Eating and Drinking with MND
Food plays a critical role in everybody’s life, not only does it provide the nutrition we need to be healthy but it is often at the centre of our social and cultural lives too. Think of any celebration or significant occasion and food will be there, a wedding needs a cake, no birthday party is complete without a special meal or the raising of a glass in a celebratory toast.
A diagnosis of Motor neurone disease (MND) also has an impact on all aspects of life. Whilst eating and drinking will change, the importance of food and drink and its central role in life remains just as it did before the diagnosis.
Understanding the difficulties you might experience with MND when eating and drinking helps you find ways to manage them and can make a significant difference to your well-being. You might have trouble chewing and swallowing which can increase the risk of choking or coughing. Weakness in hand and arm control can make eating difficult and reduced mobility and fatigue can make food preparation more of a challenge. As MND progresses, you may need assistance with food preparation and eating.
MND can increase the rate at which your body burns energy, making it difficult to maintain or regain lost weight which can increase fatigue, and muscle weakness. Changes in diet and hydration as well as reduced mobility might also cause gastrointestinal problems like constipation.
As with all people, a healthy diet has a significant influence on our health and wellbeing. The importance of this can be exacerbated when you have MND, weight loss is common although some people gain weight due to reduced mobility. Things like dry or flaky skin or sores can also become a significant problem.
The Power of Anti-Inflammatory Foods
There’s increasing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including MND. While no diet can cure MND, choosing foods that help reduce inflammation may support your body and potentially help manage symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory foods are typically whole, colourful, and plant-based. Think fruits and vegetables (especially leafy greens and berries), oily fish like salmon and mackerel, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and spices like turmeric and ginger. These foods are rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, which help the body fight inflammation and support cellular health.
Making these foods a core part of your diet — whether eaten normally or blended for tube feeding — can help boost energy, support your immune system, and potentially ease some of the strain on the body that MND can bring.
Minimising Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods are getting a lot of focus in academic and clinical research as well as the mainstream media. They are usually characterised as having a lot of additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial flavours, and refined sugars — ingredients that can worsen inflammation in the body. They’re typically found in items that come in a plastic wrapper or box and have a long shelf life: think packaged snacks, ready meals, fizzy drinks, and even some seemingly “healthy” convenience foods.
For people with MND, avoiding ultra-processed food may be even more important. These foods are often low in essential nutrients and can contribute to fatigue, digestive problems, and general poor health — all of which can compound the challenges MND brings.
By focusing on whole, real foods — whether cooked at home or using convenient options like Wilbo’s Blends — you’re giving your body the best possible chance to maintain strength and resilience.
Eating with Purpose
Whether food is enjoyed orally or delivered through a feeding tube, the purpose remains the same: nourishment, connection, and comfort. Making mindful food choices can be a small but powerful way to take back some control and support your body through MND. A blended diet using real, unprocessed foods offers a way to keep eating personal and purposeful, without compromising on quality.
Considering Tube Feeding with MND
The decision to have a feeding tube can be difficult and everybody’s circumstances are unique to them and their situation. But if swallowing becomes too difficult, tube feeding may be an option. This involves a minor operation to insert a tube into the stomach which allows food, drink and medication to be delivered directly into the stomach. Eating and drinking orally can continue as long as it remains safe to do so. The feeding tube can help in getting good nutrition, maintain weight and hydration with or without eating and drinking orally. On days when swallowing is more difficult a feeding tube can help reduce the risk of chest infections from aspiration.
Historically people using a feeding tube have been given artificial formula. Whilst this is an option, some people do not tolerate it well and have gastrointestinal side effects, others decide that artificial formula is not the right choice for them for a number of reasons. Increasingly tube fed people are turning to a real food blended diet as an alternative to artificial formula and the clinical and academic research on blended diet support this choice as providing many benefits.
The Blended Diet and tube feeding
A blended diet, simply, is where every day foods are blended with liquid to be given through an enteral feeding tube. People choose a blended diet for multiple reasons, for some it is having a healthy diet, others sharing a meal with friends or family or just enjoying the food that they did before a feeding tube was needed. Whatever the reasons, the blended diet provides choice as varied as the types of food there are available to us.
Whilst there are many benefits in having a blended diet for tube feeding it does also bring with it some additional challenges. Additional equipment might be needed to prepare and store blended meals and it can take additional time to plan and make meals, this comes often when there are many other new pressures on time.
There are now meals designed for tube feeding a blended diet that can relieve some of these challenges. Wilbo’s Blends pioneered blended diet for tube feeding with the first range of meals developed specifically for tube feeding a blended diet. They are 100% organic real food and created to an consistent IDDSI Level 3 which is perfect for tube feeding, giving a convenient option and peace of mind when its needed.
While tube feeding can improve quality of life, the decision is personal. Healthcare professionals can provide information to help you make an informed choice.
Final Thoughts
Eating and drinking with MND may become more challenging over time, but with the right support and adaptations, you can maintain your nutrition and quality of life for as long as possible. Don’t hesitate to reach out to healthcare professionals and support groups for assistance and ask about a blended diet.
Pete Eveleigh - Wilbo's blends Ambassador
I’m Pete Eveleigh, and I am the reason why my good friend Will came up with Mind Over MND, and Jonny made it into a reality. In 2022, I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND), a life-changing condition that pushed me to embrace resilience, wellbeing, and a positive mindset. Instead of letting it define me, I chose to focus on nutrition, movement, and mental strength, making the most of every day.
I’m passionate about fueling my body with the right nutrition, which is why I’m proud to be an ambassador for Wilbo’s Blends. Their commitment to clean, high-quality ingredients aligns perfectly with my approach to health and wellbeing. With MND, efficiency is key, and Wilbo’s Blends make it easier for me to get the nutrients I need without compromising on quality. My wife, Jess, plays a huge role in supporting me, and having a go-to product that fits seamlessly into our routine is invaluable.
Through Mind Over MND, I share my journey to inspire others facing challenges—whether that’s through my Instagram (@pete_eveleigh), our website, or our growing community, Team Evo. I believe in the power of mindset, movement, and nutrition to make a difference, and I’m excited to bring that energy to the Wilbo’s Blends family.
