18 • As diarrhea improves, try eating small amounts of foods that are easy to digest, such as rice, bananas, applesauce, yogurt, mashed potatoes, instant oatmeal, low-fat cottage cheese, and dry toast. • Avoid pastries, candies, rich desserts, jellies, and preserves. • Don’t drink alcohol or use tobacco. • Don’t chew sugar-free gum or eat candies and desserts made with sugar alcohol (i.e., sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol). • Ask your cancer care team or dietitian about other foods or drinks you should consume or avoid. • Call your cancer care team if diarrhea continues or increases, or if your stools have an unusual odor or color. Mouth dryness or thick saliva Dry mouth happens when there is not enough saliva or saliva becomes very thick. This can be a side effect of radiation therapy to the head and neck areas, some types of chemotherapy, certain other medicines, and dehydration. A dry mouth can increase your risk of cavities and mouth infection. If you smoke, chew tobacco, or drink alcohol, the dryness can be worse. It can also make it harder to eat or drink. What to do • Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. (Drinking lots of fluids can help make mucus less thick.) • Take small bites, and chew your food well.
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