Nutrition Tips For Scleroderma

Healthy Eating Habits

• Variety and moderation
  
• Eat 3 out of 4 food groups
  
• Small frequent meals or snacks
  
• Pick bright coloured fruit and vegetables
  
• Cut back (not out) fat intake – more Omega3, less Omega6 and saturated/trans fats
• Keep hydrated
  
• Limit simple sugars and refined starchy foods
  
• Avoid excessive doses of supplements

Keep Hydrated

•  ~ 25 - 30 ml FLUIDS/ kg body weight (more if hot weather, increased body temperature, increased perspiration, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation)
• Use ice chips, popsicles/juice bars, gelatin, ice cream, sherbet, soup, broth, fruit/veggie juices, lemonade and flavoured water
  
• Avoid caffeine-containing drinks

How To Keep Your Heart Healthy

• Avoid animal fats
  
• Include beans, legumes and fish
  
• Add more vegetables and fruit to diet
  
• Use extra soluble fibre - oatmeal, applesauce, barley, oranges, legumes

Watch the sodium

• Limit sodium  to 1500-2000 mg /day
  
• No added table salt , use Mrs. Dash
  
• One salty food per day
  
• Avoid too many packaged / canned / prepared foods that may have added salt

Mood Boosting Foods

• Water
  
• Vegetables and Fruit
  
• Omega-3 Fats (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, canola oil, walnuts, flaxseed)
  
• Complex Carbohydrates (whole grains/cereals, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, fruit and vegetables)

Ways to Boost Intake

• Choose higher calorie/protein foods:
  
• Cheese, peanut butter
  
• Eggs
  
• Nuts, seeds
• Fruit/ vegetables with dip
• Yogurt with granola
• Dried Fruit
• Cereal with half and half
  
• Ice cream
• Cookies
• Pudding
• Granola bars
• Custard
  

Healthy Comfort Foods

• Frozen yogurt/fruit smoothie
  
• Oatmeal raisin cookie, flavoured rice cakes
• Warmed low fat milk with cocoa powder
• Milk  pudding, custard
  
• Chocolate syrup drizzled over fruit
• Veggie pizza (whole wheat crust)

Good Sources of:

• Vitamin C: citrus fruits, red and green peppers, kiwifruit, broccoli, straw-berries, cantaloupe, potatoes, tomatoes
  
• Vitamin B12: beef liver, clams,  fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, fortified breakfast cereals
  
• Calcium:  milk, yogurt, cheese, fish with soft bones; smaller amts in kale, broccoli, beans
  
• Vitamin D: best-fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, smaller amts-beef liver, cheese, egg yolks
  
• Potassium:  bananas, oranges, potatoes, spinach, tomato juice, sweet potatoes, squash and black strap molasses
  
• Magnesium:  legumes, nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables

 

For More Information:

Eat Right Ontario    1 – 877-510-5102   www.ontario.ca/eatright

The Arthritis Society     1-800-321-1433   www.arthritis.ca

Prepared by:  Pamela Piotrowski, RD Hamilton Scleroderma Update 2011

 

 

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