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About 15 different minerals are essential to the
functioning of the body systems, and all of them can be
obtained from food or drink. The three most likely to be
in short supply in the diet are calcium, iron, and
iodine, sometimes called the critical minerals. Read complete section:
Essential Minerals
Meal Planning
Planning good meals for the entire family, whether
sick or well, is well worth the time and thought it
takes, not only because appetizing meals are popular but
also because food is important to the maintenance of
good health. Good food is not always the most expensive
food. Proper preparation and the judicious use of
imagination in seasoning with herbs and flavoring can
make inexpensive foods attractive and enjoyable as well
as nourishing. The art of being a good cook is an asset
to any homemaker. Read complete section:
Meal Planning
Food for the Sick
Food is an important part of medical treatment for
the patient. While it is the doctor’s responsibility to
decide what kind of food the patient may have, it is the
home nurse’s responsibility to see that the food served
him retains its nutritive value. She must also see that
the food is so well prepared and attractively served
that the patient will want to eat. Some patients will
need help in feeding themselves, and this assistance
should be provided as necessary. The home nurse should
observe and report to the doctor the amount of food
eaten by the patient, any variation in his appetite, and
any gain or loss in his weight. Read complete section:
Food for the Sick
The Doctor's Diet Orders
It is best to ask the doctor to write all his orders,
including the kind of diet the patient may have. The
home nurse has many responsibilities and should not rely
on memory in carrying out the doctor’s orders. When the
doctor prescribes a liquid, soft, light, or full diet
there should be clear understanding of what foods may be
included. Since food is an important part of the
treatment in many illnesses, the doctor’s instructions
as to diet should be followed with as much care as those
given for medicine. Read complete section:
The Doctor's
Diet Orders
Kinds of Diet
When the doctor prescribes a liquid, soft, light, or
full diet, there should be a full understanding of what
foods are included. Read complete section:
Kinds of Diet
Modifying a Regular Diet to Meet Special Needs
The special or modified diet is an adaptation of
regular diet in that the foods are modified in
nutritional value, physical consistency or texture,
flavor, ways of preparing and serving, or by a
combination of these factors. Many times diets can be
adapted by making one or more simple changes in regular
family meals. Read complete section:
Modifying a Regular Diet to Meet Special Needs
Feeding the Patient on a Liquid Diet
A liquid diet is often prescribed for the patient who
is acutely ill, who is suffering from some
gastro-intestinal condition, who has had surgery, or who
for some reason is unable to swallow solid food. To
satisfy nutritional requirements of the body, the
patient on a liquid diet should be offered frequent
feedings. Read complete section:
Feeding the Patient on a Liquid Diet
Feeding the Convalescent
Human beings require adequate amounts of all
nutrients to maintain health, and hunger and appetite
are the factors that encourage one to eat. Frequently
the person who is beginning to convalesce has lost his
appetite, and it is hard to find foods that he will
enjoy. Eating is usually a pleasant experience,
particularly if the food is appetizing, served in a
manner that has eye appeal, and if it smells good. Most
people dislike eating alone. Read complete section:
Feeding the
Convalescent
Feeding the Sick Baby or Child
When children are sick, they are apt to be fussy
about food, so it appears sensible not to be too
insistent about their eating, and to offer small amounts
of food. A child not acutely ill will appreciate food
served in unusual ways and on different china with color
full napkins and tray covers. Read complete section:
Feeding
the Sick Baby or Child
Feeding the Aged and the Patient With a Long-Term
Illness
Although the nutritional needs of people remain the
same throughout life, the caloric requirement and
probably the total amount of essential foods become less
with increasing age. It is important for the older
person’s diet to be fully adequate so that his body is
supplied with all the essential nutrients. Read complete section:
Feeding the Aged and the Patient With a Long-Term
Illness
See also:
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