Good Nutrition

Planning, preparing and executing a week of healthy dinners can be a challenging task at the best of times. For those who have recently experienced an injury and are fresh out of rehab, preparing a week of healthy meals can seem almost impossible. But good nutrition is essential especially for this particular cohort of people. Instead of making radical changes to your diet, take a look at what you’re consuming on a daily basis and try to eliminate one or two high-calorie food products. Substituting poor food choices with healthy, high-protein snacks such as nuts will make all the difference to your body.

Important nutrients, such as protein are necessary for maintaining muscle mass, fighting infections and preventing skin breakdown.Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures. As a consequence of loss of sensation, skin is at a risk of breakdown. Skin damage can develop within 30minutes. A person with paraylsis cannot feel the pressure or shearing of prolonged sitting or lying in one position or the presence of pain or heat against the body. Pressure causes the loss of blood supply to the area, which can ultimately result in necrosis. Heat can quickly burn and destroy tissues. Shearing can destroy the underlying tissue. Any combination of the above will hasten breakdown. Following a special nutritional diet and performing weight shifts are some of the methods used to manage pressure sores.

Reasonable Goals- The key to changing a behaviour is to set reasonable goals that can be accomplished.Weight loss is not a quick 5kg drop that most people will gain back by the end of the year. It’s a slow consistent reduction by making two primary changes in your life – moving more and eating smarter.

Eliminate One or Two Fattening Foods– Some experts recommend that an effective way to lose weight is to eliminate one or two high-fat foods that are driving up your daily calorie intake. You’ll be amazed at how much weight you can lose by replacing a calorically dense food with one that has very few calories. A mocha with chocolate syrup, 3spoons of sugar, cream and full fat milk can have close to 400calories. If you switched to a flat white on skimmed milk this will reduce the calories to 70 calories and almost no fat. 

Ideas- Sit down with a friend and create a series of weekly meals specific for individuals who need less preparation and high nutrition.

-Look at purchasing high nutrient foods and less 
calorically dense food.

-If shopping time is a problem, some large supermarkets offer online shopping and delivery for afew euro at non peek times, allowing for an easier shopping experience.