www.cancer.gov 17 Use plastic forks and spoons. Some types of chemotherapy give you a metal taste in your mouth. Eating with plastic can help decrease the metal taste. Cooking in glass pots and pans can also help. Increase your appetite by doing something active. For instance, you might have more of an appetite if you take a short walk before lunch. Also, be careful not to decrease your appetite by drinking too much liquid before or during meals. Change your routine. Eat in a different place, such as the dining room rather than the kitchen. Or eat with other people instead of eating alone. If you eat alone, you may want to listen to the radio or watch TV. You may also want to vary your diet by trying new foods and recipes. Talk with your doctor, nurse, or dietitian. They may want you to take extra vitamins or nutrition supplements (such as high protein drinks). If you cannot eat for a long time and are losing weight, you may need to take drugs that increase your appetite or receive nutrition through an IV or feeding tube. NCI’s booklet “Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment” provides more tips for making eating easier. Available at: www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/ eating-hints.
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