A declining interest in food and fluids in a terminally ill person signals the GI tract is shutting down and should be respected.

“So, a body trying to die, a GI tract that's on its way to shutting down will stop sending hunger signals. And this is a big one for the audience to hear because a lot of us, you know, food equals nutrition equals nourishment equals life. So, if we see someone we love or ourselves not eating, the impulse would be, well, put some food into us. That's life. We don't want someone to starve to death is often what we do. And also love, right? That's how we show our care. And exactly symbolically the act of feeding another is you know the nourishment the love to your point Bridget that comes with that there's so much around food but then before we cut over to bridge to explain more that's that good piece of the puzzle that you know the body again is sending you a signal don't put food in me because it will hurt if a gut is not able to process the food it sits in place and can cause pain. Same with fluids. If we're forcing fluid into a body that's trying to die, that fluid will pull and cause trouble. So the judgment of call when to push the food and fluid and when not is up to really a dialogue and a sort of a song and response with the patient. Once you know, you might try a little bit of fluid and if that ends up in their lung or ends up swelling, then we pull back. But back to your question, so as a body's trying to die, it will stop sending signals for that food and fluid. And that's to be generally respected, not pushed past.”