Bone marrow transplants, that are used to treat diseases comparable to blood cancer, are tough on the body. And for greater than half of the individuals who receive a bone marrow transplant, the donor cells attack the host cells, resulting in a complication called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in line with the National Organization of Rare Disorders. This will cause symptoms comparable to skin rash, liver dysfunction, and gastrointestinal (GI) problems like diarrhea, nausea, and dry mouth. Acute GVHD typically develops throughout the first few weeks to 100 days after a transplant; chronic GVHD can develop anytime after a transplant — even years later, in line with Cleveland Clinic.

While you’re coping with GVHD, maintaining a healthy weight is critical to helping your body get better. “Our weight status helps set the stage for our immune function,” says Margaret Martin, RD, CDCES, the manager of nutrition education on the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) who relies in Nashville, Tennessee. “When our body weight is healthy, it supports all the other physiological functions, including our digestion.”

But it might probably be difficult to keep up a healthy weight after a bone marrow transplant. “Poor nutrition and poor body weight, in addition to a lack of muscle mass, can increase the danger of developing GVHD,” says Michelle Bratton, RD, a nutrition educator with the LLS’s PearlPoint Nutrition Services and specialist in oncology nutrition who relies in Tucson, Arizona. As well as, individuals who develop GVHD symptoms within the digestive tract can develop into malnourished. “We eat to fuel our bodies and provides them the energy that they should do even staple items. When that’s lacking in individuals with GVHD, it might probably markedly impact their quality of life in a negative way,” says Bratton.

“GVHD can prevent or decrease the absorption of nutrients, calories, and hydration, which could cause weight reduction, malnutrition, and other complications,” adds Martin.

Diet Tricks to Help Ease Common GVHD GI Symptoms

Some GVHD GI symptoms will be treated with medications, but there are also some ways to assist manage these issues through eating regimen.

Diarrhea

GVHD attacks the liner of the digestive tract and may disrupt the nerves that move food and drinks through the body. “Diarrhea will be brought on by the ineffective absorption of nutrients and fluids, and as an alternative of it taking 24 to 72 hours to digest food, it rushes through,” says Martin.

To reduce its impact, follow a transparent liquid eating regimen, which incorporates items comparable to broth, ginger ale, and diluted juices without pulp. “This can be a nutrition plan that permits your gut to heal so all those good digestive cells can regenerate and grow,” says Martin. It’s also good to go for room-temperature food and drinks, that are easier to soak up, and to eat small amounts every two hours. Lying down can even help slow your digestion. “After you’re feeling higher, you too can eat soft foods like rice, applesauce, bananas, toast, and soft pretzels to assist your body begin to process easy-to-break-down foods,” she adds.

If you’ve gotten ongoing diarrhea, it’s vital to get enough sodium and potassium in your eating regimen; good sources are broth, fruit juices, sport drinks, potatoes, and bananas. You may as well make your personal electrolyte alternative drink at home: Mix ¼ teaspoon of salt, 8 teaspoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate, and 4 cups of water, in line with the LLS.

Nausea and Vomiting

For individuals with GVHD, nausea and vomiting are common problems, in line with Bratton. “Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day could be very vital, as is minimizing liquids when you eat,” she advises. Persist with room-temperature fluids in between meals. For those who’re sensitive to smells and someone is cooking in the home, take a walk outdoors. And while lying down is nice for diarrhea, sitting upright is best for nausea to assist move foods into the small intestine.

Ensure that you’re taking your anti-nausea medications as you’ve been instructed. “For those who are, it is advisable to ask your healthcare team if there’s a medicine they will add on or change. Finding that right sort of cocktail of anti-nausea meds can really work wonders sometimes,” Bratton adds.

Mouth Sores

Mouth sores are annoying and painful but often will be managed with easy techniques. Select soft, moist foods, comparable to mashed potatoes or oatmeal, over those with a dry, rough texture, comparable to toast or tortilla chips, Bratton suggests. When possible, select lukewarm or cold foods over hot ones. For those who’re limited in what you’ll be able to eat, drink milkshakes or smoothies so you’ll be able to get adequate calories and protein. “Getting those nutrients in is admittedly vital to heal those sores,” she adds.

You may as well make your personal mouthwash by mixing one quart of water with one teaspoon of baking soda. Often swish with it and spit it out.

“For those who’ve followed a few of the following pointers and the pain remains to be limiting your ability to eat, your physician may have the option to prescribe pain meds that help numb the tissues within the mouth,” Bratton says.

Dry Mouth

Alcohol and tobacco products can worsen dry mouth, so it’s best to avoid them, says Bratton. As a substitute, keep your mouth moist with gum, ice chips, ice pops, or hard candy.

There are also over-the-counter moisturizing sprays for alleviating dry mouth, but you could have to make use of them incessantly, she adds.

Weight Loss

Although we’re bombarded by messages about how healthy it’s to shed extra pounds, it’s not good once you’re coping with GVHD. “Take into consideration what you eat that works well, which you’ll be able to digest with the smallest amount of discomfort,” Martin suggests.

Take into consideration once you naturally are inclined to be hungriest and eat more at the moment, whether it’s at breakfast or later within the day. “Plan to eat more to match that hunger,” Martin says.

While you eat, select higher-calorie foods first, comparable to proteins and starches, followed by vegetables and fruits. You may as well bump up the calories in your meal without having to make an additional dish by adding “calorie boosters”: butter, margarine, vegetable or olive oil, sour cream, maple syrup, melted cheese, chopped meat, gravy, and sauces.

Taste Changes

Many individuals struggle with taste changes when coping with GVHD. A standard criticism is that meat tastes bitter, says Bratton. “You’ll be able to marinate it in something a bit sweeter like a teriyaki sauce,” she suggests.

For those who’d relatively skip meat altogether, try other protein sources, comparable to cottage cheese or yogurt. “There is just not one strategy that may ameliorate all taste changes. Using strategies like marinating meats and selecting foods that taste higher can enable you meet your nutrition needs until the taste changes subside, which will be after treatment is finished,” Bratton says.

Dry mouth can even cause soft palate changes. “While you’re in a position to manage dry mouth, taste can actually improve,” Martin says.

Other Nutrition Suggestions for GVHD

These strategies can even enable you manage GVHD and its symptoms:

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This is essential to keeping yourself fueled and recovering. Since you’ll be able to’t depend on your appetite to let you know when to eat, you’ll be able to make a schedule for eating and drinking every few hours or set reminders in your phone to eat at certain times.
• Prioritize food safety. “Follow the food safety guidelines of your transplant center to attenuate the danger of foodborne illness,” says Bratton.
• Focus all of your recovery efforts on nourishing your body. “Ask your loved ones to pitch in on other things, like doing the laundry, cooking, shopping, so you’ll be able to concentrate on ensuring you’re well nourished,” Martin suggests. You possibly can also arrange a Meal Train to your neighbors, friends, or church group and allow them to know the sorts of foods you’re in a position to eat.
• Track your eating habits. You’ll be able to download the LLS Health Manager™app to maintain track of your food and beverage intake or use a worksheet, in case you’d relatively write it down on paper. This might help your doctor understand what you’re eating and if other interventions could also be crucial, says Martin.

Your transplant center could have had you meet with a dietitian before your transplant. For those who haven’t met with one, you’ll be able to ask someone in your treatment team to refer you to a dietitian who works with transplant patients to assist troubleshoot your symptoms. LLS also offers free nutrition consultations by phone for patients with any style of cancer in addition to caregivers. You’ll be able to schedule a consultation using the online scheduler or call (877) 467-1936. You may as well call an LLS information specialist at (800) 955-4572 for personalized support, financial information, and community.