Table of contents:
- Side effects of stroke can cause decreased appetite
- Good food consumed during stroke therapy
- Also pay attention to food intake after treatment is over
- 1. Limit consumption of salt
- 2. Choose foods with good fats
- 3. Pay attention to the appropriate portion
Stroke is a condition of blockage of blood flow to the brain, so that brain tissue is deprived of oxygen and slowly begins to die. Stroke is a condition that can be life threatening and can cause permanent damage. Food is very important to pay attention to when someone has a stroke. The reason is, not all food or drink is good for consumption. Then, what foods should be consumed during and after stroke therapy?
Side effects of stroke can cause decreased appetite
Stroke patients generally have difficulty eating because their nerves make them unable to chew or swallow food properly. Therefore, diet planning for stroke patients must be considered.
When a person has a stroke and has to undergo treatment in the hospital, usually the food that must be consumed will be arranged by a nutritionist who is included in the medical team. Patients who have had a stroke, must follow certain dietary principles in accordance with their conditions. There are several types of strokes, from mild to severe strokes. Of course, each type of stroke will require different foods.
Good food consumed during stroke therapy
The best diet for diabetes patients is a low-fat diet accompanied by low salt, especially if the patient has a history of hypertension.
Patients who have difficulty eating, usually will be given soft food. If the patient cannot swallow at all, the medical team will provide liquid food. However, once again this depends on each patient's condition.
In general, patients are not advised to consume:
- 25-30% fat from the total calorie requirement per day, provided that 7% of saturated fat and the rest is unsaturated fat.
- If you have high blood pressure or have edema (swelling in the body due to fluid buildup), you should only consume 3-5 grams of salt per day.
- Avoid foods that are difficult to digest and contain lots of gas, such as cabbage, broccoli, and cucumber.
- At least 25 grams of fiber per day to prevent constipation
Also pay attention to food intake after treatment is over
Once you are allowed to go home, it does not mean that you can return to being free to eat whatever you want. You must stick to dietary principles in order to prevent future strokes. A study involving 11,862 people with a history of stroke, stated that proper dietary arrangement and planning after stroke therapy was successful in preventing recurrent stroke attacks in 62% of patients.
Therefore, there are a number of things you should do at home after undergoing stroke therapy, namely:
1. Limit consumption of salt
For those of you who have a history of stroke, you should avoid using excessive salt and consuming foods or drinks that contain high sodium. The high amount of sodium in salt and packaged foods is one of the triggers for blood vessel disorders that occur to you.
If not controlled, you could have a second stroke or even a sudden heart attack. The allowable consumption of sodium in one day is not more than 230 mg. However, if you have high blood pressure, you usually consume no more than 1800 mg of sodium. Indeed, this limit depends on the condition of each patient. If you want to know more details, you can check with your doctor then ask a nutritionist to help you make your daily diet.
2. Choose foods with good fats
High saturated fat in the body, will only make cholesterol levels rise. This then makes a person prone to stroke or sudden heart attack. Therefore, from now on, avoid foods that contain high saturated fat, for example fried foods deep friying, lard on meat, offal, and chicken skin.
Instead, foods for stroke that are good for consumption are nuts that contain good fats, such as almonds. Or, you can also rely on avocado and salmon as food sources of unsaturated fat.
3. Pay attention to the appropriate portion
If indeed you have trouble eating, then you should reduce portions but increase the frequency of your meals in one day. adjust the food consumed with the calorie needs you have. If you are confused, you can consult a nutritionist in making a proper diet plan during and after stroke therapy.
