Reducing Nausea During Chemo

Cancer affects millions of people of all races and ages around the world, and, although there is still no cure for this illness, chemotherapy has been found to help many patients fight the disease. One of the side effects of chemo that many people experience is mild to severe nausea. While this may seem like a harmless side effect, it can create problems if it robs you of your appetite and leads to dehydration. Fortunately, there are several things can do to reduce nausea during chemo.

 

First of all, you should talk to your doctor about any nausea you are experiencing. They may be able to recommend things you can do to reduce its effect or medications that will help you endure chemotherapy without nausea and vomiting. Many times, they will ask you to eat and drink more, since weight loss and dehydration both make chemo harder on the body and can lead to even more severe nausea.

 

For some people, strong odors also bring on bouts of nausea during chemotherapy. If you notice that certain smells are making you feel ill, try your best to avoid them. 

 

Opting for 5 or 6 small meals each day instead of 3 large ones will also help. If you are feeling nauseous due to chemo, you will have a much easier time eating smaller meals. Your goal should be to eat a balanced diet full of nutrients you need to stay healthy, as chemotherapy is very rough in the body and the immune system. After you eat, resting sitting upright for about 20 minutes can help ease digestion. Staying away from junk foods and greasy food is important as well, as they can be much harder for you to digest. Your doctor can make recommendations about what sort of diet would be best for you personally.