 |
 |
Thank you for the information. I will forward this information on to him. He was drinking the Hearty Balance drinks, but I don't think he cares for the flavor. He is pretty stubborn about what he will and will not eat or drink. Do you have any other suggestions? And, how can I get him to remember to snack and eat meals regularly. He has a pretty busy schedule, and sometimes he won't eat anything until 5:00 in the evening. He says he is rarely hungry, and he "forgets" to eat. I live out of town so it's hard for me to check up on him. And, when I do, he gets upset at me for nagging at him. Thanks again, Leslie > ---------- > From: Kathrynne Holden, MS,RD[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 1997 5:45 PM > To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN > Subject: Re: Welcome (fwd) > > > My father was diagnosed with PD about five years ago (when he was > 45). > > The main > > thing I am concerned with is his weight loss. Over the last several > > years, he has gone from 200 to about 160. He has tried several of > the > > high calorie drinks, but nothing seems to work. (He often forgets > to > > drink the drinks, or he'll drink the drink but then won't be hungry > for > > the next meal.) And, his weight has not stabilized; he continues to > > lose weight. Do you have any suggestions? > > Dear Leslie, > You're right, your father would feel better and probably have more > energy, if he ate better. If he's using Sinemet, ask him to try just > 1/2 > can of Hearty Balance drink between meals. That shouldn't ruin his > appetite, and also shouldn't interfere with the Sinemet. Also, a dish > of > ice cream before bed may help. Eating small, frequent meals will > provide a steady supply of blood glucose for energy, and may help with > weight regain. > > With a 40-lb weight loss, there is a strong possibility he may be > depleted of vitamins and minerals, especially the water-soluble > vitamins. If he's not taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement, I > would > definitely check with his doctor to see if this would be advisable for > him. A B complex may be indicated also. And I'd suggest > calcium-fortified orange juice, to help maintain bone strength. > > My very best regards to you and your father, > Kathrynne > > > -- > Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD > Editor-in-Chief, > "Spotlight on Food--nutrition news for people 60-plus" > http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar > and NUTRITION TOPICS copy-ready handouts > http://www.dietetics.com/class/fivstar/ > Tel: 970-493-6532 Fax: 970-493-6538 >