Diet Therapy

Diet therapy promotes a balanced selection of foods vital for good health. By combining foods appropriate for each individual and drinking enough water, one can help maintain the best possible health. Eating a proper diet is critical for the health of individuals, groups with special medical and dietry needs, and entire popilations afflicted with malnutrition.

Individualized diet therapy can provide the patient imporatant insight into food-related illnesses and education regarding how various nutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, alcohol) affect illness, diseases, or obesity. Dietary therapy can be tailored to meet the treatment needs of patients on diagnosis of specific illnesses, can help reduce complications and/or side effects, and can improve general well-being.

Precautions

A particular modified diet is prescribed specifically for each individual. Those individuals who have medical conditions or who are sensitive to certain foods need to be very compliant and cautious about what they eat.

Individuals should not follow a "fad" diet without first consulting a registered dietitian or physician. popular (but sometimes dangerous) low-carbohydrate diets, for example, may deprive the body of the glucose it needs for central nervous system and brain functions.