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Informative Nutrition Articles

A Startling Fact About Losing Dangerous Belly Fat-- Without Exercise
The story broke in the international press on October 4th, 2004. Scientists in Japan announced that laboratory rats lost large amounts of organ fat, and increased muscle strength, when a portion of their diet was replaced by a new fruit extract. ...

How To Eat A Healthy Diet When You Don't Want To
How To Eat A Healthy Diet When You Don't Want To By Jeannie Crabtree For some people it is really hard to give up the junk food and sweets and eat a better, more nutritious diet. So let's use the example of eating the 5 to 9 fruits and...

Nutrients On The Decline In Our Foods
(NC)—The amount of nutrients in our food is steadily declining, according to recent research. A recent survey found some fruits and vegetables we buy today contain far fewer nutrients than they did 50 years ago. This is especially noticeable in...

The Shell Game That Is The "Proprietary Blend" Nutritional Supplement
Recently I wrote an article entitled "Terms, Terms, Terms, An Inside look to buying supplements" which can be found on the Gurus and Guests section of my private forum. The article covered many of the misleading marketing terms buyers have to deal...

Why You Should Take Nutritional Supplements
With the lifestyles of many today, nutritional supplements are needed to bridge the gap between our unbalanced diets. Here I address why you should take nutritional supplements. Few things have been as controversial as nutritional supplements...

 
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Malnutrition as a Result of Alzheimer's Disease?

Some of the most difficult aspects of Alzheimer's disease are the problems associated with eating and drinking. This can be as mild as coping with a food fad or as serious as malnutrition.

It's quite common for Alzheimer's sufferers to develop food fads. These are exasperating as it's difficult to make an adult eat, especially if they are stronger than their carer or they have developed a fear or severe dislike of what they are being given. It can be an extremely challenging situation for any carer to find themselves in.

It's naturally important to ensure the Alzheimer's sufferer receives a well balanced and nourishing diet. It is also important but more difficult to ensure that they also have sufficient fluid intake.

Fluids may be an integral part of anyone's diet, but Alzheimer's patients may forget or not bother to ask for a drink. It's surprisingly easy for this to go unnoticed and for a carer not to realise that their fluid intake is insufficient, especially in hot weather or if the central heating is on full blast. To avoid these problems drinks should be offered on a regular basis and a cold drink left nearby to remind the Alzheimer's sufferer to take fluids.




Fruit and vegetables are essential as they provide the vitamins and fibre needed to keep the body well nourished. Further fibre can be obtained by consuming wholegrain bread and biscuits and an excellent way of ensuring vitamin C is consumed is by offering orange juice.

Medical assistance may be required if the patient spits out their food or refuses to eat as they may have some gum disease or intestinal problem. Their dentures may have become loose fitting or they may have lost their sensation of taste. They may also experience difficulty in swallowing which could be a sign of more serious problems.

care givers should also ensure that the Alzheimer's sufferer is having their bowels open on a regular basis. This is because constipation is one of the leading causes of a loss of appetite and if left untreated it can lead on to more serious malnutrition. Regular medication (laxatives) can be prescribed to reduce these symptoms while adequate fluid levels will also help.

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