{"id":8697,"date":"2019-07-25T05:24:14","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T05:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=8697"},"modified":"2021-04-21T16:03:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-21T16:03:43","slug":"15-nutrition-tips-to-manage-difficulty-swallowing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-nutrition-tips-to-manage-difficulty-swallowing\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Nutrition Tips to Manage Difficulty Swallowing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It can become a pain when you have difficulty swallowing. It will cause you to be unable to eat the foods and liquids that you normally would have. When you have a problem with swallowing it is called dysphagia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dysphagia can be painful, but it causes a person to be unable to swallow. It can cause them to lose weight because they are unable to get the proper nutrition that they need. When they do try to eat, it may come back up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to combat this problem, you will need medical attention, but there are eight nutrition tips to manage difficulty swallowing. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment can also cause a person to have a difficult time swallowing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this is because it can make the lining of the throat sore and inflamed. It will make it feel as if your throat is burning or a lump is present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Eat smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This will allow you to eat what you can without feeling guilty that you didn\u2019t eat as much. When you eat smaller meals, it will make it easier for you to eat your food when you have a difficult time swallowing your food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It won\u2019t take you long to eat a small meal. For instance, for breakfast, if you normally eat a small bowl of oatmeal, eat half of it at 7:00 a.m. and the other half around 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. That way it is still like you are getting a full breakfast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are just spreading it out to make it easier for you. Oatmeal <\/a>and grits will be easier for you to swallow since they are thin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For oatmeal, you won\u2019t want to add any fruit like blueberries because you\u2019ll have to swallow them unless you mash it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Cook and eat softer foods is a way to manage difficulty swallowing. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since you are unable to swallow, you\u2019ll need to cook all soft foods, such as mashed potatoes<\/a>. You can make the food softer if it\u2019s hard by adding sauces, gravy, or broth to them. You may not like that you have to soften all of your food, but it will make it much easier for you to eat and swallow them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some softer desserts you may want to eat include applesauce and yogurt. You\u2019ll have to give up potato chips and cookies unless you want to water them down, but they won\u2019t have the same taste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since you are eating softer foods, you\u2019ll notice that the foods you consume are much healthier. You may begin losing weight and feel better overall because you\u2019re not consuming the same junk food you would normally eat on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Drink liquids with every meal is a way to manage difficulty swallowing. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every time you take a bite to eat, take a sip of water or juice. You will want to avoid liquids like alcohol <\/a>and soda. These are acidity beverages, which will make it difficult for you to swallow the more you drink them. It may be a good idea to use a straw when you drink liquids because it will make them easier for you to swallow them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After you take a sip, rest to make sure that the food and liquid are going down and not coming back up. Since you will be eating smaller meals, there is no need to drink a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, if you plan on drinking a cup of water with every meal, you can drink half of it since you will be spreading your meals out. There is no need to force food and drink down your throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Avoid spicy foods because it will make your throat burn. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you eat, don\u2019t add spicy seasonings to it. Even when you cook, you want to make sure that the food isn\u2019t too hot because will burn your throat as well. It should be at a temperature that it won\u2019t cause irritation <\/a>to your throat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your throat burns, it\u2019ll make it more difficult for you to swallow. You may not even be able to get it down before vomiting. In order to avoid burning your throat, after you cook a dish, set it aside for a few minutes until it\u2019s warm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t add any spices to it. Even pepper can burn your throat. Since you are avoiding hot and spicy foods, you\u2019ll have to make different food choices when you go out and eat. If you happen to eat some spicy or hot food, you\u2019ll end up either vomiting or not being able to eat it at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Cut the food into smaller pieces or mash it up fine it is a good nutritional tip to remember when you have a difficult time swallowing. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Foods such as tuna in a can don\u2019t have to be mashed up. It is things like chicken <\/a>and fish. You\u2019ll need to cut them as small as you can and try to mash it up with your fork or spoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though you are having a difficult time swallowing, you will have to give up some foods that you would normally eat, such as fried chicken. Baked chicken has a softer texture and easier to swallow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make it even softer, you can boil the meat first for an hour and then bake it. It may take longer for you to get the food as soft as it needs to be, but it will help you. You\u2019ll still need to cut or mash it up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Chew your food slowly is a nutritional tip to remember. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you take your time to chew your food, it makes it easier for you to swallow. When people are eating food that is good or they are hungry, it will cause them to put big chunks of food in their mouths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will end up getting choked and have a sore throat<\/a>. It can also make them vomit if they eat too fast. Since you are eating smaller meals, take your time to chew your food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no need to rush to eat. It won\u2019t take you long to chew a few bites of food. When you chew your food, it allows you to stay full longer. A way for you to chew your food is to not talk when you\u2019re eating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you try to eat and talk at the same time, it will cause you to take big bites and get choked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Change the kinds of desserts that you eat. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For instance, instead of eating a snow cone, choose a bowl of ice cream of sherbet<\/a>. They have a softer texture and will go down your throat more easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good thing about ice cream and sherbet is that they are cold foods. When you have a difficult time swallowing food, cold foods are a good option because they soothe the throat. That is why when people have their tonsils taken out, they have to eat a lot of ice cream. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other desserts you can eat, including pudding and applesauce. It is a good idea to chill them in the refrigerator for an hour because of eating so that when you eat them, they will be cold. You\u2019ll have to give up on crunchy snacks, such as tortilla and potato chips. If you happen to eat crunchy snacks, it will irritate your throat and make you vomit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Choose salad options, such as tuna, chicken, and egg salads whenever you eat. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You may get tired of eating them, but you will at least be getting a good source of protein. At the grocery store, they have snack packs of tuna <\/a>and chicken salads with crackers, but you don\u2019t need to eat the crackers since they are crunchy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just eat the tuna and chicken salads by themselves. Since they come in small portions, you can eat the entire can at one meal. Since you may not get full by eating a small can of chicken or tuna salad, you may want to eat another one a couple of hours later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just make sure you chew it slowly. If you do happen to eat the crackers, soften it in a sauce first. It will be easier for you to swallow. You don\u2019t have to eat all of the crackers. Just what you can until the next meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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