ALS, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a debilitating condition that affects a person's ability to coordinate their own muscle movements. People with ALS may face challenges in getting proper nutrition, yet nutrition is very important for their condition.
Muscle Movements
The ALS Association explains that there are motor nerves in the brain stem and spinal cord that send messages from the brain to the muscles controlling muscle movement. The ALS association states that when a person has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the nerves that send messages start to lose their ability to function, so the person's muscles become weaker and weaker over time.
Why Nutrition Is Important
According to the Neurology department at the University of California at San Francisco, nutrition is of high importance for people with Lou Gehrig's disease, because they need to maintain their energy levels and muscle mass as much as possible, through the foods they eat. Weight loss is common for patients with ALS, according to the University of California at San Francisco, so maintaining adequate calories can help prevent weight loss and even protect the immune system.
Difficulty Eating
One of the most challenging factors in maintaining adequate nutrition for people with ALS is that they often have difficulty eating. The ALS Association explains that people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis get tired easily, so they sometimes have trouble cooking and preparing meals to eat. Feeding themselves can lead to fatigue; people with ALS even have trouble swallowing, according to the ALS Association. The ALS Association recommends that people with trouble eating try blending their foods, having someone cut their foods into very small pieces or even eating baby foods, which are easy to swallow and require minimal chewing.
Protein Intake
Protein intake is one of the most important elements of the diet for people with ALS. The ALS Association explains that protein from foods like chicken, turkey, fish, dairy and eggs helps to strengthen the muscles and preserve muscle mass, minimizing the loss of muscle that is common as ALS progresses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people get 10 to 35 percent of their daily calories from protein, while people with ALS may want to go for the higher end of the recommendation.
Increasing Calories
Though not everyone with ALS needs to increase their calories, many people with ALS do, either because they have lost weight, have trouble eating enough or are at risk for losing weight. The ALS Association states that if a person with ALS doesn't get enough calories, his body may break down his muscle at a faster rate. To add calories, the University of California at San Francisco's Neurology department recommends using full-fat dairy products like whole milk. You can also add butter, oil and cheese to dishes like pasta, rice and vegetables, as recommended by the ALS association.
