Specialty Area: Nutrition
Description of Specialty: Medical Nutrition Therapy provides nutrition assessment,
counseling and therapy by a Registered Dietitian. Patients often are referred by a
physician or by self referral.
1. Diagnosis: Hyperlipidemia
Questions that should be asked:
- Where can I find a Registered Dietitian?
- How can medical nutrition therapy help change my blood lipids?
- What amount of fat is acceptable?
- Why does the type of fat consumed make a difference to blood lipids?
- Can I balance my food over time or must each meal be the perfect fat balance?
- What is the difference among saturated, polyunsaturated and very unsaturated fats?
2. Diagnosis: Diabetes
Questions that should be asked:
- Can you refer me to a Registered Dietitian?
- What role does diet and keeping my weight down play in my diabetes?
- Why do my meals need to be balanced throughout the day?
- Why is protein at meals helpful with blood sugar control?
- How should I change my eating if I'm exercising?
- If my blood sugar drops with exercise, what should I eat?
- Why are table sugar and other sweets now acceptable for diabetics?
3. Diagnosis: Hypertension
Questions that should be asked:
- Could I get help from a Registered Dietitian?
- How much salt should I consume?
- What is the difference between salt and sodium?
- How much difference does sodium really make to my blood pressure?
- Can my blood pressure be aggravated by my weight?
- Will exercise provide any benefit to my blood pressure?
4. Diagnosis: Herbal Products
Questions that should be asked:
- Can herbs provide a health benefit?
- How much help is safe and needed to get benefits?
- How do I know if the product I buy is effective?
- How do herbs react with other medications?
5. Diagnosis: Cholesterol
Questions that should be asked:
- What is cholesterol?
- What makes cholesterol good or bad?
- What should my Cholesterol levels be?
- How can I decrease Cholesterol, increase HDL, decrease LDL and decrease triglycerides?
- Where can I get my Cholesterol levels checked?
- How often should my levels be checked if normal or if on treatment?
6. Diagnosis: Weight Control
Questions that should be asked:
- Can you refer me to a Registered Dietitian?
- What is a "healthy weight"?
- What is the safest way to lose body fat and keep it off?
- Will weight loss help with my overall health?
- Can I lose weight just by cutting calories?
- What role does exercise play?
- How can you judge diet products on the market and their effectiveness?
7. Diagnosis: Anorexia/Bulimia
Questions that should be asked:
- Where can I find a Registered Dietitian who specializes in eating disorders?
- What are the short and long-term health risks of eating disorders?
- What is the role of family and family support in this disease?
- What treatments are effective and how long will they take?
- Does exercise need to stop?
- Is this a lifelong illness?
8. Diagnosis: Constipation
Questions that should be asked:
- What is constipation?
- Will eating fiber help?
- Are there different kinds of fiber?
- Are there certain fruits or vegetables high in fiber I should eat?
- Can one take too much fiber?
9. Diagnosis: Homocysteine
Questions that should be asked:
- What is homocysteine and how high a level is harmful?
- When should a level be checked or is this necessary?
- Can I take anything in my regular diet to alter the level without doing a test?
Connie Diekman, M.Ed. R.D., FADA Registered Dietitian Private Practice St. Louis, MO