Tips for eating

Listed below are some tips for overcoming the problems of slow eating and swallowing difficulties that may be experienced by a person with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

• If eating is slow and tiring, then it may be easier to cope with several small meals a day, rather than three main meals.
• If it is a hot meal, serve the food on a warming mat, in an insulated bowl, or microwave the food during the meal – this stops the food getting cold if eating is a slow process.
• If the throat tenses up while eating, try yawning several times before a meal to relax the throat.
• If swallowing is difficult, then keeping the chin tucked down to the chest may make things easier. Taking regular sips of water will also help.
• Good posture and a comfortable position while eating will also aid swallowing.
• Only put a small amount of food on the fork or spoon – this prevents spills and helps with swallowing.
• If a semi-solid or puréed diet is required due to swallowing difficulties, then you should ask to be referred to a speech and language therapist and a dietician. Not all swallowing problems are due to PD and the cause of the problem should be confirmed before changing the diet.