Home Care in Plano, TX – For Seniors with Digestive Issues, a Liquid Diet may just be the Answer
Seniors who suffer from uncomfortable digestive-related illnesses and disorders like colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) face few options when symptoms appear. First-hand treatments like steroids can be beneficial, but they are often disruptive and can be expensive. If your parent is dealing with something like this in his or her life right now, there are ways you can help.
How Eating Changes with Digestive Disease
Many have turned to the immediate source of all of their discomfort – their diet. For some folks, their diet can be as easy as removing a few inflammatory foods. But for others, extensive changes are needed in order to reduce nearly all symptoms of irritable digestive diseases. This could mean a liquid diet.
A liquid diet does not have to be a permanent change either. Many go on a liquid diet just to give their digestive system a break. Liquid diets can also help those who are in the midst of recovering from surgery or for those looking to change how they eat.
There may be many ideas about what consists of a liquid diet. While many may imagine any normal food – meat, vegetables, or snacks – being replaced with puddings, or other foods with a similar consistency, the truth is liquid diets are usually made up of everyday foods. The types of foods eaten depend on the needs of the person.
How to Start a Liquid Diet
For serious cases of irritable bowels and digestive complications, a liquid diet can simply make life more normal. Some people go to the bathroom between 20 to 30 times per day, which is obviously a nuisance. A balanced liquid diet decreases the total amount of bowel movements, and gives vital organs in the body the rest they need from processing foods.
Some other benefits of a liquid diet include:
Increased mucosal healing
Positive weight gain
Reduced activity of disease
Less inflammation
Benefits to long term health and bone health
As always, the first thing you should do is consult your parent’s doctor before beginning a liquid diet. There are some negative effects to going on a liquid diet like decreased nutritional value of foods, a lack of necessary vitamins and minerals, or the failure of a person’s body to accept nutrients from liquids because of a lack of enzymes.
During the time your parent is trying a liquid diet, they may need more rest and less complications from daily life as well. Try hiring home care to assist your mother or father with dressing, eating, daily tasks, and medications, making appointments and running errands. A caregiver can be a friend and confidante to your loved one, as well as someone willing to help with anything they need.