Soapbox #2

Brace yourselves....You've had your warning.

    Here's the thing. We bring people into the hospital to help them get healthier and stronger. Then we feed them hospital food. The food that is brought doesn't look very tasty. It doesn't smell very tasty. And it's not very healthy. If someone is supposed to eat soft foods that are easy on their stomach, they bring them mush. If someone has an early breakfast tray so they can go to their test, they get a muffin and a little box of cereal. There are extremely limited options for anyone who has dietary restrictions. If a patient is admitted at night and missed dinner, their only options are a cold sandwich (if they're lucky), applesauce, and graham crackers. When they go home, we tell them all of these things that they're not allowed to eat anymore. If they're a diabetic, it seems like we're telling them not to eat anything. If they have heart failure, they have to limit how much water they drink every day. And that's all of the information we're giving them. The system we have stinks.
    Imagine a 50 year old man who just had his first heart attack and suddenly you are told to stop drinking, to cut out processed foods including all fast food, to limit sweets, and to eat more vegetables. If he doesn't cook and travels a lot, chances are that he's not going to be able to follow those instructions very well. And why would he want to anyway? Or imagine a 80 year old woman who lives in a nursing home. She eats what is placed in front of her. She doesn't have many options.
    There are dietitians who talk to people about nutrition in the hospital, but there might be 3 or 4 covering over 700 beds. There is no way they will talk to even a quarter of them. My mom is a dietitian, so I might be a little biased, but I think that there should be WAY more emphasis placed on nutrition than there is currently. I know that I can totally tell a difference in the way I feel by what I eat. If I eat out a lot, I have less energy, my stomach makes weird noises, and I feel gross. When I eat healthy, I feel good about myself, my skin looks better, and I have more energy.
   Also, eating well doesn't have to include only buying quinoa or kale. There are ways of giving your body good nutrients without spending half your paycheck. On top of that, I actually like the food I eat. It tastes good. If people in the hospital were truly educated on how to eat better and were fed good food in the hospital, I think it would make a huge difference. I think it's important to go beyond telling them what they can't eat, and to start telling them how to shop for food, how to cook tasty but healthy meals, and how to make do with the food they are allowed to have.

*Inhales* *Exhales*

That's all.
Sorry I'm not more interesting, but I had to get this off my chest. Thanks.
Bye.