Get To Know The Basics Of The Dysphagia Diet Through This Simple Guide

By Peter Bell


Health conditions like stroke, dementia and different neurological problems can eventually cause issues with swallowing. Such is something that can heighten not only choking risk, but also dehydration as well as malnutrition. With the help of the dysphagia diet, a person who is having difficult time swallowing may enjoy considerably lowered risk of ending up with the many dangers involved.

This special form of diet has the primary objective of providing the person varying consistencies of solids and liquids for the attainment of trouble free swallowing. The patient will find all of them so much easier to masticate. Furthermore, having them moved around in the mouth is almost effortless, and this can help considerably keep foods and beverages from ending up in the lungs by going down the airway instead of the esophagus.

Foods and liquids suitable for people who are suffering from dysphagia are classifiable into many different ways. They are done based on thickness, which can range anywhere from very thin to solid but in bite sized portions. However, medical experts say that different people with difficulty in swallowing have varying needs and challenges to be addressed.

In order to attain the required thickness of foods and liquids, certain ingredients may be added during the preparation or cooking stage. Thickening agents are commonly used in order to achieve the perfect consistency. These ingredients are ideal for providing meals that have the consistency of mashed potato, making them trouble free to chew and swallow.

A thickening agent is especially valuable in making all sorts of liquids so much effortless and safer to swallow. Anything you can think about can be thickened, and they can range from green tea to yogurt. Keeping the body hydrated is something very important, and a person who has a problem in terms of swallowing is regarded as someone who is at high risk of dehydration.

Aside from the use of thickeners, certain solid types of foods can be made suitable for a patient who has swallowing issues with the help of pureeing. Practically any solid may be pureed and then served before the individual. Such include meats, poultry and fish. Although vegetables may be pureed, too, corn and peas are not ideal candidates.

Because of the many options with regards to coming up with dysphagia friendly meals, no one with the condition has to become malnourished and dehydrated. Most especially if the problem is a result of a serious medical issue, proper nourishment and hydration is important. As a result, it can become simpler to attain and maintain optimal health.

To help ensure that the person is getting all the nutrients necessitated by the body, foods from various groups have to be served. Good amounts of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber can be obtained with the help of diversity. With a little creativity, the individual can be spared from ending up malnourished.

It's possible for important pieces of advice to be obtained from experts in matters that concern swallowing issues. A speech language pathologist, for instance, can lend a hand when it comes to certain life adjustments that have to be made, including swallowing. Details regarding nutrition can come from a certified dietitian.




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