What is malnutrition?
Can sometimes fail to regularly and healthy enough to eat. For a week is not that bad, but if it takes longer it can start giving problems. You get enough energy and nutrients. Your body will then use the reserve stocks held. In adipose and muscle tissueThat means your fat and muscles are broken down. You will be thinner and weaker and falls off. You will be more tired and have less desire to eat well and exercise. It becomes increasingly difficult to get fit again.
If you inadvertently steadily losing weight, for example three pounds in one month, then we speak of malnutrition.
Even if you (still) are not skinny, you are already malnourished. Even then it may be canceled due to lack of food fat and muscle tissue.
How is malnutrition?
If you hardly eat a week, you fall off. Malnutrition occurs when you have too little and unhealthy eating long time. Your appetite may be less, for example by illness, pain or worry. During illness or restore your body consumes more energy and nutrients. The chances of you losing weight unintentionally, is bigger. Even with diarrhea or vomiting you fall faster because your body can not absorb nutrition properly.Several causes are unintentionally losing weight:
-Long-term (chronic) diseases such as COPD or heart failure;
-Cancer;
-Prolonged pain;
-Recovery after major surgery or illness;
-Prolonged use of medications (eg, depression, psychosis or diabetes);
-Drug use;
-Smoking;
-Drink a lot of alcohol;
-Sadness, depression, loneliness, sadness, serious tension or stress;
-Memory (dementia);
-Loss of taste or smell;
-Chewing or swallowing problems;
-Bad to walk or move, so you can buy or prepare any food.
What are the symptoms of malnutrition?
Undernutrition you fall in a few weeks, a few pounds off. You feel so tired and listless. You can also suffer from vertigo.Probably you eat long been less regular and less healthy. You have less appetite or you can not get the food on. You might find it difficult to do the shopping and cook a treat.
What can you do against malnutrition yourself?
It is usually not so easy to go back to eating. Enough and healthy It can help the following advice to someone (family, your GP), to participate. ByHealthy eating
*Ensure that you eat healthy and enough. Write a few days all that you eat and drink at any time of day and how much about. So not only meals but also snacks and drinks in between. Your doctor and then discuss how you might customize to achieve. Enough energy and nutrients in your food habits
*Check out the featured basic diet and see if you yourself due to this amount of food. Customize your shopping list if necessary.
-Ensure a supply of healthy food. If you do not own shopping whether a good neighbor, friend or family to help you with this. Often, others find it just fine if they can help, for example by doing. Together or you messages The stock of healthy foods for the days when you can not run errands.
Pay attention to the meals
*Eat at fixed times, at least three meals a day, preferably at fixed times. If this is you are bad, you can take small meals five to six times a day. If someone you care for everyday, you can make it an eating plan with three, four or even six times a day just to eat something at fixed times.
*Make the food tasty and cozy. As the food you resent it can be difficult to maintain. Daily meals full Think of ways making it easier and more attractive. Provide variety in eating and choose above all healthy things that you like.
*Agree that you are going to cook together. Someone Try new recipes and eat it together. Fun and good food will help.
Do not force but see if you can make. One step every day Then you will feel fitter self.
Make your life easier
*Choose food that is easy to prepare. In almost every supermarket you can buy healthy food that partially or completely prepared. Precut vegetables and boiled potatoes are fine. If you use more ready-made meals, take extra raw vegetables or a piece of fruit or fruit puree with meals. Or take a regular salad.
If you have little strength or move difficult, adapted utensils handy. For example, a special lightning and Jar opener and afgietdeksel easy to handle. In home care you can get information about these tools.
*If necessary, deliver your hot meal at home. Make sure that you order in a case watching healthy diet. You can also use the catering, such as meals on wheels. Usually there is a drop down menu. Through general practice, home care or the local paper, you can find out the address of meals on wheels or other meals caregivers in your area. Try, if possible, between even cook yourself.
Provide sufficient exercise
*Exercise regularly. Make everyday a walk or do, if you can not go out, a few exercises for the open window. This makes you feel fitter and have more appetite.
See if it works to end each day to move. Extra half an hour Try other ways of moving, such as cycling, swimming or gardening.
Stop smoking
*Do not smoke or eat in a smoke free environment. Then you taste more and the food tastes you better.
The recommended basic nutrition
With these foods, you are getting enough energy (calories) and nutrients. Use the list when you go shopping or do leave.
Nutritious foods - Use average per day:
*Least 1 ½ liters of drinking water which 500 ml of milk (= 3 glasses) or milk. If you are over 70, you may 650 ml. Take preferably drinks where calories and nutrients in it, such as whole milk, fruit juices and breakfast beverages. Do not take diet products or drinks that are sweetened with sweetener.*6 or 7 slices of brown bread or whole grain bread (or substitute for bread); over 50 years you can have 5 or 6 slices; over 70 years, 4 or 5 slices.
*1 ½ slice of cheese (30 grams).
*1 slice of meat (15 grams).
*2 servings of fruit (200 grams) or freshly squeezed fruit such as orange juice.
*4-5 potatoes or 4-5 large spoons (or 200-250 grams) cooked rice, pasta or legumes; over 50 years, do 3-4 spoons (or 150-200 grams); over 70 years, 2-4 spoons (or 100-200 grams).
*3 to 4 large spoons of vegetables (200 grams).
*(100 grams) of meat, fish, poultry, egg or vegetable product, such as tofu or tempeh.
*5 grams of margarine or butter per sandwich.
*15 grams of liquid cooking fat or oil to the hot meal ready.
Replacement of bread
It will usually not be able to immediately get five slices of bread a day to eat. Maybe it helps if you replace a sandwich by:
*A bowl of porridge, such as oat, semolina, rice or karnemelksepap;
*A bowl of yogurt with muesli or fruit;
*2 biscuits or slices of crispbread;
*1 slice of dried raisins or bread;
*1 slice rye bread;
*1 slice of gingerbread.
Extra vitamins and minerals
Where necessary, take extra meat or cheese on bread, and whole milk or yogurt in between meals. Foods with extra vitamins and minerals, or products that replace the power supply (nutritional drink) are rarely needed.
In severe malnutrition, the dietitian can prescribe these products.
Healthy food in stock
Provide stock healthy foods in the house for the days you are unable to messages (to) do.
Choose as a feedstock for a snack:
*bread in the freezer; rusks, rye bread or crispbread;
*meats prepackaged or frozen;
*muesli, muesli or Brinta;
*long life (sterilized) milk, yoghurt drinks or chocolate;
*tub margarine;
*(grease) cheese or a piece of cheese;
*jar of jam, apple syrup and / or honey.
Choose as a feedstock for the hot meal:
*rice or pasta;
*meat, fish, chicken or turkey in the freezer;
*a box of eggs;
*frozen vegetables or vegetable in tin or jar (eg tomato sauce.)
*margarine or oil;
*fruit or fruit puree in jar or tin.
What next with malnutrition?
Weigh you once a week on the same scales. So you can track changes in your weight.If you lose a lot of unintended, discuss your GP and you regularly how it goes. General practice can guide and support further.
Sometimes it is necessary that the dietitian can help you with the selection and composition of your diet. You will also get tips on eating easier for you to make.