Nutritional Counseling

Nutrition is an important part of health maintenance. It affects the prevention and treatment of many conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and cirrhosis. Nutrition therapy also plays a significant role in the medical management of high-risk pregnancies, gastrointestinal diseases and hyperlipidemia, to name a few.

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Prescribed nutrition therapy is provided by registered dietitians qualified by education, experience and expertise. A registered dietitian will assess your nutrition status and tailor nutrition recommendations to your individual eating habits, lifestyle, budget and nutrient needs required by your diagnosis.

Who can benefit from nutrition counseling? People with the following concerns or conditions:

  • Heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels
  • High blood pressure
  • Celiac disease/gluten intolerance
  • Kidney disease
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulosis or Crohn’s disease
  • Nutrition during pregnancy and lactation
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • General healthy eating
  • Prediabetes
  • Diabetes
  • Food allergies
  • Sports nutrition
  • Eating disorders

Eating nutritious meals can result in increased energy levels, strong bones, sharper mental focus and weight moderation.

Download the Balanced Plate Guide

Infographic displays dietary recommendations for healthy meals.

Risks of Poor Nutrition: A diet lacking proper nutrition has many risks. The physical implications can include weight gain, excessive weight loss, high blood pressure, diabetes, tooth decay, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and some cancers. In addition to the physical symptoms, poor nutrition can also contribute to depression and other mood disorders, slowed problem solving, inability to concentrate and irritability.

Inpatient Nutrition Services

Memorial Food and Nutrition Services and registered dietitian nutritionists provide personalized nutritional care for your recovery during a hospital stay at Springfield Memorial Hospital. Registered dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy and education for in-house patients.

Heading home with a specific diet to follow? Our clinical dietitians educate patients and their families about heart disease, diabetes, cancer and gastrointestinal concerns, as well as specialty diets including low-sodium and gluten-free.

Outpatient Nutrition

 Nutritional counseling and monitoring by registered dietitians and certified diabetes educators is available on an outpatient basis through Memorial Wellness Center. Services may include:

  • Diabetes education
  • General healthy eating and nutrition education sessions
  • Nutrition counseling sessions to develop an individualized meal plan
  • Cooking classes
  • Grocery store tours

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