Nutrition therapy is usually ordered by a doctor and done by a registered dietitian-nutritionist (RDN) who works closely with the patient and the medical team. The RDN does a full nutrition check, which involves getting information about the patient’s medical history, current diet, body measurements, blood tests, and other important factors. The RDN then makes a nutrition diagnosis, a nutrition goal, and a nutrition care plan, which includes specific nutrition actions and recommendations.
Nutrition actions can be from simple changes in the patient’s diet and lifestyle, like eating more fruits and vegetables, eating less salt and sugar, or following a Mediterranean-style diet, to more complex nutrition support, like tube feeding or intravenous nutrition, for patients who can’t eat or take in enough nutrients by mouth. The RDN also gives nutrition education, counseling, and follow-up to help the patient understand and stick to the nutrition care plan, watch the patient’s progress and outcomes, and change the plan as needed.
Nutrition therapy can be used for a lot of health problems, like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, and malnutrition. Nutrition therapy can help make the patient’s health status, quality of life, and well-being better by:
- Giving enough and balanced nutrition to meet the patient’s needs and likes
- Preventing or fixing nutrient deficiencies or excesses
- Managing or lowering the risk of complications or comorbidities
- Making the patient’s immune system and wound healing better
- Supporting the patient’s medical treatment or therapy
Nutrition therapy is generally safe and works well, but it might have some limitations or risks, like:
- The accuracy and completeness of the nutrition check and diagnosis
- The availability and accessibility of the nutrition services and resources
- The patient’s compliance and satisfaction with the nutrition care plan
- The possible interactions or side effects of the nutrition actions with the patient’s medications or other treatments
- The need for ongoing watching and evaluation of the patient’s response and outcomes
So, nutrition therapy should be individualized, evidence-based, and patient-centered, and should involve a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach between the RDN, the patient, and the medical team. Nutrition therapy should also be integrated with the patient’s overall care plan and aligned with the patient’s values and goals.
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