Physical Therapy Nutrition
I started subscribing to Food and Wine magazine a few months ago. The first issue was not ideal for my taste - lots of foreign ingredients and required substantial time requirements. There were articles about additional uses for corn, outside of its traditional food reputation; which I was not entirely interested in reading about. I tossed the issue aside and continued making my regular meals.
The next issue I received in the mail impressed me beyond belief. Many of the recipes were new twists on basic concepts that inspired me to head to the grocery store and spend an afternoon in the kitchen. I had never used things like shallots or made dishes like polenta and I enjoyed learning all the new words and flavors.
While preparing and eating food (I can eat a lot!) are a big part of my personal life, it is not an area I explore with my patients. Nutrition plays one of the most important roles in a body's ability to perform physical tasks, but it isn't a topic I feel comfortable discussing. I don't know all the details about food groups, calories needed, diabetic needs, etc. My perception of most of the people I encounter, both personally and professionally, is that very few people want advice on food. Conversation about food can easily progress into talking about diets and weight, and most people are self-conscious about those things.
Tell me what you think! Do you discuss nutrition with your patients? Do you feel like your patients' diet affects their performance with therapy - either for better or worse?