Nourishing those with Parkinson’s disease & swallowing difficulty
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is one of the more well-known progressive neurodegenerative conditions due in part to Mike J Fox and Muhammad Ali. Attention often focuses on the motor/movement features of PD, however non-motor features may also become involved e.g. changes in behavior, sleep, and sensation (1). Swallowing and saliva difficulties are common symptoms that […]
Malnutrition screening – essential for detecting nutrition problems at an early stage
Malnutrition in New Zealand is a real problem, especially in the older population. National studies illustrate malnutrition affects 20 to 50 percent of older adults in the health care setting [1-5], and up to 31 percent in the community [6]. It is an issue that is often underrecognized and undertreated [7]. It is associated with […]
Dementia care – Dining with dignity
Most would agree that food and mealtimes are deeply social experiences, which are embedded at the core of many religions and belief systems. They are part of our daily living and we simply couldn’t survive without them. Dementia is one of many degenerative neurological conditions that can affect the ease at which someone is able […]
Enhancing our meals with food fortification
When you think about malnutrition, heart wrenching images of extremely unhappy looking, thin, bony and famished individuals come to mind. Some years ago, while working as the Chief Dietitian in a hospital in the Sultanate of Oman, I worked with many malnourished children with these exact signs and symptoms. Fortunately the treatment was simple, education […]
Delicious and nourishing food for those who have had bariatric surgery
Bariatric surgery (often known as weight loss surgery) is becoming increasingly more common as the population increases in weight. Government funding for bariatric surgery has increased significantly over the past 10 years with some DHB’s now offering up to 200 bariatric surgeries a year. After surgery individuals work with a dietitian and are encouraged to […]