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Gastroparesis is a condition in which the contents of a person’s stomach empty too slowly, leading to bloating, and other symptoms which can make it difficult to eat. The condition can also prevent the body of a person from absorbing enough nutrients from food. Senior health experts say that many medical conditions including diabetes can contribute to gastroparesis. In some situations, gastroparesis can be confused with other digestive disorders like dysphagia, making it difficult to slow.

Medical experts make use of many tests to measure the rate of food leaving the stomach of a person to find out if the person suffers from gastroparesis. Scintigraphy is one of the most common tests and in this test, the person eats a small meal containing radioactive material. The person is then placed in front of a scanner which is capable of detecting the radioactive material in the food and tracking its passage through the stomach. Some other diagnostic tools are ultrasounds, GI endoscopes, and breath tests. Below, our nursing care experts share some tips to help your senior loved one adjust to dietary changes to reduce their symptoms.

Tips For A Gastroparesis Diet

Though there is no cure for gastroparesis, dietary changes and medications can help relieve the condition and improve the overall health and wellness of the person. Before choosing a gastroparesis diet, you need to understand that no one gastroparesis diet can work for everyone. Therefore, a major part of the process of finding out what reduces the symptoms of your senior loved one is introducing small quantities of various food items throughout the day and finding how well the stomach of the person tolerates the food items.

Some general guidelines to keep up with a gastroparesis diet are:

• Staying hydrated and drinking enough fluids
• Thoroughly chewing food items
• Avoiding the consumption of alcohol
• Sitting upright while having food
• Reding the intake of fat and fiber without completely cutting them out
• Eating smaller and more frequent meals to ensure proper nutrition

The main aim of these dietary guidelines is to decrease the level of irritation and pressure on the stomach of your senior loved one during the process of digestion. Senior health experts also recommend limiting the intake of fat to no more than fifty grams per day and avoiding food items that are overly fibrous.

Bottom Line

The human digestive system is very complex and gastroparesis can be a difficult condition to manage. This can be especially true for people who are newly diagnosed. By devising a customized meal plan and reintroducing food items slowly, you can reduce the symptoms of gastroparesis and achieve a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.