Photo By Maj. John Stamm | WARRENTON, Ga. - Maj. Mark Perius, 910th Medical Squadron, Youngstown Air Reserve...... read more read more
WARRENTON, Ga. - It has often been said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That is exactly what medical providers with the East Central Georgia Innovative Readiness Training teams are hoping to accomplish during their mission here 11-18 July.
When residents come into one of the five clinic sites in Crawfordville, Thomson, Millen, Warrenton or Washington, they are provided a free medical screening. If their blood pressure is high, or the provider feels nutrition counseling may be beneficial, they are referred to one of the registered dieticians.
“We are seeing many patients with hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and weight issues,” says Registered Dietician Maj. Melissa Davis from the 99th Medical Support Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. “Our goal is to help them make dietary modifications that help them reduce their symptoms and possibly help them get off of medications.”
Working as a dietician for the Veteran’s Administration in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in addition to serving as a Reserve Citizen Airman, Davis sees a lot of health conditions aggravated by improper diet. She uses a plate planner and food models to teach portion control and reduce sodium intake.
The IRT dieticians also teach patients how to read labels on pre-packaged food. They contend that many people don’t know how much sodium and additives are in processed foods, and that these may be making symptoms worse or causing them altogether.
“Go back 40-50 years, foods were fresh not genetically modified or overly processed,” said Maj. Mark Perius, 910th Medical Squadron dietician, Youngstown Air Reserve Base, Ohio. “They didn’t have the same health conditions then, or at least they weren’t as common.”
Patients are encouraged to work on variables and make two or three food changes at a time to promote an immediate impact. Then, as the patient becomes accustomed to the dietary modifications, more changes can be added. For example, sweet tea is a staple here in the Savannah River Area. Perius recommends using a substitute such as Stevia or Splenda to gradually replace the sugar.
Changes in cooking methods also play an important role. Preparing foods without adding salt or butter, or without frying, can make a difference. Fad diets are discouraged; instead, raw, unprocessed foods are promoted. Favorites foods are not discouraged, but moderation is advised. Diabetics are provided additional instruction on carbohydrate control so their blood sugar levels remain consistent throughout the day.
“I don’t instruct anyone to completely stay away from any food group because that’s not realistic,” Davis said. “I try to be very practical, so if there’s a certain food the patient really likes I try to find a way we can work that into their diet plan. Then there’s a better chance they’ll stick with it.”
Both Davis and Perius contend a dietician’s job is to breakdown information in a way that patients understand it. They offer simple solutions, the choice of whether or not to use that information and a frank discussion of the possible outcome if they don’t.
“We are giving them a chance,” Perius said. “Whether or not they accept it is up to them.”
Davis and Perius recommend using web sites such as myfitnesspal.com and loseit.com to help health-conscious individuals monitor their food and nutrient intake.
IRT missions provide hands-on, real-world training to improve readiness and interoperability for service members in complex contingency environments while providing key services for American communities.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2018 15:01 |
| Story ID: | 284629 |
| Location: | WARRENTON, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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