INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — WISH-TV is committed to focusing on families and communities, and that includes working to ensure all families have access to healthy meals.
One aspect of nutrition that many people do not think about is what role nutrition can play in a patient’s healing.
Nancy Strange, senior clinical dietitian at IU Health Methodist Hospital’s Comprehensive Wound Center, appeared on News 8 on Daybreak to discuss how to identify and address nutritional deficiencies.
“Nutrition is the ability to obtain or provide adequate nutrients to support the health and function of the body,” Strange says. “Our bodies are designed to heal from injuries, so we need nutrition.”
IU Methodist University’s Comprehensive Wound Center says the university is one of five hospitals in the country to employ a full-time nutritionist in its wound care clinic.
Strange’s job is to create a nutritional care plan for each patient. Part of this includes addressing deficiencies through a complete nutritional assessment, including a physical exam. “We routinely see very high rates of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in this patient population,” she says.
Strange says protein is another common deficiency. A clinical examination will track any suspected defects and ensure that an appropriate nutritional care plan is developed.
“Our goal is to heal the wound as quickly as possible without increasing the risk of infection,” Strange said.
For more information, see the full interview at the top of the page.
