Help please....about my father diet!?

Question

Hello,

My name is Rachael and I am currently writing is letter in regards for my 65yrs male father (with no major medical history). I am in the Army and currently deployed to Iraq. I am very worried about my father, Roger's diet. He is in over all pretty good physical health. Recently he was forced to retire (May 06) which pushed him into a some what depressive state of mind. Although he never fully opens up to me I can tell through his change in behavior just from over the phone. He is constantly stressed out; worries non-stop about all kinds of thing, he what used to be great problem solver and logical thinking skills are diminishing everyday. Recently he has been losing a lot of unnecessary weight (15 lbs, he is 5'8" and 155 lbs...Smallest I have ever since him). He presents with GI symptoms ranging from acid reflex to intestinal blockage. He is having a very difficult time finding food in which does not make he sick. He is also worried about losing too much weight and not fulfilling the appropriate levels of nutrients and vitamins in which his body needs. His GI DOC has drawn blood, taken stool samples, preformed an endoscope and many other tests but nothing pathology has been detected. I personally feel he is having reaction to any food he eats because he is mentally stressing himself out and making his problems worse. My question is to you is any advise on foods he can try to eat or any way I can relay to him that he is hurting himself. Please let me know if you have any question. Thanks so much for your time!

Rachael

Answer 1

Hiya Rachael. I also suffer with acid reflux & have done for about 6 years (I'm 26) Like your dad, I've had tests done for ulcers, had an endoscopy etc & nothing has shown up, my only way of controlling it is to take prescribed medication from my GP. Although not the only reason for my condition, stress does play a major part & can be a trigger for the symptoms to really kick in; the best way for me to get rid of stress is to exercise – you may want to suggest that your dad take up a new hobby to take full advantage of his retired status & also to help take his mind off whatever it is that is stressing him out – by learning a new activity, he should hopefully find all of his thoughts directed towards learning it.

With regards to my diet, I do my best to try & eat everything that I used to, reducing ‘problem foods’ to a minimum (spicy foods are an obvious one & also foods with a high fat content – burgers, bacon, sausage, kebab etc and even putting lots of butter on toast) also try to avoid sparkling drinks (citric acid) fresh fruit juices (vitamin C) And definitely avoid excessive alcohol consumption – it feels like the acid production in the stomach increases 10 fold after a ‘night on the town’ Try to eat low fat options & introduce lots of ‘neutral dishes – pasta, steamed fish is also good, and I also find it helps for me to eat small mouthfuls s-l-o-w-l-y(!) It may be even worth while going to see a special nutritionist for a specific diet.
(Banana's are also surprisingly bad - stay away!! I also drink lots & lots of milk which is brilliant for instant rellief as soon as you can feel the acid coming on - granted it doesnt last long, but it sort of keeps it at bay - it's also a great way of stopping the acid coming on whilst eating).

Acid reflux can (if really, really bad) over a period of time lead to the seal of the oesophagus becoming burnt away by the acid & requires a major operation to repair.

Have a read on here & it will give you info about the condition & you can develop a better understanding of it.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068673/

Good luck!

J
:)

PS: If he smokes, tell himm to stop - it also really aggravates the condition)

Answer 2

Technically, there is nothing you can do. Your daughter is also her father's daughter, and he has as much right to give her strawberry milk as you have to keep her on a vegetarian diet. I'm sure the father is as angry about your choices as you are about his. If you cannot reach a compromise, you will just have to accept the fact that your daughter has two parents, and they have different rules about her diet. Sorry. All the best.

Answer 3

Hi Rachael,

I see you are very concerned about Roger's health. Now, since he has been withdrawing to himself after his retirement, I think it is indeed the reason for all the problems.
I suggest you spend sometime talking to him. Remember, communication is very important, and so, try and give it your best shot.

Also, try to get him involved in activities like Yoga which, trust me, is the best method to calm yourself and get in touch with your inner person. It also de-stresses and helps creat better concentration and health.

Foods, well, I think fruits and vegetables have always been the way to go, so if he's got problems with certain foods, these are the best options.

If you need anymore help, or advice, please feel free to mail me at [e-mail]

Good luck and God bless.

Answer 4

Encourage him to be a mentor for small business or to work with a scout troop. The opportunity to work and be busy again may be just the trick to help him eat and be well again.Believe it or not he is mourning his job loss and his perceived value as a man. He needs to renew that value and he will begin to feel better. My heart and prayers are with you both.