Understanding Everything About Dysphagia Diet

By Amy Collins


Dysphagia is actually a disorder which means the person has difficulty swallowing as a result of certain illness or other health factors. It is a condition that could lead to choking and aspiration and for that reason it becomes necessary to learn the basics of dysphagia diet so that the patient can be provided with the best care possible.

With the help of assessment, the level of this illness can be diagnosed in a patient. Some of the most common symptoms that you should look out for include, choking, excessive dribbling, difficulty chewing food and food pocketing. The food given to these patients is specially formulated so that they find it easy to swallow and chew otherwise there is a risk of food going into the windpipe.

Every patient is different therefore, their diet needs would differ as well. Some people are able to chew a bit of solid food as well whereas others find it extremely difficult to swallow anything but liquid. Its important to address the patient's needs and requirements in this regards.

Although the condition may remain persistent, still the patient needs to eat wide variety of food groups to ensure balanced nutrition. Imbalance diet can lead to further health problems and you don't really want to add any further complications to your health condition.

The best regime is to give small meal portions but in a frequent manner so that the energy levels stay under control. You should try to incorporate hot as well as cold food so that the patient remains used to eating variety of different foods. Contamination should be avoided at every cost because such patients can react badly if the food is contaminated and you do not want to get any other health complications at this point.

Its not easy to get used to a diet plan that involved textures and combinations that you were not used to before. When you are going through such stressful phase, any type of support is useful especially when it comes from your loved ones. Their help and support motivates you to do even better and get control over your condition otherwise you will not be able to recover from it.

It is usually recommended to the patients that they eliminate the use of tobacco and alcohol. Even caffeine should be avoided as these things can cause more damage to your current health. If you continue on with these habits, they can lead to life threatening situations.

Being overweight can also trigger this issue even further therefore, you doctor may advise you to loose some weight as it can help you overcome this disease and control it the way you want to. Stress is also not good for you in this situation because being stressed will make it worse. Try to remain calm and relaxed and keep stress away if you want to recover from it as quickly as possible. The combination of medication and diet can be highly effective but it will all matter if your remain consistent with your routine.




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