Česky
In the nutritional outpatient clinic of the Rehabilitation Hospital Beroun, patients are cared for by a team of three professional therapists Mgr. Lívia Balažia, Mgr. Dominika Roztočilová and Lenka Lehovičová. As they describe at the beginning, unlike a nutritionist or a coach, a therapist has the privilege to take care of patients with various health problems.
"Mostly people come to us on the recommendation of general practitioners, cardiologists, orthopedists and other specialists. Primarily we deal with obesity, then diabetes mellitus or food allergies and intolerances. In no case do we offer any 'miracle' dietary supplements and we approach each patient individually in order to fine-tune their eating habits," says Lívia.
Before visiting the outpatient clinic, it is necessary for the patient to keep an honest record of what they have eaten and drunk during the day for at least five days. The therapist then takes a medical history and asks about other possible health problems. "To do this, we use a special InBody scale that produces a summary report on body composition. For example, we learn the ratio of muscle to fat tissue. The amount of fat that is stored in the abdominal cavity around vital organs and much more. This will give us a complete picture, which will give us a clear indication of the direction in which lifestyle changes should be made," illustrates Lenka.
Patients then receive a tailor-made nutrition plan. Further consultations take place once a month. This is so that the therapists can react in time to possible negative fluctuations in the body distribution, if necessary.
"A balanced diet can prevent cardiovascular problems or metabolic syndrome."
Starvation stresses the body, which then refuses to lose weight
By far the most common reason to visit a nutrition clinic is being overweight or obese. Motivations are generally the same; everyone wants to feel better and look better, and women are predominant among those interested. "Patients are often frightened by their general physical condition accompanied by, for example, poor blood count and high blood pressure," says Lívia, who points out that good nutrition is the key to good fitness.
To their surprise, people often learn during their first consultation that stagnation in weight loss is usually due to insufficient energy intake. "Because of low nutrient intake, the body is stressed and one response is to store fat. When we then tell patients that they need to 'bulk up' properly, we are often met with surprise," adds Dominika.
It can be done without drastic diets
Adjusting eating habits doesn't have to be difficult, as therapists guide patients to make their new eating habits a lifestyle. "The fact that losing weight is easy and without strict diets is an inspiring finding for everyone. We like to snack too, but the important thing is that we give our bodies more than eighty percent of the nutrients they need. And only in the rest can we enjoy a vice," says Dominika.
You shouldn't wait to order
During its operation, the clinic has found a relatively high number of clients and more are coming. Currently, the average waiting time for a first consultation is about one month. "In addition, those who come to us with a referral from a doctor have their care paid for by public health insurance. However, the door is also open to self-payers," concludes Lenka.
