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Managing Dysphagia on holiday

 Swallowing issues aren't easy to manage, though they are manageable with a little practice.

Our advice is to work with food, not against it. Listen to your body. Experiment with food. 

For Tony foods with sauces / gravy work best. At home things like cottage pie, rice pudding, ragu, are go to meals and cause little to no issue.

That's at home, and we're in Fuerteventura! Thankfully with our break being all inclusive, there is plenty of choice and room to try different foods.

For the first day or so, Tony had small portions and samples of the foods on offer. Breakfast isn't something we normally have, so that meal was easy! For both lunch and dinner there was always a selection of pasta and sauces. Tony was able to eat this with ease as he could pile on as much sauce as he wanted to. Soup was served daily while was also a great option for him, alongside sweet treats like rice pudding, ice cream and a selection of cakes.

He experimented with other foods that were available, with limited success. As i'm sure is common for others with swallowing issues, meats and fish tend to stick, as do stringy veg like green beans, or veg with husks like peas or corn. It was good to try things though in small postions and not have the worry of food waste.

On days when eating is a little bit too much, Tony drinks shakes and protein mixes. Before setting off we searched the area we were travelling to, making sure there were shops near by where shakes could be bought, just in case the food was an issue. Thankfully there were 2 supermarkets and a Spar close by, so on our first day we headed out and stocked up on shakes and yoghurts.

Again, try things. Go slowly, take small bites and experiment a little. Eating at home you can always blend food or adjust it if it's tricky. Eating out, don't be afraid to ask for extra sauce or gravy. If you're comfortable doing so you can ask the server if changes can be made to your food to make it easier for you. If you have ''safe'' or go to foods that you know always work, do a little research before your trip and try to source these thinsg as back up. 

Work with your food, not against it. Don't be afraid of getting a little creative, keep your fire for food alive, try not to allow swallowing issues to steal the joy of food.



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