Foods that sound tasty even when you've got no appetite?
June 24, 2010 10:57 PM
I've got a chronically poor appetite. I'm seeing a doctor for the underlying causes. Do you have suggestions for foods that taste good when you've got no appetite but know you still need to eat dinner, when you've got an unsettled stomach, and/or when you're hungry but sort of nauseous at the same time?
Other relevant info: I've got rheumatoid arthritis, so I'm pretty sure my poor appetite is related to chronic inflammation and not to any structural gut problems. I'm going to see my doctor again soon-ish, so if this problem doesn't get better I can talk to him about it. Just waiting to eat again until I'm hungry doesn't work because sometimes that takes days or, occasionally, weeks. Same goes for waiting for my stomach to fully settle down. Also, the fact that this is a chronic problem means that a lot of what I used to think of as good sick food doesn't work here, because I can't survive on tea and saltines for the foreseeable future. Thanks for your time.
Other relevant info: I've got rheumatoid arthritis, so I'm pretty sure my poor appetite is related to chronic inflammation and not to any structural gut problems. I'm going to see my doctor again soon-ish, so if this problem doesn't get better I can talk to him about it. Just waiting to eat again until I'm hungry doesn't work because sometimes that takes days or, occasionally, weeks. Same goes for waiting for my stomach to fully settle down. Also, the fact that this is a chronic problem means that a lot of what I used to think of as good sick food doesn't work here, because I can't survive on tea and saltines for the foreseeable future. Thanks for your time.
I can eat virtually unlimited quantities of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and for any meal of the day. 21st century peanut butter technologies combined with the wide variety of jellies and jams developed back when it was the only way of preserving fruit offer a broad array of combined experiences, and you can experiment with different breads of course.
There was some reality television show in which it was actually considered a punishment to be forced to eat PB＆J for a week, which baffled me. Everyone said I should have been a contestant.
posted by XMLicious at 11:29 PM on June 24, 2010
There was some reality television show in which it was actually considered a punishment to be forced to eat PB＆J for a week, which baffled me. Everyone said I should have been a contestant.
posted by XMLicious at 11:29 PM on June 24, 2010
I always go for raw veggies and fruits when I'm feeling like food is all crap. Broccoli and carrots are particularly good, for the nice crunchiness.
posted by that girl at 11:31 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by that girl at 11:31 PM on June 24, 2010
That's me every morning; I know I should eat breakfast and that by lunchtime I'll be starving.
Yet, in the mornings I feel nauseous.
My trick isn't good tasting food, it's get as much nutrition as possible in small doses.
So I regularly drink a bottle of Naked Juice and/or eat a Clif bar.
I find drinking is always easier than eating, and I can get it over quicker too.
(You could substitute those for any number of meal replacement drinks or breakfast bars.)
posted by elleyebeebeewhy at 11:31 PM on June 24, 2010
Yet, in the mornings I feel nauseous.
My trick isn't good tasting food, it's get as much nutrition as possible in small doses.
So I regularly drink a bottle of Naked Juice and/or eat a Clif bar.
I find drinking is always easier than eating, and I can get it over quicker too.
(You could substitute those for any number of meal replacement drinks or breakfast bars.)
posted by elleyebeebeewhy at 11:31 PM on June 24, 2010
A mug of peppermint tea, maybe with honey. Peppermint is good for both nausea and digestion.
A small glass of soy milk (Bonsoy is good.)
Rice pudding (white rice, custard, cinnamon, sugar.)
A slice of plain wholemeal toast - no butter, no jam.
Plain water crackers.
A small piece of cheddar cheese.
posted by Year of meteors at 11:46 PM on June 24, 2010
A small glass of soy milk (Bonsoy is good.)
Rice pudding (white rice, custard, cinnamon, sugar.)
A slice of plain wholemeal toast - no butter, no jam.
Plain water crackers.
A small piece of cheddar cheese.
posted by Year of meteors at 11:46 PM on June 24, 2010
I get this way quite a bit, due not to RA but to the vagaries of a rather too-nervous temperament. My go-to standards:
*Yogurt with some fresh fruit, or if you can't handle the fruit just yogurt. My personal favorite is French Vanilla, as it is not at all chunky.
*Pasta with nothing much on it. Carbs are a bonus.
*Eggs, although I know to some people this is the grossest food on earth. Scrambled with minimal butter, or even better, hard-boiled, JUST the whites, with black pepper and/or Greek salad dressing.
*Pickles and/or olives. It sounds weird, but for some reason a dill pickle or an olive (singular) makes me drool like a St. Bernard for more food. I then eat all the olives, and I'm then hungry for "real" food. I have no idea why this works, but it does.
*Cheese slices/chunks. I like Swiss the best, but any "real" (i.e. not Kraft Singles or Velveeta) cheese will work.
*I don't know how you feel about mushrooms, but I saute them at times if I feel like I need something dinner-ish and just can't do it. I mean, just mushrooms. A little bit of olive oil, a little bit of worcestershire sauce, and you're good to go.
*Cliched, but chicken soup will often make me want to eat it just because of how lovely it smells. Same thing with the chicken flavored Rice-a-Roni.
*if you absolutely cannot eat anything solid, maybe try some milk. I know it's been said to cause digestive problems but for me, at least, it's always been quite the opposite.
Also, I noticed that you mentioned tea - I assume it's the decaf/herbal kind? If not, switch to that. Caffeine is great at giving instant "energy," but it's not the same kind of energy that comes from actual food and will destroy your stomach if that's all you're putting into it. I learned this the hard way.
I have weird tastes, perhaps, and you might too. If you're more of a sugar person than salt, then this list won't work, but remember this - ice cream and candy bars is better than no food at all. Not the ideal, perhaps, but you need to sustain yourself somehow. This is not the time to count calories or worry that people will think you're weird for eating frozen Twinkies for dinner. Best to you, and I hope you feel better!
posted by deep thought sunstar at 11:50 PM on June 24, 2010
*Yogurt with some fresh fruit, or if you can't handle the fruit just yogurt. My personal favorite is French Vanilla, as it is not at all chunky.
*Pasta with nothing much on it. Carbs are a bonus.
*Eggs, although I know to some people this is the grossest food on earth. Scrambled with minimal butter, or even better, hard-boiled, JUST the whites, with black pepper and/or Greek salad dressing.
*Pickles and/or olives. It sounds weird, but for some reason a dill pickle or an olive (singular) makes me drool like a St. Bernard for more food. I then eat all the olives, and I'm then hungry for "real" food. I have no idea why this works, but it does.
*Cheese slices/chunks. I like Swiss the best, but any "real" (i.e. not Kraft Singles or Velveeta) cheese will work.
*I don't know how you feel about mushrooms, but I saute them at times if I feel like I need something dinner-ish and just can't do it. I mean, just mushrooms. A little bit of olive oil, a little bit of worcestershire sauce, and you're good to go.
*Cliched, but chicken soup will often make me want to eat it just because of how lovely it smells. Same thing with the chicken flavored Rice-a-Roni.
*if you absolutely cannot eat anything solid, maybe try some milk. I know it's been said to cause digestive problems but for me, at least, it's always been quite the opposite.
Also, I noticed that you mentioned tea - I assume it's the decaf/herbal kind? If not, switch to that. Caffeine is great at giving instant "energy," but it's not the same kind of energy that comes from actual food and will destroy your stomach if that's all you're putting into it. I learned this the hard way.
I have weird tastes, perhaps, and you might too. If you're more of a sugar person than salt, then this list won't work, but remember this - ice cream and candy bars is better than no food at all. Not the ideal, perhaps, but you need to sustain yourself somehow. This is not the time to count calories or worry that people will think you're weird for eating frozen Twinkies for dinner. Best to you, and I hope you feel better!
posted by deep thought sunstar at 11:50 PM on June 24, 2010
Cooked grains does it for me: rice, quinoa, barley, corn-meal/paella. Nothing spicy mixed in, but peas, maybe an egg mixed in, helps.
posted by From Bklyn at 11:51 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by From Bklyn at 11:51 PM on June 24, 2010
I can always eat toast or oatmeal. or at the very least force myself to scarf it down when needed.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:52 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 11:52 PM on June 24, 2010
Sushi, either a vegetarian roll or with tuna.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 11:57 PM on June 24, 2010
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 11:57 PM on June 24, 2010
if you're talking about efficient, astronaut food, Clif Bars, chips & salsa, yogurt, broccoli, apples & cheese, bananas, bacon and eggs, whole milk, fettucine alfredo (from scratch, it's totally easy). if you're talking about regular go-tos, Crunch Berries, popsicles, smoked salmon.
posted by rhizome at 12:04 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by rhizome at 12:04 AM on June 25, 2010
I've gone through these phases most of my life, sometimes when I'm ill and sometimes when I'm just fine. I have found that I will almost always eat:
- Greek yogurt, with or without honey
- Oatmeal, with brown sugar and maybe a little cream and/or dried fruit
- Cream of wheat, with cream and sugar
- Cheese (I like Havarti or cheddar) on toast (I like crusty French bread), maybe with with some slices of avocado
- Soft-boiled eggs with salt and pepper, with either buttered toast or brown rice
- Pasta with browned butter and parmesan cheese
- Baked potato or sweet potato with butter, salt, and pepper
- recently, I've developed a love of congee (rice porridge), particularly with fish and ginger
Also, try peppermint tea to calm your stomach. (I love strong black tea with a splash of milk, too, but for tummy pain stick with mint or ginger.)
posted by scody at 12:12 AM on June 25, 2010
- Greek yogurt, with or without honey
- Oatmeal, with brown sugar and maybe a little cream and/or dried fruit
- Cream of wheat, with cream and sugar
- Cheese (I like Havarti or cheddar) on toast (I like crusty French bread), maybe with with some slices of avocado
- Soft-boiled eggs with salt and pepper, with either buttered toast or brown rice
- Pasta with browned butter and parmesan cheese
- Baked potato or sweet potato with butter, salt, and pepper
- recently, I've developed a love of congee (rice porridge), particularly with fish and ginger
Also, try peppermint tea to calm your stomach. (I love strong black tea with a splash of milk, too, but for tummy pain stick with mint or ginger.)
posted by scody at 12:12 AM on June 25, 2010
When I'm not up to eating I like Thai Kitchen's instant hot and sour soup or something that is both sweet and salty, like fries with ketchup or pumpkin pie with salted pecans.
posted by corey flood at 12:13 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by corey flood at 12:13 AM on June 25, 2010
I feel your pain.
The things that I can usually always eat are mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and applesauce. All three are easy to prepare (if you get microwaveable mashed potatoes) and I can force them down pretty easily. The eggs have the bonus of being a good source of protein when I'm feeling dizzy from lack of food.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:20 AM on June 25, 2010
The things that I can usually always eat are mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, and applesauce. All three are easy to prepare (if you get microwaveable mashed potatoes) and I can force them down pretty easily. The eggs have the bonus of being a good source of protein when I'm feeling dizzy from lack of food.
posted by TooFewShoes at 12:20 AM on June 25, 2010
I've got Crohn's disease, which manifests itself with identical symptoms as yours. During a flare-up I can pretty much always rely on white basmati rice, porridge, noodle soup with tofu, yoghurt and omelette. Personally I find that temporarily cutting out bread and milk helps me; so I'll use soya milk (fresh Alpro, which is a UK brand) in the porridge, adding fruit and/or honey to taste.
If all else fails banana smoothies (using soya milk/soya ice-cream) have kept me going.
Kitchari is a pretty awesome one-pot meal that's tasty and easy to digest, or else a simple dhal soup.
I think the trick is to not obsess about not being able to eat (though boy it sure does suck) and to eat small, tasty meals frequently, say five a day rather than the regular three.
posted by SyntacticSugar at 12:30 AM on June 25, 2010
If all else fails banana smoothies (using soya milk/soya ice-cream) have kept me going.
Kitchari is a pretty awesome one-pot meal that's tasty and easy to digest, or else a simple dhal soup.
I think the trick is to not obsess about not being able to eat (though boy it sure does suck) and to eat small, tasty meals frequently, say five a day rather than the regular three.
posted by SyntacticSugar at 12:30 AM on June 25, 2010
When I was a kid, my mother used to make savoury rice porridge (aka jook or congee) for the whole family when any of us were feeling sick. She used chicken or turkey broth, but it is just as good with vegetable broth.
Now that I am a grownup, I cook it myself, but luckily it is very easy to make. Even if I don't have much of an appetite, it seems I can always eat a little bit of jook--it's soothing and very inoffensive. If you want the nutrition of some leafy greens, you can add some spinach right at the end of the cooking time. If you like mushrooms, they are good for adding umami (which might stimulate your appetite) without adding more actual salt.
I hope you feel better soon.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:55 AM on June 25, 2010
Now that I am a grownup, I cook it myself, but luckily it is very easy to make. Even if I don't have much of an appetite, it seems I can always eat a little bit of jook--it's soothing and very inoffensive. If you want the nutrition of some leafy greens, you can add some spinach right at the end of the cooking time. If you like mushrooms, they are good for adding umami (which might stimulate your appetite) without adding more actual salt.
I hope you feel better soon.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:55 AM on June 25, 2010
Oh, ginger tea is an excellent drink, and ginger is known for its tummy-helping properties. Slice up some ginger, boil in water, add honey and drink! It is spicy and gingery and sweet and good. Might help settle your stomach to make other things sound less unappealing.
posted by that girl at 12:55 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by that girl at 12:55 AM on June 25, 2010
Steamed veggies work for me. If I'm feeling particularly adventurious i'll put a basic bolognaise sauce over them (I generally keep some in the freezer).
Avocado and hummus on toast or crackers.
Hummus - just keep a can of chickpeas in the cupboard and whiz them up with a bit of oil, some salt and pepper and cumin.
Good quality (gluten and preservative free) ham
Nuts and dried fruit. Try and get sulphur free fruit if you can, it'll be easier on your tummy.
A (soy)milkshake with a couple of scoops of egg white protein powder (sounds scary but it's just freeze dried egg white - great to get some protein), some berries (or banana), vanilla essence, honey if you like it sweet and a good plain yoghurt. If dairy an/or soy upset you, you can just do it with yogurt and add some water because the egg powder thickens it a bit.
Can of (good quality) tuna
Carrot almond meal muffins: Gluten and grain free so relatively easy on the tummy. Just do it in muffin tin. Use sugar or honey in place of agave. I always have a batch of these in the freezer and take one out each night for the next day.
posted by nothing too obvious at 1:06 AM on June 25, 2010
Avocado and hummus on toast or crackers.
Hummus - just keep a can of chickpeas in the cupboard and whiz them up with a bit of oil, some salt and pepper and cumin.
Good quality (gluten and preservative free) ham
Nuts and dried fruit. Try and get sulphur free fruit if you can, it'll be easier on your tummy.
A (soy)milkshake with a couple of scoops of egg white protein powder (sounds scary but it's just freeze dried egg white - great to get some protein), some berries (or banana), vanilla essence, honey if you like it sweet and a good plain yoghurt. If dairy an/or soy upset you, you can just do it with yogurt and add some water because the egg powder thickens it a bit.
Can of (good quality) tuna
Carrot almond meal muffins: Gluten and grain free so relatively easy on the tummy. Just do it in muffin tin. Use sugar or honey in place of agave. I always have a batch of these in the freezer and take one out each night for the next day.
posted by nothing too obvious at 1:06 AM on June 25, 2010
This happened to me just today. I know how it feels. Until you can find a solution that goes to the root of the problem, may I recommend Chinese chicken salad? The combination of the lightness of lettuce, the heartiness of chicken, and the mildness of those little noodle things helps me get my appetite back by providing variety. If mild, one-note foods (yogurt, oatmeal, toast, porridge, etc) don't do it for you, a dish that's light but varied might help.
posted by a sourceless light at 1:41 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by a sourceless light at 1:41 AM on June 25, 2010
Oh, ginger tea is an excellent drink, and ginger is known for its tummy-helping properties.
I thought this was an old wives tale but it really does work. Ginger ale is great for nausea and has really helped me get my appetite back in the past. Just make sure you get the stuff with actual ginger in and not ginger flavouring or something.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:41 AM on June 25, 2010
I thought this was an old wives tale but it really does work. Ginger ale is great for nausea and has really helped me get my appetite back in the past. Just make sure you get the stuff with actual ginger in and not ginger flavouring or something.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:41 AM on June 25, 2010
Yeah avocado! It's one of the healthiest things you can eat, and is quite mellow on the non-enthusiastic stomach.
posted by deep thought sunstar at 2:42 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by deep thought sunstar at 2:42 AM on June 25, 2010
White bread (so exciting, I know) is my go-to food when I'm feeling off but need to eat. Not the pre-sliced kind, but baguettes or loaves from the bakery section, the kind with only four ingredients (flour, salt, water, yeast).
Along the same lines, pita chips or fancy crostini-type crackers can be a more appetizing replacement for saltines.
I have a rice cooker, and perfectly steamed rice with a bit of sea salt is so good, and very easy on the stomach. I sometimes add slivered almonds or steamed vegetables for a bit more nutrition.
I never believed the chicken soup adage til I had some from Panera - soooo good. Soup is less daunting than solid food when you're feeling off, and I always feel better after I eat it. (Canned soup is completely the opposite for me, I hate the over-salted metallic taste.)
Agreed on the ginger tea, and Dramamine helps me a lot too. It causes drowsiness so its best at night, but I can often eat an actual meal after taking one.
posted by Fifi Firefox at 4:22 AM on June 25, 2010
Along the same lines, pita chips or fancy crostini-type crackers can be a more appetizing replacement for saltines.
I have a rice cooker, and perfectly steamed rice with a bit of sea salt is so good, and very easy on the stomach. I sometimes add slivered almonds or steamed vegetables for a bit more nutrition.
I never believed the chicken soup adage til I had some from Panera - soooo good. Soup is less daunting than solid food when you're feeling off, and I always feel better after I eat it. (Canned soup is completely the opposite for me, I hate the over-salted metallic taste.)
Agreed on the ginger tea, and Dramamine helps me a lot too. It causes drowsiness so its best at night, but I can often eat an actual meal after taking one.
posted by Fifi Firefox at 4:22 AM on June 25, 2010
toasted bread (without butter) and mild cheese. pair it with a cup of tea that is not very strong and you have yourself a meal that you can keep down.
steamed rice also works, but it is almost too bland.
posted by kuju at 5:11 AM on June 25, 2010
steamed rice also works, but it is almost too bland.
posted by kuju at 5:11 AM on June 25, 2010
Even if i'm feeling bleh, blah or ick, I can usually rummage up some enthusiasm for buttered toast, congee with slivered ginger, pho (even though I know I won't finish the bowl by any means), or pasta cooked in stock with salt and butter, or soft-boiled or scrambled eggs.
posted by desuetude at 6:27 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by desuetude at 6:27 AM on June 25, 2010
I can always eat a good grilled cheese. A friend of mine with chronic appetite/stomach issues always comes home with plain mashed potatoes and a biscuit from KFC. She'll also just buy a loaf of French bread and eat it. And a coke. Not sure that she's getting much nutritional value, but it works.
posted by thejanna at 6:29 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by thejanna at 6:29 AM on June 25, 2010
Not really food, but if I put an open can of sweetened condensed milk in the fridge, I'll be going back to it constantly.
No matter how crappy I feel, I can usually manage a grilled cheese sandwich.
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:30 AM on June 25, 2010
No matter how crappy I feel, I can usually manage a grilled cheese sandwich.
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:30 AM on June 25, 2010
not sure where you are, but U.S. drug stores carry adult nutrition supplement liquids (Ensure being the most common brand). Each can is about 8 ounces, I think, and has a couple hundred calories plus protein and vitamins. My father-in-law drank it when he was undergoing radiation treatment that caused him to lose his appetite.
if you don't use a nutrition supplement, you probably want to take a multivitamin with whatever you can manage to eat because you don't want to add a vitamin deficiency to your other troubles.
Also, your doctor can probably refer you to a nutritionist.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:34 AM on June 25, 2010
if you don't use a nutrition supplement, you probably want to take a multivitamin with whatever you can manage to eat because you don't want to add a vitamin deficiency to your other troubles.
Also, your doctor can probably refer you to a nutritionist.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:34 AM on June 25, 2010
When I'm in so much pain that I'm nauseated, I can usually eat things that are pretty bland: vanilla yogurt, pasta with just butter or alfredo sauce, plain bread, a tortilla. Lettuce is pretty good. Sometimes tomato soup is good.
When the nausea goes on for several days and I can't make myself eat balanced meals, I pick up some meal-replacement shakes, like Slimfast--usually whatever's on sale. They're usually awful but they have something that helps ease my stomach (a lot of calcium, perhaps, like Tums has) and I figure it's probably healthier.
posted by galadriel at 6:38 AM on June 25, 2010
When the nausea goes on for several days and I can't make myself eat balanced meals, I pick up some meal-replacement shakes, like Slimfast--usually whatever's on sale. They're usually awful but they have something that helps ease my stomach (a lot of calcium, perhaps, like Tums has) and I figure it's probably healthier.
posted by galadriel at 6:38 AM on June 25, 2010
good soul food style mashed potatos, biscuits, and mac and cheese. If you feel good after that go for fried chicken.
posted by WeekendJen at 7:09 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by WeekendJen at 7:09 AM on June 25, 2010
I've been struggling with this for months. I find Carnation Instant Breakfast--now called Carnation Breakfast Essentials--pretty useful. My biggest challenge is to get protein when my appetite is off, because otherwise I'll find myself nibbling crackers and sipping soda, and the all-carbs diet really messes me up.
Yogurt is another thing I can usually stomach, and cheese if I slice it very very thin.
posted by not that girl at 7:22 AM on June 25, 2010
Yogurt is another thing I can usually stomach, and cheese if I slice it very very thin.
posted by not that girl at 7:22 AM on June 25, 2010
When I was nauseous with morning sickness, the best thing for my stomach was a constant trickle of bland. I chose Cheez-Its crackers, eaten one a time, letting it sit in my mouth until dissolved before swallowing. Saltines, bits of bread, pretzels, dry cereal bits, small spoonfuls of pudding all might work. For nutrition, you could choose a cracker/cereal that is fortified with vitamins/protein.
posted by CathyG at 7:22 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by CathyG at 7:22 AM on June 25, 2010
I got this book: What to Eat When You Don't Feel Like Eating when my mom had cancer. It is full of mild, nutritiously dense foods. Other things I've learned from cooking for cancer patients: eat small portions served on small plates. This makes the food mysteriously more appetizing. Drinks like Ensure can be surprisingly tasty, but are easier to stomach if served over ice and from a covered cup so that you can't smell it.
posted by Sara Anne at 7:25 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by Sara Anne at 7:25 AM on June 25, 2010
When I'm sick, my husband makes me creamy, boiled, short-grain white rice with olive oil and lemon juice, and it's so soothing and tastes so good that each time I swear that I will never eat anything else - just boiled rice with olive oil and lemon, forever.
posted by taz at 7:39 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by taz at 7:39 AM on June 25, 2010
Definittely broth based soups, pho and chicken noodle and miso are my go to's. And I like to get a high quality, fresh chicken noodle soup- not canned- I'll go to a higher end grocery store where they make it fresh and it packaged in a plastic tupperware container.
Smoothies with a soymilk base, and a banana (no oj or citrus, but sometimes I'll use apple juice instead of soy milk). For added protein try adding peanut butter or silken tofu.
posted by thankyouforyourconsideration at 7:55 AM on June 25, 2010
Smoothies with a soymilk base, and a banana (no oj or citrus, but sometimes I'll use apple juice instead of soy milk). For added protein try adding peanut butter or silken tofu.
posted by thankyouforyourconsideration at 7:55 AM on June 25, 2010
I used to have a tough time eating food in the morning; it would make me nauseous. I ended up getting a box of Gerber baby cereal (the dry, rice-based stuff; I think I got either plain or banana) and mixing it with whatever I could do. Usually, this was applesauce and/or yogurt. I could make it sin sufficient-enough quantities that I didn't feel like a baby :)
posted by Madamina at 8:52 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by Madamina at 8:52 AM on June 25, 2010
Umeboshi plums or paste. They have traditionally been recognized for stimulating the appetite, reducing nausea, and helping with many different digestive ailments. Beyond those aspects, I find that the strong, intriguing taste is captivating enough to eat even without an appetite. It's great mixed with rice (and whatever else you can stomach), and varying the proportion of umeboshi/rice with every bite could potentially make this a more interesting meal as well. YMMV. Good luck.
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 8:52 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by thegreatfleecircus at 8:52 AM on June 25, 2010
If you don't want liquids, you can buy candied bits of ginger in a little jar at your local Asian grocery. I hated the taste of ginger for years (it does not taste like mainstream ginger sodas), but I could still choke these down.
posted by tantivy at 9:12 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by tantivy at 9:12 AM on June 25, 2010
Oh my! Thank you all so much for the answers. I've marked the ones that happen to sound the tastiest to me, but I really appreciate all of your suggestions.
posted by colfax at 11:23 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by colfax at 11:23 AM on June 25, 2010
When most food seems unappealing, I'm usually still able to eat very hot or very cold items. Right now my go-tos are miso soup, Israeli couscous, frozen fruit, and milkshakes.
posted by casualinference at 12:52 PM on June 25, 2010
posted by casualinference at 12:52 PM on June 25, 2010
The happens to me when I'm really stressed out. I used to have a roommate who would make me Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, which were basically the only thing I could eat. I have them with tofu but you can use whatever as protein or just go veggie.
posted by grapesaresour at 6:16 PM on June 25, 2010
posted by grapesaresour at 6:16 PM on June 25, 2010
Do you live in an area where medical marijuana is legal? It's supposed to be perfect for this purpose; they use it for chemo patients to help give them an appetite. According to this (possibly biased) page on the pros and cons for using pot for arthritis it appears that it would be helpful for that too.
Not a pothead or an advocate, but whenever I hear "no appetite", I always think about marijuana.
posted by Deathalicious at 8:10 PM on June 25, 2010
Not a pothead or an advocate, but whenever I hear "no appetite", I always think about marijuana.
posted by Deathalicious at 8:10 PM on June 25, 2010
COLFAX, this can also be due to your RA meds. (and the medical marijuana suggestion is excellent)
Can your physician refer you to a pain specialist who might be able to tweak them in the direction of either meds that aren't as tough on the stomach, or add a stomach protectant/anti-nausea drug to the mix? Sometimes doctors put you on lots of drugs succesiveley trying to find a good mix and forget something as simply as a proton pump inhibitor to ease off the acid secretions, or an anti-nausea med to help. The amount of doctors who prescribe opiod based pain relief without a laxative for example is a disgrace.
Are you on any stomach protecting drugs?
posted by Wilder at 2:43 AM on June 28, 2010
Can your physician refer you to a pain specialist who might be able to tweak them in the direction of either meds that aren't as tough on the stomach, or add a stomach protectant/anti-nausea drug to the mix? Sometimes doctors put you on lots of drugs succesiveley trying to find a good mix and forget something as simply as a proton pump inhibitor to ease off the acid secretions, or an anti-nausea med to help. The amount of doctors who prescribe opiod based pain relief without a laxative for example is a disgrace.
Are you on any stomach protecting drugs?
posted by Wilder at 2:43 AM on June 28, 2010
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posted by holterbarbour at 11:16 PM on June 24, 2010