WELCOME TO SUSSEX DIETITIAN

Hi…. My name is Susie Longford and I am a degree trained and HPC Registered dietitian in private practice, based at the Bartholomew Way Clinic, in Horsham, West Sussex.

I look forward to helping you with your problem.

Registered Dietitians (RDs) are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat diet and nutrition problems at an individual and wider public health level. Uniquely, dietitians use the most up to date public health and scientific research on food, health and disease, which they translate into practical guidance to enable people to make appropriate lifestyle and food choices.

Dietitians are the only nutrition professionals to be statutorily regulated, and governed by an ethical code, to ensure that they always work to the highest standard. Dietitians work in the NHS, private practice, industry, education, research, sport, media, public relations, publishing, NGOs and government. Their advice influences food and health policy across the spectrum from government, local communities and individuals.

The title dietitian can only be used by those appropriately trained professionals who have registered with the Health Professions Council and whose details are on the HPC web site.

Diet, Diabetes & Cardiovascular disease

Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, including raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol and strokes

Our diet has a profound effect on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At Bartholomew Clinic analysis of your dietary intake will identify areas of your diet which can be modified to help recovery and increase prevention of further physiological deterioration.

You have probably been prescribed a diet to follow such as to change the type of fat you are eating from predominantly saturated fat to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils and are wondering what these fats are and how you can incorporate these into your dietary regimen. At the clinic these confusions can be explained clearly to you, and together a dietary regimen can be planned to suit your requirements.

A diagnosis of diabetes in its various forms (raised blood sugar level, type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus) will mean that your dietary intake will play a vital role. Many sufferers of diabetes do not understand the importance of maintaining a healthy and stable blood sugar and blood-fat level. At the clinic time can be spent explaining how these systems work to cause bodily deterioration. Time can be spent to discuss how your diet can to be modified to current recommendations in a form achievable to you.

A diagnosis of raised blood pressure may be associated with you feeling fine and leaving you wondering why you should make dietary changes. Stroke is a major cause of disability in the UK, with raised blood pressure being a major contributor. It is imperative that alcohol consumption, salt and body weight be addressed – all of which can be discussed, with practical and achievable dietary aims and objectives negotiated.

Web links:

British Heart Foundation
www.bhf.org.uk

Familial Hyperlipidaemia Association
Family Heart Association
www.familyheart.org

Diabetes UK
www.diabetes.org.uk

Gender & Diet

Differing dietary requirements for men and women

Men and women have different dietary requirements; not only this, but they are predisposed to different illnesses: males are more prone to cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, alcoholism, duodenal ulcers and lung cancer, whilst women display significantly higher rates of eating and depressive disorders and connective tissue disease.

It has been proposed that a reduction in physical exertion and inappropriate eating and drinking of modern living does not suit a male’s innate skills of physical strength and spatial skills; consequently leading to specific disease predispositions listed in the above paragraph.

Research has shown that men are less likely to seek medical intervention and screening, and are often threatened to make life-style changes in fear of being labeled effeminate. By making small changes to the diet, a profound change can occur in a man’s weight and reduction to disease onset.

By visiting Bartholomew Clinic your diet and life-style and health needs can be analysed and adjustments can be personalised to suit you.

Pre-conceptual nutrition, pregnancy and lactation

Research shows that the nutritional status of the mother and father can have a profound effect on the outcome of the child.

If possible a dietary analysis and consultation is advisable for all couples considering starting or expanding their family.

Nutrients such as folic acid, iron and calcium are often at risk from deficiency following the typical British diet, and thus it is imperative that their status is analysed and corrections made as deficiency can have a profound effect on foetal development and the mother’s health status.

During pregnancy, the developing foetus requires nutrients which are drawn from the mother’s bodily stores. The mother’s health could be compromised if her nutrient status is not satisfactory. Parents are often confused with what diet they should be consuming during pregnancy – how much coffee and tea; whether food can be eaten raw or must be cooked, and what balance of foods they should be eating.

By visiting Bartholomew Way Clinic, these concerns can be addressed and your diet analysed with practical suggestions to achieve dietary change.

The Department of Health and the World Health Organisation advocates a baby being breast fed exclusively for the first six months – most parents can find this hard to achieve.

Web links:
National Childbirth Trust
http://www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/home

La Leche League
http://www.laleche.org.uk/

Breastfeeding Network
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/

Cancer Prevention

Many people have concerns about developing cancer, especially if they have a close relative that has developed the disease.

There is a strong link between dietary intake and the development of cancer.

There are a number of current dietary guidelines that one can adhere too that will help to reduce the risk of cancer, such as reducing the intake of red meat and processed meat, as well as maintaining an ideal body weight.

At Bartholomew Way Clinic we can analyse your diet and compare your intakes to these guidelines. Where changes are required, these can be discussed and tailored to suit.

Web link:
Cancer UK
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

Cancer Research Campaign
www.crc.org.uk

Vegetarian & Vegan Diets

Vegetarianism can bring with it many health benefits, such as lower saturated fat content, high in fibre and antioxidants which results in this diet often conferring many cardiovascular benefits.

Unfortunately often people follow such a diet without properly planning a balanced diet and nutrients such as the B vitamins, iron, zinc, calcium and protein are often compromised; this is particularly prevalent to adolescent females and can have a profound effect on their long-term health. It is thus advisable that a person consuming a vegetarian diet is aware of the nutrients that are at risk and gains information on how to balance their diet.

At Bartholomew Way Clinic we can offer such assistance and analyse your existing diet to highlight any potential deficiency concerns.

Web links:
Vegan Society

Vegetarian Society

Why is diet advice important?

Most individuals would admit to needing dietary advice. Today’s life-style means that what we eat is often compromised, leading to poor dietary choices. Society’s poor eating habits have led to a change in disease patterns: no longer is the communicable disease of dominance, but the non-communicable disease has emerged (cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and digestive disorders) which are mainly the result of poor diet and lack of exercise.

There is a strong link between diet, disease and health. The types of diet therapy used by the dietitian can be divided into two categories:

1. Diet used to reduce or prevent symptoms, for example, reducing saturated fat and increasing the use of soluble fibre and stanols and sterols within the diet to treat raised cholesterol levels

2. Diet can be used to promote recovery and repair, such as implementing nutritional support (dietary supplementation) to meet the increased nutritional needs of the client following surgery or conditions where weight-loss is occurring such as in cancer and digestive disorders where food is poorly absorbed by the body.

Visit our services page to see how your consultation is structured.

eat well plate

Thanks to the FSA for this great healthy eating plate image

kidney & renal stones

Depending on the severity of your kidney disease you will be prescribed a specific diet. Often prescribed diets and restrictions that are imposed seem impossible to achieve.

At the Bartholomew Way Clinic we can spend time discussing the reasons for the necessity to impose these dietary restrictions and help you and your family cope with the changes that need to be made.

Web link:
http://www.equip.nhs.uk/topics/renal.html

gall stones

Clare is at present writing descriptions of how she can help you with dietary problems related to Gall stones, these will be uploaded in the next couple of days.

In the mean time here is a link to the wikipedia description of Gall stones