As part of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics sponsored National Nutrition Month, Garrett Regional Medical Center urges area residents to go further with food and learn how adopting healthy habits can help individuals with chronic illnesses better manage their symptoms.
National Nutrition Month aims to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. The outpatient nutrition counseling services at GRMC helps patients diagnosed with chronic illnesses to develop healthy habits to better manage their conditions.
“The opportunity to learn more about how to better manage chronic conditions through nutrition counseling is often a health care benefit that many individuals are not aware or do not necessarily utilize on a regular basis,” said Ruth Chisholm, Registered Dietitian and Licensed Nutritionist at Garrett Regional Medical Center. “Nutrition counseling helps empower our patients with the tools and information they need to better manage their health.”
Individuals diagnosed with diabetes and non-dialysis kidney disease who are recipients of Medicare Part B are eligible for three hours of Medical Nutrition Therapy for their first year and two hours each year thereafter. Medicare Part B beneficiaries can simply receive a referral from their primary care physician with an approved diagnosis requirement to participate in managed nutrition therapy.
Insured individuals can contact their insurance companies to confirm the extent of their coverage for nutrition services as it often varies by provider. Providers traditionally offer Medical Nutrition Therapy for individuals diagnosed with diabetes and kidney disease and some insurance companies will also offer this benefit for diagnoses of heart disease or obesity.
The National Nutrition Month 2018 theme of “Go Further with Food” aims to provide awareness of how to manage food resources at home to save both nutrients and money. Go Further with Food wants you to consider what food items you have on hand before you buy more at the store, be mindful of portion sizes, use good food safety practices and find activities you enjoy to maintain physical activity throughout the week.
“This month, we’ll be featuring budget-friendly, healthy recipes on the Facebook pages of GRMC and Grantsville Medical Center in recognition of National Nutrition Month,” added Chisholm. “I also encourage folks to utilize USDA’s program website, www.choosemyplate.gov, which offers nutritious eating tips, healthy recipes and other healthy learning tools.”
For more information on outpatient nutrition counseling, please contact Ruth Chisholm at 301-533-4010.
