A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts or becomes blocked by a plaque buildup called atherosclerosis. According to a 2003 article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, following a stroke you may be at risk of having reduced dietary intake, swallowing impairments and other deficits that can decrease your quality of life.
Considerations
The Cleveland Clinic indicates that a healthy diet can reduce your risk for acquiring medical conditions such as hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, high lipid levels, coronary artery disease and obesity. All of these conditions can increase your chance of having a stroke. A diet low in sodium, high in potassium and rich in fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, and whole grains and cereal fiber is likely to reduce the incidence of stroke.
Complications with Stroke
Following a stroke, you may have weakness or paralysis that can inhibit your ability to prepare meals, shop or feed yourself. A stroke can leave you with deficits in your visual fields and you may only eat half of a meal because that is the only portion seen. You may experience disorientation of left from right. Visual neglect or denial can cause neglect of the paralyzed extremity. Stroke patients may no longer be able to write or comprehend reading material. You may no longer be able to hold silverware in your dominant hand, making meal times frustrating. Combativeness or throwing of food is common for individuals who have had a stroke. Swallowing can be diminished, leading to a risk for aspiration of foods and fluids.
Dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia, is common after acute stroke. Dyshagia has been associated with decreased oral intake, leading to weight loss and malnutrition. The risk of choking increases with dysphagia. With dysphagia, diet modifications may be necessary, requiring that foods be chopped, minced or pureed, and fluids may be thickened. Thin liquids are often the most difficult consistency for stroke clients to control orally.
Mealtime Environment
Following a stroke, a number of interventions can help improve adequate nutritional intake. Interventions may include keeping distractions to a minimum; allowing plenty of time for eating; ensuring food bites are large enough to necessitate chewing, but small enough to manage; placing food within vision; utilizing specialty silverware and devices to assist independent eating; and individualizing diet modifications based on the individual's risks as well as his known likes and dislikes for food choices.
Recommendations
If you have suffered a stroke, working with a dietitian, speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist can help improve your quality of daily living and prevent complications. Ongoing monitoring of nutrition is important to maintain adequate nutritional needs and hydration status.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: The Role of Nutrition in Prevention and Treatment of Stroke
- "Canadian Medical Association Journal"; Rehabilitation medicine: 2. Diagnosis of dysphagia and its nutritional management for stroke patients; H. Finestone., L. Greene-Finestone.; November 2003
- "Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Carrol Lutz., Karen Przytulski.; 2011
