UNIT 7 Flashcards
usually involves modifying the current dietary lifestyle to promote optimum health. It is used as a method to improve health prescribed by a physician.
Diet therapy
is based on the modification of the nutrients or other aspects of a normal diet to meet a person’s nutritional needs during an illness.
Therapeutic nutrition
is a broad term for the practical application of nutrition as a preventative or corrective treatment of disease. This involves modification of an existing dietary lifestyle however, in some cases, an alternative dietary lifestyle plan may be developed to eliminate certain foods to reclaim health
Diet therapy
is to restore or maintain an acceptable nutritional status of a patient.
The purpose of diet therapy
The purpose of diet therapy is to restore or maintain an acceptable nutritional status of a patient. According to Stanfield & Hui (2010), this is accomplished by modifying one or more of the following aspects of the diet:
- basic nutrient(s)
- caloric contribution
- texture or consistency
- seasonings
Purpose of Dietary Therapy
These are as follows:
- To ensure adequate energy and nutrient intake- to prevent under and over nutrition
- To prevent insufficient intake of some micronutrients such as iron and folate
- To prevent physiological consequences of malnutrition
- To improve adherence of recommendations such as RDA, UL, and EAR.
Based from Mainul Islam (2015)
one important aspect is that all therapeutic diets are the adaptation of the normal diet and the skeleton structure of the therapeutic diet must be based on the requirements of a healthy person. The dietitian also must consider the patient as a person and also given to the economic status, dietary pattern, likes and dislikes, family environment, preferences, and religious status of the patient. As a rule, a therapeutic diet must be easily digestible, soft, liquid, clear fluid, or bland based on the condition. Best sources must be selected to ensure maximum utilization from the food consumed as a whole of a patient who has a poor appetite.
is critical in helping a patient adjust to a modified diet by acting as the coordinator, interpreter, and teacher of diet therapy.
The nurse’s role
Meeting the patient’s nutritional needs involves
the coordination of the medical, dietary, and nursing staff.
the nurse maintains liaisons among the patient, the physician, and the dietitian; assists the patient at meals; observes the patient’s response to foods and beverages; charts pertinent information; and supports and supplements the primary instruction given by the dietitian.
In larger hospitals,
, nursing homes, and community nursing services, the nurse may be responsible for planning, supervising, and teaching the modified diet. In many cases, the nurse may need to interpret the diet and make food selections both for the patient and the kitchen personnel
In small hospitals
It is important to emphasize that in the practice of diet therapy one must consider the following:
- To maintain and restore the nutritional status
- To correct nutritional status
- To improve clinical or subclinical nutritional deficiencies
- To decrease calories for weight control
- To provide a greater amount of a nutrient such as sodium
- To exclude foods due to allergies or food intolerance
- To provide texture modifications due to problems in chewing and/or swallowing
- To maintain, decrease, or increase body weight
- To rest certain organs of the body.
must consider the physiological, psychological, cultural, social, and economic factors of the patient.
Health professionals in the care of hospitalized patients
may revert to those of childhood favorites.
Food preferences
may be desired.
Symbolic security foods
can help a hospitalized patient accept a therapeutic diet by recognizing the many factors that affect the patient and then helping with the adjustment.
The health team
are evaluated according to past nutrition practices and clinical disorders
The patient’s nutritional needs
is on the patient’s identified needs and problems.
The focus of diet therapy
should be relevant to the nature of the illness and its effects on the body
The diet plan
The ____ diet is the most frequently used of all diets in hospitals.
“normal,” “regular,” or “house”
, is of great importance in a therapeutic sense.
A normal diet, like a modified diet
diet is recommended to avoid constipation. Also, eight to ten glasses of fluids daily should be consumed.
A high fiber
include whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables. If the patient cannot tolerate the latter, cooked ones may be used.
Foods high in fiber
Benefits of a High Fiber Diet
These are as follows:
- Bowel Regularity
- Cholesterol and Reduced Triglycerides
- Colon Polyps and Cancer
- Colon Wall Integrity
- Blood Sugar
- Weight Loss