Thread: Shake only diet.

Originally Posted by maniclion

My girlfriends 87 yo grandfather recently fell reinjuring a lumbar disk he injured in WW2. In the same time period he had some teeth removed so he could have false teeth fitted but the healing has to finish before they will fit the new teeth. His appetite has been terrible so I put my bodybuilding skills to work and started whipping up complete meal shakes for him using whey, milk, yogurt, cream of wheat, oatmeal, fruits and also pureed sweet potato. He loves them cause I make the best damn shakes in the world.

Good stuff! That was a great solution!

You could also try adding some PB, walnuts or healthy fats... They would really help him too - it sounds like, if he is not eating, that he probably needs the higher calorie/energy dense foods.

You could also try to make thick/chunky soups with vegetables and legumes and add some scrambled eggs on the side as well...

My question is how long can he go on a diet like this? Will it have any effect on his digestive system? When he can go back on regular food should I start slowly so his digestive system gets used to it?

As long as what you are using in the shakes is not 'cooked and beaten to a pulp' and that it still has viable vitamins, minerals and some fibre in it (you could add some wheatgerm/wheat bran or psyllium to increase the fibre) then it should be fine. Especially if it is on a short term basis...

Problems can arise later on, especially if there is no fibre at all in the meals.

But when he goes back onto regular foods it would be wise to slowly 'wean' him back on - so start to make the shakes less 'shakey' and more 'baby food' or mashed potato like in consistency. Then gradually introduce easily eaten and digested whole foods (chopped banana, eggs).

But it is important you make sure he is getting lots of energy, some fibre and all the vitamins and minerals he needs.

Thank you Emma. I think I'll get some soups for him and blend them a little so he can sip it through a straw. And I'll be adding some peanut butter or flax seed oil from now on how could I forget, doh!