Diet is key to the good health of both the client and the carer.

I generally try to eat healthy and home-made meals. I’ve had stomach issues in the past which has made me more aware of the right food for my body.

There are so many diets to choose from, it’s very confusing. The most popular and healthy ones seem to be Banting and Ketogenic although some people can’t handle all the fats.

One of the problems with caring work is that we tend to comfort eat …… I’m going through that phase right now and the longer I leave it the harder it’s going to be getting back into the healthy eating cycle … … I will do it!

We can’t all choose the foods we would like to eat as some clients are very strict regarding the foods that can be bought for the house. That’s when the carers resort to buying their own foods just to stay healthy. I admit, the more stressful the booking, the more inclined I am to buy the odd bar of chocolate that is going to last me 4 days (ha ha).

Some of us have been very lucky and worked for lovely clients who also enjoy their food, although that’s when I tend to gain the most weight. In my effort to make them happy, I start making lovely desserts and maybe a cake for the occasional teatime visitors. I tell myself that I won’t have any and normally end up having a double portion!

In our efforts to make healthy food for our clients, we can also look after ourselves. Unfortunately, some clients stipulate exactly what must be made and it may not suit our palate. That’s when we have back-up biscuits stashed in our room to counter the hunger pangs during the day.

Homemade soup

A little tip – buy the dark chocolate because it’s good for you plus you don’t need to eat so much to feel satiated.

Substitute crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt for cream.

Eat sweet potato in place of white potato as they stabilize blood sugar plus they are great for gut health.

Don’t forget that bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium.

Also good for snacking are almonds, macadamia, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, these are also rich in minerals.

Don’t forget the dark leafy greens, spinach being one of them, better for you in its raw state. I really enjoy it mixed with cream cheese and chicken.

Most of our clients enjoy soups, especially in the evening when they want a light meal.

It’s so easy to make home-made soup. Some examples are butternut, leek and potato, pea and ham and lentil which are all healthy and taste so good.

3 thoughts on “Diet is key to the good health of both the client and the carer.”

  1. Lorna, fantastic job you are doing getting this sep up for all Carers. As we read, we realise, just how bad it is and how much we need to be in control of our own health and mental state. This is fantastic because so many carers don’t realise what is actually happening to them. We desperately need a blog like this, where we can ask for guidance and some help. Also mentally we can chat to you about things we can all relate to. No one out there needs to be alone and shouldn’t be alone. There are so many of us out there going through the same things, we just need to be able to talk to each other, lend an ear and be gentle. Bless you, Lorna, you are definitely an Angel. Good luck with everything!

  2. Thank you Lorna for the blog. I so relate to it. I’m a comfort eater and as you say the more difficult the assignment the more chocolates I eat. Well done.

Comments are closed.