A new healthy habit I’ve dreamed up lately is to keep my breakfast solids under 500cal. This restriction counteracts my constant snacking in the morning. (“Banana? That shouldn’t hurt. Butter cookies? Ahh, why not. CLIF Bar? Hey, it adds energy.”) Following the restriction should help prevent throat blockage, even on days when I have dry cake leftovers.
Funny enough, I considered going the complete opposite route. In the mornings my dysphagia tends to be less severe. Eating more is easier, so stuffing myself full in the mornings should allow me to reach my daily 2000cal goal with less effort.
The main problem with the opposite approach is that stuffing myself full can result in throat blockage / high chest water levels. Having to deal with symptoms (tiredness, coldness, vomiting, etc.) is a pain, especially if they start early. It also means that my throat is never really cleared; going by gut instinct, that’s a dangerous no no.
Anyway, the amount of solid breakfast foods can vary; the 500cal is a limit, not a goal. Once I reach 300cal, I’ll start to cut back on eats. On certain days, I might even skip breakfast altogether. (There’s no need to eat late if lunch is fast approaching; for now, I’ll put a tentative cutoff time at 9:30am.)
