Dysphagia is a serious issue that impacts between 300,000 and 700,000 people across America. This condition, characterized by difficulty with normal swallowing, can have a significant negative impact on daily life and lead to potentially severe complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, and even aspiration pneumonia.
The good news is that there are ways to overcome swallowing disorders and live better with dysphagia. Learn about the daily dietary guidelines for this serious condition and find tips for dealing with a swallowing disorder below.
Understanding Dysphagia Diet Levels
There are seven levels of dysphagia diets, which range from regular consistency to thin liquids. They are:
- Level 7 – regular consistency
- Level 6 – soft and bite-sized
- Level 5 – minced and moist
- Level 4 – pureed solids or extremely thick liquids
- Level 3 – liquidized solids or moderately thick liquids
- Level 2 – mildly thick liquids
- Level 1 – thin liquids
Dysphagia patients can get information about what diet level they should be following from the physician treating their swallowing disorder. From there, patients or their caregivers can begin to come up with a daily dietary plan that will ensure sufficient nutrition without posing swallowing risks. This is often accomplished with the help of a nutritionist or dietician.
Preparing Food for Better Swallowing
Accommodating a dysphagia diet requires altering the texture of food for better swallowing, often through crushing or pureeing. While the approach to modifying food differs from patient to patient, the overall goal is always the same. Caregivers must aim to achieve a consistency that allows their patients to swallow food safely.
Softening Foods
For high-level dysphagia diets, softening regular foods is a viable way to achieve the goal of making it safe to eat. In most cases, a food processor or a regular blender is all it takes to soften cooked foods. Just be sure that the dish does not have hard pieces that could interfere with swallowing before giving it to the patient.
Dividing Portions
Dividing portions can make food more manageable to swallow. It reduces strain on the muscles and makes it easier for food to pass through the esophagus. Patients should also be advised to eat mindfully and slowly.
Enriching the Food
Pureed foods and liquid diets can lack nutrition if they’re not adequately enriched. For higher-level dysphagia diets, adding melted butter or sauce to softened foods can make the food smoother, enrich the flavor, and add extra nutrients or calories.
Thickening Liquids for Safe Swallowing
In some cases, liquids must be thickened to ensure safe ingestion. This applies to thin liquids like juice, milk, coffee, tea, water, and other beverages. Some soups also need to be thickened for patients with severe dysphagia. In this case, the point is to help avoid the introduction of liquid into the airway.
Choose a thickener that is designed specifically for dysphagia diets. The right thickener will taste good, be convenient to use and easy to mix, and be suitable for specialized diets. Look for one that is vegan, gluten-free, and free from common allergens. There is no reason to settle for anything less than an ideal thin liquid thickening agent for dysphagia patients.
The Importance of Consulting a Professional
Dysphagia is a condition that can be easily managed at home, but only if patients and their caregivers have a clear idea of how to prepare foods and drinks for safe ingestion. Consult with a physician or a specialized dietician before making changes to a patient’s dysphagia diet, and pay attention while they are consuming foods and beverages to make sure they do not choke.
