Foods

A cystic fibrosis patient should be paying attention to what they eat just as much as they pay attention to their medication. A healthy diet is important for everyone to have, but what is considered healthy for somebody with CF is considered to be extremely unhealthy for anybody else. People with cystic fibrosis are prone to infections, so they need foods that will stave off infection. They have to eat many foods with high fat content and a large amount of calories, and there are foods that contain nutrients that actually speed up recovery, like zinc. All of the foods listed need to be incorporated into the diet of somebody with cystic fibrosis, otherwise there could be risks to their health. Here are some of the staples in the cystic fibrosis diet.

1. Butter – If this is used to prepare food, on sandwiches, or anywhere else you can put it, it is great for a cystic fibrosis diet. Butter has two main benefits. Since a decent amount of sodium is lost (which causes salty tasting skin), butter can provide some of the sodium that the body needs. Also, patients need to have high fat, high calorie foods in their diet. Adding butter to a food is a much easier way to get the needed fat than eating more.

2. Cheese – This is another great way to get a higher amount of fat without eating more. Instead of eating two sandwiches, just adding a few more slices of cheese can give you a similar effect. Also, cheese is a good source of calcium. Having calcium in a cystic fibrosis diet will help if the sufferer’s bones are getting weak, and calcium is good for the body in general.

3. Cheeseburgers and french fries – This is an especially popular food choice for people with cystic fibrosis, the reason being that it has several things that a patient needs to eat all in one meal. The meat, cheese, and french fries all have sodium, fat, and calories. On their own, the meat has protein and the cheese has calcium as well. This is definitely one of the more frequently chosen meals by cystic fibrosis patients.

4. Pastries – These delicious treats also have a few of the things that people with CF need. There is definitely a great deal of fat and cream provides calcium.

5. Pizza – A dream for most kids, CF patients are able to eat pizza whenever they choose. There is the cheese of course, and also many meats can be placed as toppings as well.

What many people consider a culinary dream is the reality of those with cystic fibrosis. The only problem is, they are forced to eat these things. There is no such thing as a light meal in their world. They need fat in their diets to replace the fat being used by the body for energy, since CF affects the pancreas and enough insulin is not created.

Healthy

Cystic fibrosis is a devastating disease that affects people from their birth until they die. Every single aspect of their lives needs to be planned meticulously. It is not possible to prevent cystic fibrosis at this point because it is a recessive genetic disease. People that are affected by it can manage the illness, but there is no cure. It is possible to manage with drugs, but that is the best that is available to sufferers for now. There are many steps that can be taken to stay healthy for anybody with cystic fibrosis, and physicians will usually provide them with that information. For those of you out there that are unfamiliar with this disease, it is never a bad idea to gain some familiarity with a disease that is affecting millions of people in the world. Here are some ways that people with cystic fibrosis stay healthy.

1. Medication – Everybody with cystic fibrosis is on at least one antibiotic at all times. CF causes frequent infections in sufferers due to irregularity in the glands, so antibiotics are necessary even if the patient is healthy. Antibiotics will not only treat existing infections, but they will also help to prevent them from occurring in the first place.

2. Diet – Cystic fibrosis can cause the pancreas to cease functioning the way that it should, which accounts for a decreased level of insulin in the blood. Insulin forces the body to use glucose for energy, but with a lower amount of insulin, the body begins to use fat as an energy source. Because of this, people with CF need to choose their diets very carefully. They must eat foods with a very high fat content and with large amounts of calories, they need a third more protein than the average person, and zinc and calcium should be included as well.

3. Relationships – Having friends and family for support is extremely important for anyone that is suffering not only from cystic fibrosis, but any other disease as well. Having a disease like this can make people feel helpless or alone at times, but having someone there by your side can do a world of good. If you know somebody with CF, just make sure that they know you are there for them if they ever need you. Even though they might not say it, they will definitely appreciate it.

4. Tests – People with cystic fibrosis will make normal hospital or physician visits for testing. Tests such as lung function are performed during these visits, and do not take too much time. If there are ever any complications though, a CF sufferer can spend long periods of time in the hospital.

Although cystic fibrosis is very destructive to the body, it is possible to lead a relatively normal life. As long as sufferers take the necessary steps to keep themselves healthy and prevent infection, people may not even be able to tell that they have this disease.