The Medical clinics of North America
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Proper nutrition and healthy eating are key determinants of healthy aging. In older age, energy requirements decrease, yet micronutrient requirements stay the same or increase, which make older adults susceptible to nutrient deficiencies. ⋯ Most older adults have multiple chronic diseases that may influence their dietary intake and nutritional needs. However, currently, our understanding of how individual chronic diseases and their associated treatments influence dietary requirements is limited.
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Med. Clin. North Am. · Sep 2022
ReviewDiet for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders/Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction.
Dietary interventions may alleviate symptoms related to functional gastrointestinal disorders, now termed disorders of gut-brain interaction. We reviewed which interventions have high-quality data to support their use in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic idiopathic constipation.
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This article serves as an overview for selecting appropriate nutrition education resources for patients, families, caregivers, and care providers. Registered Dietitians provide high-quality, evidence-based nutrition care and serve an integral role in multidisciplinary teams. ⋯ Recommendations and considerations for health care practitioners providing individualized nutrition education or for providing disease and language-specific patient education materials are detailed. In addition, a brief review of insurance coverage for nutrition support services, as well as considerations to make when selecting a qualified nutrition provider for patient referrals is specified.
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Med. Clin. North Am. · Sep 2022
ReviewDietary Supplements - The Wild West of Good, Bad, and a Whole Lotta Ugly.
The popularity of and market for natural medicines (herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and vitamins) is accelerating. At the same time, evidence for their effectiveness (both in general and for specific conditions) and safety remains poor in many instances. Independent evaluations have identified products that are poorly manufactured, contaminated, or mislabeled. ⋯ Yet consumers often are unaware of these concerns and problems and continue to believe that "natural" means "safe." The current US regulatory framework founded in the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) does not adequately protect the health of US consumers and urgently needs to be revised. At the same time, clinicians should update themselves regularly with the best available evidence on the natural medications most relevant to their areas of practice. We recommend some evidence-based resources that will help clinicians and their patients remain current in this area.