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.
If a family member is suffering from a disease in
which diet is a prominent part of the treatment, it is
important to follow the diet exactly as the doctor
prescribes it. Since food helps the body to make repairs
and thus to hasten recovery, the modified diet must meet
the usual nutritional needs and the extra needs of the
illness and convalescence, must tempt the patient’s
appetite, and be easily digested. The good convalescent
diet is always planned around the same protective foods
that make for an adequate diet. In illness cause by
infection and injury, the requirement for ascorbic acid
(vitamin C) is increased since it favors resistance to
infection and promotes the healing of wounds. In fever,
the need for calories, ascorbic acid, and thiamine
(vitamin B) is greater.
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