Other suggestions for eating when your throat is swollen include:

•

Blenderize foods you like such as meat, poultry, fish, pasta, rice, fruit and vegetables without skins or seeds.

•

Buy pureed food, such as baby food in supermarkets.

Try eating a variety of different soft, bland food such as:

macaroni and cheese

tender chicken, beef or fish

pasta and rice

casseroles

scrambled eggs (soft cooked)

pancakes

oatmeal or other cooked cereals

soft cold cereals in milk (Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Special K) Let stand in milk for a spell

mashed potatoes (box kind)

soft or pureed fruits and vegetables

applesauce

cottage cheese

custard

gelatine

smoothies

soft cookies or baked goods dunked in milk

Moisten foods by adding broth, soup, margarine or butter, sauces or gravy.

• Finely chop, grind or blenderize meat and poultry if they are difficult to swallow.

• Try eating popsicles and freezing different fruits such as banana pieces, peach slices, mandarin orange segments or grapes. Very cold foods may feel better on your throat.

• Try applesauce, cranberry sauce, or red pepper jelly on meat or chicken.

• Eat fresh or frozen vegetables rather than canned.

• Use plastic utensils and glass or ceramic cooking vessels rather

than metal to decrease metallic taste. If you food has little or no taste:

• Try different types of spices and seasonings vegetables, meat, chicken or fish such as:

garlic

basil

oregano

thyme

rosemary

chilli powder

tarragon

•

Try strong flavoured foods such as:

pizza

spaghetti or lasagne

barbecued foods

cured meets

mild salsa

pickles or olives

chocolate

Add extra flavour to foods with condiments such as BBQ sauce, mustard, ketchup or soy sauce.(taste test first)

•

Try enhancing the taste of meals by alternating bites of different types of food.