GAG | eating life with head & neck cancer Ep 60 - 120

<p>An excerpt from my upcoming book GULP. Taking A Seat Back At The Table After Head And Neck Cancer. </p><p>I will be presenting at the IDDSI Conference - Monday 20th October 2025. </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.iddsi.org/events/australia-iddsi-conference-2025">Details here </a></p><p></p><p><em>Chapter 2</em></p><p>The Rosetta Stone: IDDSI</p><p><strong>We Need to Talk About IDDSI: International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative</strong></p><p>Transitioning from a PEG tube back to oral eating is confusing, scary, and fraught with stress and uncertainty. It’s not just about swallowing safely; it’s about rebuilding your entire relationship with food.</p><p>For many patients, eating more by mouth while maintaining weight and hitting nutritional targets is anything but straightforward. I discovered it involves your <strong>mind</strong>, your <strong>food</strong>, and your <strong>body - </strong>three elements that intertwine and rely on one another for success. I came to realise this firsthand as I stumbled my way through the chaos, trying to make sense of what was happening to me.</p><p><strong>The Missing Conversation in Dysphagia Care</strong></p><p>Caring for your thoughts, understanding your options for medical and allied health support, and getting your kitchen, shopping lists, and recipes aligned all matter. Add in the methods required to chew and swallow safely, and you’ve got a full-time job before you even sit down to eat.</p><p>I documented exactly how I transitioned from 15 months of no oral food - relying solely on my PEG tube - to eventually eating orally again (despite ongoing dysphagia) and completing an 800km hike across Spain, eating whatever I could find on the road.</p><p>That journey revealed something critical: Dysphagia is one thing, transitioning from PEG to oral food is another beast entirely, and for patients without a love of food, nutrition, or cooking, the hill is even steeper.</p><p>GULP will be available on Amazon and on <a target="_blank" href="http://www.yvonnemcclaren.com"><strong>my site </strong></a>- ensure you are signed up here when its live. </p><p>Eat Well.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>I spent a number of years working out how to transition off a PEG Tube feeder back to oral eating. The "transition" itself took me four months. The ongoing roadmap to eating is an entirely different story, yet the lessons I learnt and the theory model I created for myself continue to serve me well in my ongoing pursuit of living not only my best food life but my best life generally.</p><p>Currently I am trying to drop a few kilos for a major walk at the end of the year. Nothing crazy just a few kilos that I don't have to carry on the walk with me. That's a whole other strategy based on dysphagia and that salads and raw fruit and vegetable are almost impossible for me. <a target="_blank" href="https://app.gumroad.com/products/fxkat/edit">Here is the full programme here</a>.</p><p>In this episode I talk about Location Ie where are you on your path) confusion & overwhelm. Aspiration including how I evolved and then ultimately succeeded. Lastly I cover outcome - social eating and relationships now.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>The purpose is to communicate in a logical manner what can be some of the side effects that happen to us as living, breathing human beings during head & neck cancer treatment.</p><p>In this episode I'm going to be talking about <strong>food confidence erosion.</strong></p><p>I'm going to be talking about <strong>beyond the tube </strong>and I'm going to be talking about <strong>visual value models</strong> </p><p>These value models, what are they all about?</p><p>They're a way to visually communicate the value steps and outcomes to be achieved by undertaking the self managed online course. Beyond the Tube - A Roadmap to oral Eating. Let’s Begin ….</p><p></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3SKxyDU">Check out the course here </a></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">yvonnemcclaren.substack.com/subscribe</a>