[img]560|left|Nicholas D. Pollak||no_popup[/img]A prospective client who called me today has throat cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. He is worried because he is not eating and is being fed intravenously. Not only is he losing weight at a dramatic rate, no food tastes good at all.
He asked if hypnotherapy could help. I said I think it can.
There are four main types of taste: Sweet, sour, bitter and salt. Sense of taste is primarily located on the tongue. Each type of taste is found within taste buds on different sections of the tongue. When you chew your food, it mixes with saliva. As it comes in contact with the taste buds, messages are sent to the brain regarding your sense of taste. The brain processes the messages and helps you identify different tastes.
What are taste changes?
• Taste changes are common during chemotherapy. The exact reason f is not clear, although it is thought that it results from damage to the cells in the oral cavity, which are especially sensitive to chemotherapy.
• About 50 percent of patients getting chemotherapy experience taste changes.
• Most people report taste changes involving a lower threshold for bitter tastes and a higher threshold for sweet tastes.
• Some drugs also produce a metal taste during the actual intravenous infusion.
• In addition, the association between taste of food and chemotherapy may lead to taste changes.
• Chemotherapy loss of sense of taste can occur purely from the association of an experience of nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy.
• Taste changes may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, even months after chemotherapy.
• Taste changes are common in persons taking biologic therapies. Both the cause and duration of taste changes associated with biologic therapy is unclear.
Here are some things you can do to manage taste changes:
• Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth before and after each meal.
• Choose foods that look and smell good to you.
• Eat small, frequent meals.
• Do not eat 1 to 2 hours before chemotherapy and up to 3 hours after therapy. • Use plastic utensils if food tastes like metal.
• Eat mints (or sugar-free mints), chew gum (or sugar-free gum) or chew ice to mask the bitter or metallic taste.
• Substitute poultry, eggs, fish, peanut butter, beans and dairy products for red meats. • Marinate meats in sweet fruit juices, wines, salad dressing, barbeque sauce or sweet-and-sour sauces.
• Flavor foods with herbs, spices, sugar, lemon and tasty sauces.
• Chilled or frozen food may be more acceptable than warm or hot food.
• Try tart foods, such as oranges or lemonade (this may be painful if mouth sores are present).
• Avoid cigarette smoking.
• Eliminate bad odors.
• Eat in pleasant surroundings to better manage taste changes.
• Increase your fluid intake.
No one magic solution exists for taste changes that suit everyone. Finding foods that taste appealing may be a process of trial-and-error. Some people who experience taste changes avoid their favorite foods to prevent the possibility of spoiling them for the future.
No medications address taste changes. However, studies have suggested that deficiencies in zinc, copper, nickel, niacin and Vitamin A may contribute to taste changes. Do not take more than 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Remember, you should discuss taking vitamins or any other “remedies” with your doctor before you begin.
The scientific data above came from www.chemocare.com, by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
The information clearly shows they do not know why the loss of taste occurs. I read with interest as I realized that the subconscious plays a strong role with taste. Realizing how amazing hypnosis is, I was confident I could help anyone with this condition.
After further discussion with my prospective patient, he made an appointment. While setting the date, he actually haggled with me regarding my fee. He asked if I accepted Medicare. I told him that I am not associated with Medicare and I don’t think they cover hypnotherapists.
He said he would pay me only if the therapy worked. I asked if what doctors have been doing for him worked. Os he paying them? As a hypnotherapist, why should I be treated differently?
Everyone’s time is valuable. I am no exception. When someone calls, I make myself available, sometimes to my own detriment in terms of time management. I always bring a strong knowledge of having helped many clients through what I know of hypnotherapy.
I would have thought that a person in the condition of my prospective client would be grateful for the attempt to help and even happier at his money well spent should he regain his taste and consequently his weight.
How much would that be worth to anyone?
A clinical hypnotherapist, handwriting analyst and expert master hypnotist, Nicholas Pollak may be contacted at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net
