Nutritional Buyer's Guide: CareAid Medical & Wellness Supplies

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CAREAID BUYER’S GUIDE NUTRITION & NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Nutritional Products Getting the nourishment you need from your diet is extremely important to your overall health and wellness, especially if you are recovering from an injury, recovering from a procedure, or fighting a health condition. However, meeting your nutritional needs and staying hydrated can be a challenge for many, including those rehabbing, those with disabilities, and the aging.

At CareAid, we offer hundreds of nutritional products and nutritional supplements that can help patients stay nourished and healthy no matter their abilities and no matter their challenges. From healthy snacks that are great for diabetics, to liquid supplements that provide meals for those with feeding tubes, we are here to help you and your loved ones thrive on a healthy diet filled with the vitamins, minerals, and calories that your body needs to flourish.

Pinpointing Your Nutritional Needs Different people have different nutritional needs. At the same time, different people may have different barriers and different challenges to achieving proper nutrition.

Nutritional needs of four groups of people who regularly utilize vitamins and other nutritional supplements.

Nutrition for Older Adults Your nutritional needs change slightly as you age. For example, seniors need fewer calories than younger individuals but more fiber (which can be found in whole fruits, vegetables, and grains). Seniors also need more Vitamin D in order to fight health conditions like osteoporosis. Finally, it is important to note that seniors may be suffering from chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which require some dietary changes. Seniors may also be suffering from issues with their teeth and mouth, making it more difficult for them to get the nutrients they need.

Nutrition for Those With Diabetes People of all ages living with diabetes must carefully watch their blood sugar and calorie intake in order to stay as healthy as possible. Those with diabetes need to focus on eating around five small meals per day, carefully balancing their intake of carbs, proteins, sugars, and fats. Most importantly, they need to keep their blood sugar level by pairing a few grams of carbs with fiber and protein for each of their meals and snacks.

Nutrition for Those With Dentures or Oral Health Issues Those with dentures, extensive dental work, jaw injuries, or other oral health issues may have trouble eating or chewing their food. All too often, people with oral or dental conditions do not get the proper amount of nutrients because they avoid foods that are traditionally hard to chew, such as whole grains, foods with fiber, or lean proteins. These patients may need supplements such as a liquid meal replacement, a vitamin, or a fiber supplement.

Nutrition for Those With Dementia or Alzheimer’s A person living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other mental health issues may have difficulty in choosing the right foods, eating the right amount, or using utensils effectively. They may also be overwhelmed with food choices.

Caregivers can help their loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer’s by giving them nutritional supplements, buying prepared foods that contain vitamins and minerals, and perhaps pureeing or thickening foods.

Choosing The Right Nutritional Supplements Tablet vitamins and supplements Tablets and gel tabs are a very traditional way for people of all ages and abilities to get the nutrients that they need quickly and efficiently. From multivitamins to fish oil, tablet supplements are ideal for those who want to ensure they are getting enough of a vitamin, mineral, or other substance each day.

Let your doctor know about which vitamins and supplements you are taking, as some may alter the effectiveness of your prescribed medicines.

Also, if you are taking multiple tablets or gels each day, organize them with a daily or weekly pill organizer.

Finally, if you or your loved one have difficulty swallowing pills, consider a different type of supplement.

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Supplement drinks and meal replacements Liquid supplement drinks are an ideal choice for those who want an easy way to consume their daily vitamins and other nutrients in a quick, efficient, or easy manner. Brands like Boost, Ensure, Glucerna, and Carnation all specialize in making flavored liquid meals that involve no preparation and that are easy to drink quickly. These drinks and shakes are good choices for; • Those who have issues with chewing or swallowing.

• Those who do not have the time or ability to prepare a meal.

• Those who need a quick but nutritious meal.

• Those who may not be getting all of the vitamins and minerals they need in their daily diet.

• Those who have a feeding tube.

If you are purchasing liquid supplements for someone who has a feeding tube, there are specially formulated, unflavored varieties to choose from (see below).

Nutritional powders Like liquid supplements, nutritional powders are used by those looking for a fast, easy, and convenient way to get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that they need. Powders come in flavors like chocolate and vanilla, though unflavored powders are also available. Some powders mix into a drink or shake that can replace or supplement a meal like breakfast, while other powders have a specific function, such as fiber drinks.

Nutritional powders are available from a number of brands, including: • Boost • Ensure • Glucerna • Carnation • Vivonex • Tolerex • Nutrisource • ProCel Powders are also available for use with feeding tube patients.

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Nutritional snacks and bars Two alternatives to nutritional liquids and powders are nutritional puddings and bars. This is a good choice for those who do not require a liquid supplement and for those who would like to enjoy something more substantial than a drink or shake. Puddings and bars still have the convenience and ease of other nutritional supplements, but they are more like regular food products and come in a larger variety of flavors and textures.

Some bars or puddings have specific uses. For example, Glucerna bars are specially formulated for those with diabetes who may need low-carb, high protein nutrients when they are out and about. On the other hand, ensure makes a vanilla pudding that is high-calorie for those who may need to get extra fuel from their supplements.

Food thickeners People who have difficulty chewing and people who suffer from dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, may require a food thickener in order to safely and effectively get the nutrition that they need throughout the day. For those who experience painful swallowing or difficulty swallowing, there is a risk of choking or aspirating (when liquid or food enters the lungs). These risk could be fatal or could lead to complications like aspiration pneumonia.

Many thickeners are cornstarch-based and can be used in hot liquids, cold liquids, and purees. The amount of powder that you utilize will determine the thickness of your food or drink.

Thickened and Pureed foods Many supplement companies also produce pre-thickened or pureed readyto-eat foods and drinks for those on a diet that requires easy to chew or easy to swallow foods. These foods come in a variety of thicknesses, such as honey consistency or nectar consistency. A few examples of these products include: • Unflavored thickened water.

• Thickened coffee beverage.

• Thickened orange juice and apple juice.

• Canned pureed peas and carrots.

• Canned pureed chicken.

• Canned pureed apple pie.

Tube feeding liquids (enteral nutrition) There are a number of long-term and short-term reasons that a person may require a feeding tube in order to get the calories and nutrients that they need. For these patients, there are a number of liquid nutritional supplements and meal replacements specially formulated for enteral nutrition. They are usually unflavored, though some flavored meal replacements can be used for tube feeding.

Different enteral nutrient supplements are made with patients with different needs in mind. For example, there are tube feeding liquids that are for: • Those who require a large amount of calories.

• Those who do not tolerate carbs well.

• Those with severely compromised digestive systems.

• Those with fluid restrictions.

• Those who need more fiber.

• Those who need more protein.

• Children.

The Two Big Questions To Ask When Buying Nutritional Supplements What are my nutritional needs (or the nutritional needs of my loved one)?

Before choosing nutritional supplements for you or your loved one, talk to your doctor about your specific nutritional needs based on the following factors: Age • General health and wellness.

• Specific health conditions.

• Need for fiber.

• Need for specific vitamins (such as Vitamin D).

• Need for limited carbs/sugar.

• Hydration needs.

• Ability to chew food.

• Ability to swallow food.

• Ability to use utensils.

• Mental ability.

• Mobility.

Depending on your medical history and the recommendations of your doctor, you may also wish to speak to a nutritionist or dietitian to better understand your needs.

What are the barriers I (or my loved one) have to getting the nutrition I need?

Especially as we age, there may be barriers that prevent us from easily getting the nutrients and vitamins we need. These barriers could include: • You do not have the time to prepare healthful food.

• You do not have the ability to shop for or prepare healthful food.

• You cannot effectively chew certain foods.

•• You cannot effectively swallow certain foods.

You need to keep your blood sugar level low.

• You do not have the ability to use utensils.

• You need assistance in order to eat.

• You have a feeding tube.

Based on your answers after reviewing the buyers guide, you will be able to better understand which nutritional supplements are right for you or your loved one.

Browse our broad selection of nutritional items store.careaidmedicalsupplies.com/Catalog/9427/Nutritionals.html to learn more, and feel free to contact our Customer Service Team if you have a question or need assistance.

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