Loss of weight

[Ronosborne]

My mother is 76 years old and suffers from emphysemia, I am worried about the amount of weight loss she has experianced, she weighs 96lbs, I believe it it because she does not eat enough and her stomach is very small, so when she prepares a meal she only eats a small portion of it due to her stomach being full. What i would like to know is there any diets available or advice to get her to eat more so hopefully over a period of time she will start to put weight back on. I have to admit she also smokes which does not help. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[torque]

If you look at diabetic diets, they tell you to eat every two hours- small meals. This helps maintain blood sugar, and is better for you. I do this. If she is only eating small meals, try having eat 6 small meals. Maybe try adding a variety of food so she doesnt get bored with it. My grandmother is only 71, but she smokes all of the time. I always worry about her getting emphasema (sp?). She said she is a strong polish women and it wont hurt her!! She is so stubborn. Anyway, see if she will eat more frequently. Dont give her really fatty foods just so she will gain weight. That wont do her any good either. Best of luck to you and your mom.

[Ronosborne]

Many thanks Torque, I am trying to get her to eat more often and also to try other foods, but she is set in her ways so this is very hard but i will keep persevering. I tried to get her to drink Yerba Mate, this is a herbal tea from south america, cleans the system and is very good for you, but unfortunatly she refused without even trying it. anyway again many thanks.

[Grammy77744]

I am 63 and have the same problem as your mom.  I recently lost 30 lbs. and look very thin.  I am tall, so that makes it worse.  Have you found anything that has helped your mom?  I am trying to eat often also as my stomach gets full easily as well.  I was a heavy smoker, but have cut it down to 10 cigarettes or less a day, which is a great improvement.  I understand being set in your ways too.  My advice would be to tell her how much you love her and that you want her to eat so that she won't die.  This is what my daughter says to me and also my granddaughter.  They are the reason I have cut down on my smoking too, because I just can't light up when my much loved daughter and granddaughter are looking at me with that "look..."  I'm sure you give your mom the same look.  I don't have emphysema as your mom does (at least I don't think so, a couple of years ago a dr. said to me "has anyone told you you have emphysema?" and then I went for a chest x-ray, which did not show the disease.  My daughter got a chocolate supplement drink called Myoplex, which does not have the vitamin taste that Ensure has.  You might give that a try.  Good luck with it.