What is Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)? Why does it seem to be a hot topic these days? How has MNT changed the lives the patients across the United States? Read on to get the answers to these questions and more.
On a cold February morning in 2010, former President Bill Clinton found himself looking more pale and tired than even his presidency had worn him. As he continued to begin his day, the realization he knew but did not want to admit became all too real:
He needed to go to the hospital.
Following complications from his 2004 bypass surgery, the former Commander in Chief had two emergency stents implanted. With his health failing, doctors tried to calm him into believing that he wasn’t going to die, but harsh words from a friend made him realize the truth: he had to change his diet.
At the age of 66, many would find this to be quite the challenge, but the former president is living proof that real change is possible through altering your diet. Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is a therapeutic approach which seeks to remediate acute complications through specifically tailored oversight implemented by a dietitian. When implemented by a Registered Dietitian, MNT seeks to reduce the risk of developing new complications as well as addressing previous ones.
Here are just a few of the benefits of MNT:
Since his dramatic weight loss of nearly 30 pounds, that final point is the one Bill Clinton boasts most often.
During an MNT intervention, Registered Dietitians counsel patients on behavioral and lifestyle changes required to impact long-term eating habits and health.
Medical Nutrition Therapy includes:
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Unfortunately, amputation rates are higher in people with diabetes. The good news, though, is that rates have decreased thanks to better foot care and the use of diabetic shoes.
Untreated hyperglycemia leads to serious complications. Signs are hard to identify, but self-monitoring and early treatment lowers these risks and improves quality of life.
