Dysphagia is defined as difficulty swallowing. There are four phases of swallowing include the oral preparatory, oral, pharyngeal and esophageal. Depending on which phase of swallowing is affected, your doctor may prescribe one of the three dysphagia diets. The dysphagia III diet is also known as the dysphagia advanced diet. This diet is the most advanced diet for swallowing difficulties. The dysphagia III diet includes most foods except for crunchy, hard or sticky textures.
Causes and Associated Problems
Dysphagia occurs mostly in older adults. There are several medical conditions that can cause dysphagia, including Parkinson's disease, stroke, cerebral palsy and cancers of the head and neck. Problems associated with dysphagia include weight loss, nutritional deficiencies and aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia occurs when food or liquid enters the airway and subsequently the lungs, resulting in the growth of bacteria. After testing is done with a speech-language pathologist a dysphagia diet can be prescribed.
Liquids
Swallowing liquids may also be difficult for those with dysphagia. If so, you may need to thicken liquids. Liquids can be thin, nectar-like, honey-like or spoon-thick. Thin liquids include water, milk, juice, coffee, tea and carbonated beverages. Nectar-like liquids include tomato juice, eggnog, maple syrup and nutritional shakes, such as Ensure. Spoon-thick liquids are the thickest. An example of a spoon-think liquid is pudding. There are products you can use to thicken your liquids to the correct consistency.
Recommended Foods
On the dysphagia III diet, you can eat breads, biscuits, muffins and pancakes if they are well moistened with syrup or butter. Cooked and dry cereals are allowed if they are moistened. All pasta and rice is allowed. Cooked, tender potatoes and vegetables are recommended. You can also eat canned, cooked and softer fresh fruits. Meats should be tender, moistened or ground and be eaten with gravy or sauce.
Foods Not Recommended
Dry breads, toast and crackers are not recommended. Dry cereals such as shredded wheat are not recommended. Avoid all raw vegetables except for shredded lettuce. Avoid crispy cooked potatoes. Fresh fruits including apples, pears, grapes are not recommended, nor are dried fruits or fruit snacks. Avoid nuts, seeds, chunky peanut butter and dried meats.
Cooking Tips
When cooking meats, use moist cooking methods, such as braising, stewing or baking in liquid until meat is tender. Cook vegetables until they're tender enough to mash with a fork. Make sure soups have small pieces of meat and vegetables. It may be helpful to make large quantities and freeze for a later date.
Warning
Talk with a speech-language pathologist and a dietitian to determine which types of foods are best for you.
References
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Dysphagia.
- "Nutrition Therapy and Pathophysiology;" Marcia Nelms, Kathryn Sucher, Sara Long; 2007.
- The Ohio State University Medical Center: Thickened Liquids for Safer Swallowing.
