Dietician makes the difference to Limpopo clinic
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The regular visit was preceded by nurses’ realisation that despite the prevalence of high blood pressure and diabetes in the community, patients may not know enough about the role of nutrition in helping control chronic illnesses.
“We realised that it was important for our all of our patients, especially those with sugar diabetes and high blood pressure, to get as much information as they can on how to manage their eating,” said clinic nurse Sarah Netshidongololwe.
Hambila Village’s Masindi Mbedzi says he now understands that too much salt can cause high blood pressure.
About 6.3 million South Africans are currently living with high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. The country has one of the world’s highest rates of hypertension.
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa, about 80 percent of cardiovascular diseases like hypertensions could be prevented by lifestyle changes, like reduced salt intake.
“We shouldn’t cook our food with too much cooking oil because it also is not good for our health,” said Mbedzi, referring to the role that some types of cooking oils can play in high cholesterol.
With better information, patients say they can take charge of their health more.
“I find it very useful to listen to the dietician at the clinic,” Mukondeleli Nduvheni said. “He makes it easier for us to manage our ways of eating.”
The dietician’s visit also fills a gap in nurses’ knowledge, says Netshidongololwe.
“We are very lucky to have had a dietitian visiting our clinic because we nurses found it hard to explain to people how they should eat in a way that they could understand,” she told OurHealth.
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