Helpful Tips

Overcoming Your Daily Obstacles

Dysphagia is challenging, but you can manage it with proper nutrition resources and the support of your healthcare team. Learning new ways to cook and eat can be a daunting task, but remember, you can still eat many of your favorite foods. Here are some tips to help as you learn how to live with dysphagia, whether you have the condition or are taking care of someone with it. After all, the more you know, the more confident you'll feel.

COOKING  |  EATING  |  LIVING WITH DYSPHAGIA  |  CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH DYSPHAGIA

Cooking

• Try stimulating your appetite by using seasonings and flavorful sauces
• Moisten your food with sauces, butter or gravy
• Puree, blenderize, grind or soften foods to make them easier for you to chew and safer for you to swallow
• Serve foods on small plates and in small portions to help encourage your appetite
• Be artistic in how you present food—different sized scoopers can help make pureed meat look like meatballs or pureed vegetables like peas
• Add garnishes like whipped topping or color desserts with gelatin powder to help food look more appealing to you
• Try pastry bags or molds to add variety to meal presentation—you can also try shaping Resource^® Puree Solutions^® Pureed Bread Mix to look like a slice of bread for the look and taste of the real thing

Eating

• Take your time
• Avoid small pieces of food, and make sure you break apart foods that are difficult to chew
• Savor the smell of your food before you eat it; this will help promote saliva, which makes it easier for you to swallow
• Take small bites of your food and small sips of beverages
• Don't talk while you eat
• Practice good posture, sitting upright or in a position your swallowing therapist specified
• Always accompany your meals with beverages that are of the proper consistency
• Relax while you eat, sometimes peace and quiet helps

Living with dysphagia

• Keep yourself hydrated; drink more often than when you feel thirsty
• Watch out for the signs of dehydration. If you experience dark-colored urine, dry mouth, constipation or sudden weight loss, be sure to talk to your doctor about it
• Get support—your family and friends are there to help; your doctor, speech pathologist and registered dietitian will also be able to provide you with more information and recommend support groups
• Share your feelings—feeling isolated and worried about eating is normal, but it is important to let others know what is on your mind; they may be able to offer solutions or suggestions

Caring for someone with dysphagia

• Make sure your loved one is positioned for eating according to guidelines from your swallowing therapist
• Position his or her dishes within easy reach
• Take your time—make sure your loved one does not feel rushed and leave plenty of time for them to chew and swallow
• Don't hover
• Make sure your loved one has everything needed to savor his or her meal, such as glasses, hearing aids and dentures before eating, if appropriate; also set out favorite place settings, fun centerpieces and colorful tablecloths to make mealtimes more enjoyable
• Be sure your loved one can hear you, and sit where he or she can see you
• Help them to enjoy their food; encourage them to smell and taste it
• When feeding someone else, only put a small amount of food in his or her mouth at a time; avoid contact with his or her teeth so he or she won't bite the spoon
• Make sure your loved one's mouth is empty before giving them another bite of food
• Keep your loved one sitting upright for at least 20 minutes after they have finished eating