I had a conversation with my best friend a few days ago and we discussed why my mom is doing so well. She said part of it is because of how I feed her.
My mom's appetite is very good. So I take it as my responsibility to feed her in ways that continue to make her want to eat. Eating a wide variety of foods is very important for healthy eating, but it's also important to flavor those foods in ways that are different so that you don't get bored. I think we've all had that experience when we can't think of something we want to eat or eat something just because we had a taste for it.
Diverse eating is a very important part of healthy eating. What do I mean by healthy eating?
When I say healthy eating, I mean consuming the foods that are necessary for ensuring that your body gets the nutrients it needs to perform at its best. We're in an interesting era where food is seen from the perspective of "eat this, not that" in order to be considered healthy.
Although I understand that perspective, it does concern me a bit. Every naturally occurring food has macronutrients and micronutrients that our bodies need in order to function well. When we we assign certain foods to the "do not eat" list, we run the risk of narrowing our food choices and losing out on some of the nutrients that we really need.
Going back to my definition of healthy eating, it's important to remember that sometimes healthy foods aren't good for us. For me, it's avocados. I love avocados and they are a super nutritious food. However, avocados do not like me at all, so it's important for me to find other foods that are as nutrient dense as avocados because I can't eat them.
As family caregivers, we're sometimes faced with feeding a loved one who has food restrictions. When food restrictions are a part of our daily lives, they can make meal planning and preparation kind of challenging. So I encourage you to focus on what the person can eat, not what they can't eat. Also think about how you can flavor what they can eat so as not to make the person bored with food.
My encouragement for you this week is to add a different flavor profile to some of the meals that you prepare during the week.
Be well until next time.
Dr. Sheri
Dr. Sheri L. Yarbrough is an author, caregiver, and founder of Praxis Senior Care-Giving Solutions, a consulting business that provides care-givers with practical and easily implemented strategies that can be tailored to meet their individual care needs.
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