This week is Malnutrition Awareness Week, an opportunity to remind everyone of the role proper nutrition plays in a person’s health and the importance of early detection, intervention and treatment of malnutrition for people living with ALS and their caregivers.

Among the challenges faced by a person living with ALS, maintaining a healthy body weight can be difficult for some. As the disease progresses, the challenges of maintaining good nutrition as well as avoiding malnutrition change. 

This Malnutrition Awareness Week, we are highlighting information and resources available to help throughout all stages of the disease:

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Multidisciplinary Care: Extending Survival and Improving Life Quality for People Living With ALS—We know multidisciplinary care can help extend survival and improve quality of life for people living with the disease. While each member of the care team has a unique role to play, they all work together to address the many facets that may lead to poor nutrition.

More Than Just Food: The Dietitian's Critical Role in ALS Care—A key member of the multidisciplinary care team, the dietitian will keep nutrition and nutritional needs at the forefront of the care plan. “I personally feel like food offers us so many different things besides nutrition,” says Registered Dietitian Christine Berg.

Five Facts to Help Maintain Good Nutrition When Living With ALS—It is always helpful to be reminded of important facts to know and tips to remember about maintaining good nutrition despite having ALS.

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Being Mindful of Your Nutrition Needs While Caring for Others: 10 Tips to Simplifying Mealtimes for Caregivers—Insights and guidance from your ALS care team and helpful tips to remember are vital, but the day-to-day tasks for preparing and serving meals typically falls on family, friends and caregivers. Here is some helpful advice and guidance from those who have faced these challenges before. 

Easy Chew, Easy Swallow Recipes to Help Celebrate the Holidays-Fall is here, and the holidays are fast approaching. While eating with ALS can take a little creativity at times, there are many delicious and healthy recipes available that the whole family will enjoy.

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Feeding Tubes for People Living With ALS: Clearing up Some Misconceptions—In most people’s journey with ALS, they will be faced with the decision of using a feeding tube to help maintain proper nutrition and enhance their quality of life. While the decision if or when to get a feeding tube is a personal one, there are people and resources available to help make an informed decision.

For additional information and resources to help address nutritional needs while living with ALS, visit our website HERE.

To learn more about the disease and follow stories about people living with ALS in the community, subscribe to receive our weekly blogs in your inbox HERE or follow us at als.org/blog.

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