Dry, Crumbly Foods
The process of eating requires a chorus of muscles all working together to manipulate food in the mouth, chew, push it into the back of the throat, and swallow.
One critical instrument in this gastro symphony is a flap of cartilage at the back of the throat called the epiglottis, which acts as a lid to prevent food and liquid from entering the lungs. If the epiglottis fails to completely cover the windpipe because of weakened muscles, liquids and foods can enter the trachea, causing coughing.
Dry, crumbly foods like crackers, toast, and flaky pastries are common “aspiration triggers” for people with myasthenia gravis, because small, loose particles can scatter while chewing, entering the airway before the epiglottis closes or slipping into a poorly closed epiglottis.
“Softer, moist foods are generally easier and safer,” Dr. Gonzalez says.
If you do choose to eat dry, crumbly foods, “keep a glass of water at hand and take small sips while eating,” says Benjamin Becker, MD, a neuromuscular neurologist at University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor. This will moisten the food and form it into a cohesive bolus (ball of food).
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