Friday, March 12, 2010

Diet Restrictions for Health

I'm not talking about your typical 'diet', but there are many people who follow professional advice that involves restrictions for the health of their body. Whether it be a cardiac diet, renal diet, diabetic diet, texture modified diet, etc., etc. it can be difficult to follow the rules.

As one of our assignments this year, we each chose a therapeutic diet to follow for a week - just 7 days! It was quite hard, to not be able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted. I live my life making educated decisions about food, but not THAT restrictive. I can go to the grocery store and still make lots of choices. For some people those choices are limited because their organs are not working normally.

We often think 'diet' = weight loss, when in fact a diet is just a meal pattern. I eat a healthy diet where variety and moderation play a role.

I just wanted to applaud the people who follow restrictive health related diets very closely. I have met so many patients that are such good students and so aware of everything they eat. I know that takes a lot of effort, and I know people often go to those extreme measures when it is sort of a last resort - due to a diagnosis, etc. I just want to say "great job!" We can all learn from the dedication of those people and how much time/thought/effort goes into the food choices they make. Obviously it's hard to be perfect with it, but still, they do a lot.

Why can't we all pay a little more attention to such choices and take the preventative approach rather than the treatment approach?

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com