Ludhiana, May 24
In the 1950s, the food served at the CMC&H was in the form of langars. The vegetables and dal was taken in buckets and chapatis were taken in baskets. In 1954, Ms Gwen Forbat designed the dietary department of the CMC&H. It was the first dietary department to be set up in a hospital in the northern region. Ms Maxime Birch carried forward the work by further modernising the equipment.
From 1968, the management of dietary ward came into Indian hands. The main purpose was to provide wholesome and right kind of diet to people with health problems and advise correct diet for the fit people. The second aim was to provide diet counselling to out patients and in patients. The third purpose was teaching of dietary importance for PG students. Diet had to be according to the patient’s condition.
The chief dietician of the hospital said, “These days people are coming with multiple diseases like hypertension and diabetes, cardiac problem and diabetes, or renal problems. Hardly any patient comes with one disease, so the diet plays a very important role in controlling the disease and preventing complications. The role of dietician becomes important as he or she has to plan a diet without sugar, salt and fat. The patients resent switching over to such kind of food. So there is need to educate the patient as it is most important in diet therapy. The dietician has to create appetising dishes from which maximum nutrients can be obtained from minimum food”.
In case of renal problems and acute diabetes, one patient had to restrict the intake of salt, potassium and sugar. He was depressed in the beginning for he had to eat bland food, but later switched over to dishes without salt and sugar. The patients should eat complex carbohydrates like brown bread and chapaties made of coarsely ground atta. Green and fresh vegetables and fruits should be added to the diet.
Many children were turning obese as mothers were giving them dense calories by feeding them chocolates, popcorn and soft drinks. The children should be given normal diet. The mother has to be innovative to give a variety of dishes to their children. Once the fat cells were created in the body, these would need to be filled.
These days, due to bad eating habits, those in the thirties were suffering from hypertension and cardiac problems. Every hospital needed a dietician to plan the correct diet according to the needs.
The government hospitals were required to have one dietician after 100 patients, but hardly any hospital followed this rule. Big hospitals did not have a dietary department. A lot of students were looking for employment. In metros, diet clinics were being run by trained dieticians. Without diet control and diet therapy, medicines were useless.
Good diet and exercise was key to good health. The dietary requirements varied from age to age. Alcohol intake also caused to obesity, hypertension and diabetes.
