Nutrition for caregivers is a challenge. Eating right is always a challenge. High calorie, carbohydrate rich foods are convenient and taste best. Fast food is a constant temptation to those who are already tired.
Emotional eating may be a factor. Eating for comfort is a quick fix that can lead to more guilt and a larger waist line. Several people do the opposite and lose their appetite and not eat enough.
Of coarse you’ve heard all this before. Let this be a gentle reminder in your care giving journey. Give yourself time to fuel your body so you can think better and have the energy you need to care for your loved one.
Nutritious Choices
- Have plenty of fruit available for a quick snack or a quick breakfast
- What’s your favorite vegetable? Have some handy in the freezer for quick prep.
- Find your crock pot and put it to work. At the end of a tiring day you’ll have a nutritious dinner.
- Have a salad night. If you’re too tired to prepare one there are plenty of alternatives to add a salad.
- Buy a ready made salad at the grocery store
- As a fast food alternative order a salad instead of a hamburger
Maybe you enjoy cooking. Give yourself permission to enjoy that activity. Have a friend help you with your loved one while you cook, or just keep you company.
Friends would love to help you. But they don’t know what you need. Ask them to prepare a nutritious meal for you.
In conclusion, eat for health, not pleasure or as an emotional fix. Small changes add up. Try a little at a time, one day at a time.
Prayer for the Caregiver
Father, I pray for the wife, husband, son, daughter or other person caring for their loved one in need. Provide them with all the energy they need for this day. Help them to make healthy choices as they fill their body with the food you have provided. Help them to make healthy choices so that they might have the strength they need to provide continual care.
© 2019, Nanette M. Holloway, All Rights Reserved
