Paleo in the Hospital

It’s a tough subject to think about; having a loved one suddenly hospitalized is frightening, particularly if it’s due to an unforeseen event, such as an accident.

After recently having a close family member rushed to the E/R and then having to spend the following three days in ICU before ultimately being released with a clean bill of health, thankfully, it really brought to light the importance of having an advocate to speak on your behalf, regardless of whether you’re critical or not.

Of course, the idea of having an advocate spans the gamut from healthcare to insurance to patient rights, but I’m not addressing that.  I’m sure you can guess where this is going… straight to food.

Because I was with my family member from the get go, I was able to make a big fuss about ensuring all records indicated his allergy to gluten, soy and dairy.   This was one situation where I didn’t feel remotely concerned about not being Paleo preachy!

Much to my surprise, he did actually receive some relatively acceptable meals- baked chicken and steamed squash for one meal and a veggie  and egg white omelette for another.

However, if someone doesn’t think about it in advance, and of course, if someone’s potentially on the verge of the worst happening, the last thing on their family’s minds, rightly so, would be what they’re eating.

So, let’s take a little control here to do our best to prep for the worst.  Make sure everyone around you knows your diet, your foods, your nutrition and then, at the very least, you’re doing the best to hedge your bets that even in the hospital, you can stay Paleo.

Of course, it’s always nicer if a friend or family member can bring in some food from the ‘outside’ when it’s appropriate, but once again, being as Paleo-prepared as possible will serve to come in handy here, too.