Probiotics and Antioxidants

Today, we talked a lot about probiotics and antioxidants at the hospital. According to the dieticians, physicians in South Africa are wary of the use of probiotics, and so I thought I would go in to a little more research to see how much they are used in the US. 

As of 2008, a review article published by Vanderhoof and Young showed that there is a validated indication for the use of some probiotics in the US. However, they have discovered that there is a need to clarify the regulatory and safety issues. So perhaps South Africa and the United States can figure out the benefits and consequences together. All I know is that I will have to keep an eye out for more knowledge on probiotics upon my return home.

As for antioxidants…I know that they are all the rage in the US. For example…why do you think so many people drink a glass of red wine a day? Oh right…antioxidants.

In addition to these riveting topics, we also talked about how your diet can affect arthritis pain, so I decided to do a little more research on that too. Here’s what I came up with:

Researchers have found that the Mediterranean diet had the greatest effect at reducing arthritis pain. The Mediterranean diet emphases foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and olive oil, while limiting the amount of red meat. In a study done, in 12 weeks, people on the diet reported 15% less pain, but no improvements in physical function or morning stiffness. A vegetarian diet that allowed eggs and dairy products had a similar effect.

On the other hand, some foods like potatoes and tomatoes have long been said to contribute to arthritis pain. Some researchers have speculated that a group of compounds in the vegetables called alkaloids might worsen inflammation in sensitive people. But so far, no solid studies have confirmed this.

Interestingly, the dietician I was working with today suggested that her patient try to increase the amount of omega 3 fatty acids that she was consuming each week. Omega 3’s are found in fish (salmon, tuna, and halibut), some plants, and nut oils. Omega 3’s have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and may help to reduce the swelling of arthritis patients. She also suggested a diet high in green, leafy vegetables.

Needless to say, I think that this might be an interesting field of study upon my return. 

Day 1

Today was our first day in the internship and I'm starting out with my first week in the Medi-Clinic. At the Medi-Clinic, I will be working with a dietitian who has her own private practice and works in the private sector. It is her job to ensure that the patients in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units are receiving the proper nutritional supplements to aid in their growth and healing. In order to do this, she calculates their energy needs based on their weight and health condition and then counsels the doctors about appropriate levels for liquid and protein supplementation. When a patient is being released from the hospital, she will then counsel the family on how to move forward.

After shadowing Vandghie, I shadowed one of her partners, Anna Marie, while she did the same nutrition counseling for adults in an intensive care unit and those who are part of an assisted living community. They both said that the rest of the week would be much of the same old thing.

However, I did have the opportunity to chat with both of them about different cultural practices in South Africa in comparison to those in the States. Vandghi and I talked about the differences between the public and private sectors in SA and how most people would not be able to afford the private sector without medical aid (something that is very similar to our health insurance). In terms of the public sector, the government subsidizes the facilities and as we may all assume, they are not in the best conditions.

While traveling to and from different hospitals, Anna Marie and I talked about the different cultural practices of Black South Africans. She was telling me how it is often a struggle to work in the public sector as a white woman because they don't always respect or believe in what she is telling them. For example, the Black community does not believe in birth control or family planning, so they will give birth to many children without the means of supporting them throughout their lives. In fact, many black men will impregnate a woman before marrying her to ensure that she is able to give birth to his children. Often times, these women will be left behind in the dust to raise the children on their own. It's really quite sad.

Anna Marie also told me about her research in breast feeding and how she's been reading the Healthy People 2020/2010 goals. I got really excited when I knew exactly what she was talking about--as a health promotion student, we discuss the Healthy People goals often. We also talked about the WHO and CDC. It was nice to have a conversation that didn't deal strictly with nutrition.