Explain therapeutic diet planning
All detailed dietary modifications should be presented with choices, clear guidelines, menu guidance and supporting information as to alternatives possible. Patients should be encouraged to understand the key relationship between a food and a diet. The value of a food depends on the amount of nutrient in the food and the frequency with which the food is consumed. Dietary changes necessary are more likely to be followed if clear explanations and simple instructions are provided as to why the diet has to be changed. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) are often used as a basis for evaluating the adequacy of therapeutic diets. Nutrient requirements specific to a particular disease state or a disorder must be kept in mind when planning the diet, As a dietitian, you also need to remember that an individual's diet is affected by various factors such as lifestyle, income, knowledge, taste preferences, religious beliefs and various other socio cultural factors. Failure to account for these could result in an impractical therapeutic diet planning.