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Home Diets During Sickness |
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When someone in the family is
sick at home the doctor may prescribe a liquid
diet. The following definitions and lists of
food allowed on these diets will be helpful
guides. It is advisable, however, to consult
your doctor about these diets and foods because
he may add to or omit some of the foods
according to his knowledge of the patient needs. |
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Liquid Diets - usually
given at beginning of the illness or when the
patient is very week or when there are digestive
upsets. There are two degrees of Liquid Diets as
follows. |
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Clear Liquid Diet - which
has little nutritive value, hence a very
temporary diet. Foods included are clear liquids
(no food particles), fat-free broths (chicken,
beef), tea or coffee with or without sugar but
no milk or cream, occasionally clear
fruit-flavored gelatin dessert, or ginger ale as
doctor allows. |
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Full Liquid Diet - (also
temporary), which supplies more nutritive
elements than clear diet. Foods allowed may
include strained fruit or vegetable juice,
strained cooked cereal (i.e. oatmeal gruel),
milk, buttermilk, eggnog, tea, coffee or coffee
substitutes with or without sugar, cocoa clear
fruit-flavored gelatin desserts, vanilla
cornstarch pudding and frozen desserts. |
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Soft Diet - usually given
following the liquid diets; include all foods on
liquid diets plus cooked or canned fruits (no
skins or seeds), bananas, applesauce, stewed
apple slices (no skin), cooked or ready-to-eat
cereals, enriched white bread, soda crackers,
cooked macaroni or spaghetti lightly seasoned,
ground beef or lamb broiled, minced chicken or
meat, (occasionally) tender chicken or fish;
sweetbreads, soft-cooked or poached eggs, milk,
light cream, butter, cottage or cream cheese,
Cheddar cheese used in cooking, cooked
vegetables, potatoes baked (no skin), mashed,
scalloped, fruit-flavored gelatins plain or with
cooked fruits plain cookies, milk beverages,
honey, jelly, cornstarch puddings. |
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Light Diet - which follows
the soft diet. Foods allowed include any foods
on the liquid or soft diets plus fresh citrus
fruits, enriched whole-wheat bread, broths and
milk soups strained or unstrained, tender beef,
lamb, veal steaks or chops, bacon, tender
chicken, sweetbreads, liver (broiled), eggs
soft-cooked or poached, tomato and lettuce
salad, canned fruit and lettuce salads. |
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LOW SODIUM DIET |
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The doctor may prescribe a low
salt or low sodium diet for a temporary or long
period. If he means a moderate low salt diet ask
him if any salt may be used in cooking. A
moderate low salt diet includes no salt
sprinkled or shaken on foods. Also all salted
foods such as bacon, ham, some salted crackers,
salted butter, salted breads, rolls and bread
sticks must be omitted. If the doctor prescribes
a more strict low sodium diet, he will advise
you further as to foods allowed or to be omitted
and sources of information. However, the
following suggestions for seasonings and
flavorings which may be used on any sodium diet
may be helpful. |
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Dry Mustard - (but not
prepared mustard) may be used freely to season
ground meat patties, meat loaves, sauces,
unsalted tomato juice, eggs, some casserole
mixture of meats or vegetable. |
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Powdered Onions - is also
very helpful in seasoning meat and other foods. |
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Spices - with few
exceptions, may be used for flavorings. |
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Lemon - Wedges or juice
increases the flavor of many meats and
vegetables dishes. |
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Sugar - (white) added
lightly to many cooked vegetables gives added
flavor. |
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Flavoring Extracts - such
as vanilla, rum and peppermint, give flavor to
desserts. |
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Ready-to-Eat Cereals -
which are normally unsalted include puffed rice
and puffed wheat, and may be used freely as
cereals, may be crushed and used as toppings for
some desserts and garnishes on soups. |
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SERVING ATTRACTIVE MEALS
TO THE INVALID |
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Attractive meals served nicely in
pleasant surroundings tell the invalid that
somebody cares and is given him special
attention. Also, they have certain appetite
appeal that may even aid good digestion. Here
are a few suggestions to help you prepare meals
for the invalid. |
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Understand fully just what foods
the invalid can and cannot have and the reason
why. If you do not know, ask your doctor or a
local hospital dietitian. |
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Be pleasant but very strict about
food gifts from well-meaning friends and
relatives |
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Use the "baby" size enameled
double boiler for cooking many small-serving
recipes. |
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Serve small portions to invalid
to encourage eating. |
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If the tap water is your
community is distasteful to the invalid because
of heavy chlorination or other reasons. Serve
him bottled spring water and use this for making
his tea or coffee. |
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Be particular about serving hot
foods hot and cold foods cold. |
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Prepare or serve foods in
bite-size pieces so that invalid has no
difficulty in cutting. |
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Serve foods, including liquid, in
dishes that will not tip easily. |
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