supplements for broken hip?

My mother broke her hip, and is temporarily residing in a nursing home for rehabilitation. What type of additional supplements can she take to speed up her recovery?

Thanks for your question.  Hopefully your mother's appetite is good enough for her to maintain her weight and heal her hip.  Her diet should be a bit higher in calories and protein to aid in healing.  For example, the RDA for protein for healthy adults is .8 gram/kg (1 kg = 2.2 lbs).  To aid in healing, she should be eating closer to 1.2 grams of protein/kg. Also- if she is in rehabilitation for longer than 2 weeks, I'd suggest she have her vitamin D level checked.  Vitamin D deficiency is more common in the elderly and can affect bone health as it is needed for calcium absorption. Additional calcium + vitamin D (1200 mg calcium + 800 IU vitamin D) daily may aid in healing her hip.  If her vitamin D level is low, her doctor may need to replace it with an even higher dose. Finally, she should maintain adequate hydration by drinking plenty of fluid (1.5 -2 liters) daily. Best of luck!

weight loss during lactation

I gained 47 pounds while I was pregnant. I just gave birth and I’m still 20 pounds heavier than before I got pregnant. Is it safe to go on a weight reduction diet if I breastfeed my child? Thanks Gwen

03/07/11

Hi Gwen- Thanks for your question.  It is perfectly safe to diet while breastfeeding, as long as your baby is getting the nutrients he or she needs.  The most important nutrients are calcium and vitamin D, so make sure you consuming 3-4 servings of low fat dairy products daily (skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt, light string cheese, calcium fortified cottage cheese, etc).  The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends 200 IU of vitamin D drops for infants that are breastfed. If you are not already exercising, regular aerobic exercise as well as strength training will also help you lose excess weight.  You may want to meet with a Registered Dietitian to help you with a meal plan that meets your needs.  You can locate one through the American Dietetic Association.  The web site is: http://www.eatright.org/ Go to the "Find a Nutrition Professional" section to locate one in your are. Best of luck with your new baby!

difference between mono and polyunsaturated fat

Fat

	Question submitted on 03/06/11 on RDCentral.com by Dani25 to RD has Responded: Hello, Which type of fat is better, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated? And, can you explain the difference. I hear these terms a lot when it comes to Cholesterol, but I'm not really sure the what they mean exactly. Thank You

Thanks for your question.  Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are heart healthy and can help in reducing blood cholesterol levels.  In general, they are liquid at room temperature, although some polyunsaturated fats (such as omega-3-fatty acids) are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. Sources of monounsaturated fats include canola, olive and peanut oil.  Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, etc) are also good sources of monounsaturated fats.  Most foods have a mix of different fats, so these foods also contain some saturated, natural trans fat as well as polyunsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fats include corn oil, sunflower, safflower, soybean and other vegetable oils.  These fats help lower cholesterol, but may also lower HDL ("healthy" cholesterol).  It is best to obtain a balance of both types of fat in your diet.  Polyunsaturated fats are more prevalent in our diet as they are found in many processed foods (crackers, cookies, etc). Cholesterol is only found in animal foods as it is made in the liver.  Foods high in saturated and trans fat (butter, beef, bacon, margarine, fast food, desserts, full fat dairy products, etc), raise blood cholesterol and should be limited if you're trying to lower your cholesterol level.  Weight loss and a diet high in soluble fiber (oats, beans, barley, fruits, vegetables) also lower blood cholesterol. I hope this clears the confusion!

Diet and osteoporosis

Hi, Can nutrition reverse or cure osteoporosis? Thank You

Thanks for your question.  While you cannot 'cure' or reverse osteoporosis, there are medications that will help to maintain current bone mass and prevent further loss.  These include Fosamax, Boniva and other prescription medications. A diet high in calcium and vitamin D will help to maintain bone mass, as will calcium and vitamin D supplementation.  Regular exercise (weight bearing such as walking) will also help to maintain bone mass.  Check with your doctor for other options.

alcohol and vitamins

Does detoxing from alcohol make your body lose nutrients? Thanks Stew

Dear Stew- People that drink alcohol on a regular basis require more nutrients for a few reasons.  It is not that the detox process requires more nutrients, but that alcoholics may not be eating very well and that alcohol abuse can lead to malnutrition. 1.  They may be skipping meals when they drink, so are missing nutrients they'd normally be eating in food. 2.  Thiamine and folate (B vitamins) are used for alcohol metabolism and tend to be low in chronic drinkers.  Folate and thiamine requirements are higher for alcoholics. 3.  Damage to the liver and small intestine may impact the metabolism and absorption of various nutrients. Typically, when a person is detoxing from alcohol, a multi-vitamin (to meet RDAs), 1 mg folic acid and 100 mg thiamine are prescribed daily for 5-7 days to replace nutrients, prevent deficiency and symptoms of withdrawal.

calcium needs for 7 year old

Hello, How much calcium does my 7 year old daughter need? Thank You

Thanks for your question.  The calcium requirement for a 7 year old girl is 1000 mg per day.  Your daughter can obtain that much by consuming 3 servings of dairy foods per day such as 1 cup 1 or 2% milk, 1 cup of low fat yogurt or 1 low fat cheese stick.  Calcium is also found in smaller amounts in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, mustard greens and spinach.

additional vitamins for breast fed infant

Hi, I am 7 months pregnant. Will I need to supplement my baby with vitamins if I breastfeed?

03/06/11 06:23 PM

Thanks for your question.  I commend you for planning on breastfeeding your baby once he or she arrives! Newborn infants do require an additional 200 IU of vitamin D daily as this is not adequate in breastmilk according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.  You can buy this at any pharmacy over the counter in liquid/drops form.  In addition, you should obtain adequate B12 in your diet (through animal foods or a supplement) to prevent deficiency in your infant.  A separate B12 supplement is not indicated for your child, but if you are vegan or vegetarian, it should be replaced in your diet through a prenatal or women's formula vitamin. Best of luck with your baby!

Excess skin after weight loss

Q:  I posted this exact statement on the message boards (which

is why the post is written as if it were written to a 
group) and I only got one response. I just want to make 
sure what is and what is not true regarding this topic (I 
am still a student, so I don't really know a lot).

I use to be really big when I was a kid. During my teenage
years, I was fed up with the lifestyle I had and decided to
change my eating and exercise habits. I went from 5'2' and
187lbs at 15 years of age to (currently) 5'7' and 145lbs at
20 years of age. I currently go to the gym regularly and 
eat as healthy as possible (I took a Principles of Human
Nutrition at college which taught me a lot about eating
right and fell in love with the class). It took a lot of
work, but I managed it. These experiences are what inspired
me to become a dietitian! I want to help people who aspire
to a healthier lifestyle as I did.

My only complain about all this is that I am left with some
excess skin. Not a whole lot where it is extremely visible,
but more than enough to make me uncomfortable (especially 
in the abdominal region). Since I know many of you 
dietitians deal with people who have lost a lot of weight 
and/or have experience this, I come here to seek your 
expertise (I am highly skeptical at the things people say 
regarding health ever since my teacher, who was a 
Dietitian, debunked many of the myths 
surrounding "health".) My question to you is this:
Is there any way to reduce the amount of excess skin a
person has after losing lots of weigh

A:  Thank you for your question.  I congratulate you on being so responsible in changing your diet and lifestyle to improve your health.  Unfortunately, I have not "dealt" with many patients that have lost enough weight to have excess skin.  To my knowledge, the only way to get rid of it would be plastic surgery.  I don't know if simply doing more exercise to tone up would necessarily help.

I suggest you check with your doctor to find out if there is anything he/she would suggest.  My guess is his or her answer will be plastic surgery.

Best of luck!