How to prevent diarrhea and constipation?

Medical Nutrition Therapy To Treat Medication Side Effects

Prior to implementing MNT, consult the physician or pharmacist for evaluation of a possible adverse effects These suggestions are intended to reinforce rather than replace information provided by the health professional.

Loss of appetite:

1. Question patient regarding factors contributing to appetite loss such as depression.

2. Educate the patient about the importance of an adequate, well balanced diet.

3. Create a pleasant environment for eating. If possible, eliminate distractions and time pressure.

4. If early satiety occurs or Meals are not well tolerated offers small, frequent, attractive meals or snacks.

5. Provide variety in color, texture, taste and temperature.

6. Encourage weekend patients to select force that require minimal eating effort.

7. Enhanced flavors by using seasonings. Marinate meets in sauces or fruit juices.

8. Use nutritional supplement products (liquid, pudding, bars, cereal, baked products) between meals.

Taste/smell dysfunction:

1. If permissible, mask the taste of a drug with food (pulpy fruits, applesauce crush pineapple, fruit juices) or milk. Water, lemon juice, water ice, sugarless gum or Candy can be used as mouth rinses.

2. To enhance food flavors and aroma, use highly flavored foods, seasonings, sauces, acidic food beverages may awaken ability to taste foods.

Dry or sore mouth:

1. Stress good oral hygiene. Do dental Care to minimize mucosal damage. Severe or long-term problem cause ill fitting dentures and changes in chewing ability and eating habits.

2. Decrease dry or salty foods. Moisture dry foods and beverages or swallow it liquid.

3. Offer moist, bland, soft foods: mashed potatoes, custards puddings, fruit whips, smoothies. Add milk based sauces gravies or syrups to food avoid spicy rough textured or highly acidic foods.

4. Lick or suck ice chips, incorporate cold foods or beverages in to meals or snacks; sherbet, sorbet, ice milk, frozen yoghurt, water ice, Popsicles. add cold melons, apple sauce or other cold fruits.

5. Suggest sugarless gum/candy warm water rinses or saliva substitute may help.

Appetite stimulation or weight gain:

1. Assess weight gain as a possible reversal aura depression induced weight loss.

2. Educate the patient that certain drugs may increase appetite and the desire for sweets.

3. Encourage a slow rate of eating at least 20 minutes to finish first portion of a meal.

4. Encourage low calorie foods, lettuce salad, fresh fruit and vegetables, diet beverages low calorie snacks.

5. Incorporate high fiber foods or snacks which may contribute to early satiety.

6. Instruct patient or food provider to control access to specific high calorie foods, snacks or beverages.

7. Emphasize low fat free condiments such as fat free salad dressings or light mayonnaise.

8. Encourage additional water in place of high calorie drinks to total at least 6 to 8 cups fluid per day.

Epigastric distress:

1. Remain upright for 30 minutes after taking drug.

2. Limit or eliminate foods or beverages that may contribute to epigastric distress such as alcohol, caffeinated beverages, decaffeinated coffee, peppermint, chocolate, pepper, garlic, chili powder, acidic or spicy foods. Use of soft and bland food may be helpful.

3. Offer small quantities of food at frequent intervals in a relaxed environment. Avoid overeating.

4. Avoid extremely hot or extremely cold foods or liquids.

5. Avoid greasy, fried fatty foods (may delay gastric emptying).

6. Evaluate the intake of milk or cream (may stimulate acid secretion).

7. Avoid eating for at least one hour before bedtime.

8. If patient is overweight suggest a low calorie diet and exercise program to promote weight loss.

Nausea/vomiting:

1. Dislike foods may aggravate nausea honor food preferences.

2. Offer small quantities of easily digestible foods at frequent intervals. Eat slowly.

3. Reduce food volume at meals. Severe liquid after meals and limit liquid intake with meal.

4.Suggest intake of toasted or dry enriched bread, crackers or Graham crackers, cooked or dry ready to eat cereals. To reduce nausea eat one of these foods early in the morning or before rising.

5. Offer a cold clear or carbonated liquids or non acidic juices. Avoid luke warm beverages.

6. Cold foods may be better tolerated and hot foods and bland foods better than any spicy foods.

7. Avoid any fried, greasy, fatty foods.

8. If nausea occurs at consistent times each day reschedule meal and snack times.

Diarrhea:

1. Focus on fluid and electrolyte replacement with products .

2. During the acute phase of diarrhea solid food may be withheld for 24 hour or longer full stop fluids may be limited to clear liquids.

3. Intake of frequent small amounts of bland foods may be allowed as tolerated.

4. Initially restrict or avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, fatty foods, concentrated sweets, raw fruits or vegetables, fried foods, whole grain cereals, nuts, beans and relishes.

5. Evaluate tolerance to dairy products. Return to normal diet carefully.

Gastrointestinal gas:

1. Discourage swallowing large amount of air such as eating fast , chewing gum, or talking while chewing.

2. Encourage patient to avoid flatulogenic food such as bean, and cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli ,onions, pepper, radishes, Apple, celery, egg plant.

3. Limit consumption of carbonated beverages.

4. Encourage use of alpha-D- galactosidase enzyme when consuming potentially flatulogenic food.

Constipation:

1. Avoid prolonged use or overuse of cathartic, laxatives or enemas which can cause laxative dependence.

2. Gradually increase fiber whole grain in diet may use brand in moderation.

3. Maintain adequate fluid intake specially water.

4. Stress the importance of daily exercise, regular meals, defecation reflex recognition and regularity.

Glucose intolerance/diabetes:

1. Carbohydrate controlled diet to balance starch sugar intake with medication action.

2. Reduce fat to less than 30% of calories and saturated fat to less than 10% of cal. Increase fiber in the diet.

3. Educate about eating during special events.

4. Emphasize educate fluid intake and beverages appropriate for diabetic diet.

5. Usually only with caution and their advice from physician.

6. If patient is overweight suggest a low calorie, high fiber diet, for weight loss.

Hyperlipidemia:

1. Provide patient information about fat cholesterol content of food.

2. Limit fat to 30% of Cal 10% from saturated fat.

3. Limit cholesterol to less than 300 mg per day preferably less than 200 mg.

4. Greatly reduce or avoid concentrated sweets specially if triglycerides are elevated.

5. Increase soluble fiber in the diet.

6. Increase intake of food high in Omega 3 fatty acids for example walnut, Salman, flaxseed.

7. Avoid alcohol or use only under advice from physician.

8. Stress the importance of exercise, start with realistic short increments with eventual goal of 1 hour total day.

9. If patient is overweight suggest low calorie, high fiber diet for weight loss.