Clinical Conditions and Therapeutic Diet

For people with cancer, the relationship between food and eating can change. The webpage below was written by Dietitians at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre to help you to take care of your food intake and nutrition by yourself. But if you are struggling to manage on your own you can ask a Dietitian for advice.

Dietitians and Support Workers can see you if you stay on a ward at the Beatson (or at your local hospital). Or you can ask your GP to refer you to see a Dietitian in a local clinic.

For further information

Pre-Diabetes

If you have been told by your Doctor you are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, NHS GGC has produced the following video.

Type 2 Diabetes Hub

Diabetes in Hospital: Carbohydrate Counting During Your Hospital Stay

Carbohydrate counting can be challenging when you are in hospital. The NHSGGC booklet, ‘Diabetes in Hospital: Information on Carbohydrate Counting During Your Hospital Stay’ can help to make this easier.  

This booklet provides carbohydrate values for the food and drinks available during your hospital stay.  It has been produced for both people living with diabetes and their healthcare professionals, and can assist with identifying carbohydrate sources, carbohydrate counting and insulin dose adjustment (if applicable).  To access this booklet, ask a member of staff on your ward, or follow the link, below. 

Diabetes, Blood Glucose (Sugar) levels and Dietary Management During Pregnancy

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes (or GDM) is a type of diabetes which develops during pregnancy. Blood glucose levels can become too high, and it is important to control these to minimise health risks for both you and your baby.

The below patient education videos were created by NHSGGC Diabetes Dietitians, and focus on healthy eating with Gestational Diabetes. Patients can contact or be referred to the Diabetes Dietitians for more detailed advice, if required. These videos are available in other languages at the bottom of this series.

The above video highlights how appropriate dietary management can slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. This can delay the patients’ need to access renal replacement therapies such as haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and transplant.

This patient education video was created by NHSGGC Renal Dietitians as an introduction to diet and chronic kidney disease, with a focus on the no added salt diet. Patients can be referred to the Renal Dietitians for more tailored dietary advice.

As chronic kidney disease progresses, the kidneys become less efficient at removing potassium and other waste products from the body. This can lead to a raised potassium level in the blood. Once other potential causes have been excluded a patient may be advised by their healthcare team to follow a low potassium diet.

This patient education video was created by the NHS GGC Renal Dietitians as an introduction to the low potassium diet. For specific individual advice, patients should be referred to the Renal Dietitians.”

This video below explains the importance of keeping blood phosphate at a safe level. It will explain what  a low phosphate diet is and show you types and portion sizes of phosphate containing foods. The video will also explain types of phosphate binders and how they work

Please click on the button below to access Right Decisions Glasgow Kidney Unit app, for more information on the Glasgow Kidney Unit

This information is for people who have been diagnosed with IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 1 in 5 adults, primarily impacting the bowel and gut. Symptoms include diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain and/or discomfort, abdominal cramps, bloating, and excessive wind. Other symptoms are nausea, heartburn, lethargy and tiredness.

Although there is no specific test for diagnosing IBS, it is important to have a diagnosis confirmed. Tests are required to rule out other conditions like coeliac disease and Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) (eg crohns disease, ulcerative colitis). If you think you might have IBS it’s important to speak to your Doctor before making dietary changes. It’s essential that you explain your symptoms, making sure to mention if you have any of the following:

– unintentional and unexplained weight loss

– rectal bleeding

– a family history of bowel or ovarian cancer

– a change in bowel habit to looser and/or more frequent stools persisting for more than six weeks in a person aged over 60 years

– iron deficiency anaemia

– nausea and / or vomiting

– reflux / heartburn

The cause of IBS is unknown, however symptoms can be improved through diet and lifestyle changes. This might include changes to what you eat and drink, exercising and finding ways to relax and manage stress.

The links below provide information and first line advice to help you manage your symptoms.

If your symptoms continue despite making these changes, speak to your Dietitian. Sometimes special Diets such as low lactose, wheat free or a low FODMAP diet can help. However these diets can cause nutritional deficiencies so always make sure that you get advice from a Dietitian before trying them. Your GP or health professional can refer you to your local Dietetic service.

When your liver is not working well, your body needs extra energy and protein. Malnutrition (weight loss and muscle wasting) is common in liver disease. This resource was written by dietitians in NHSGGC to help guide you on what to eat and drink if you have, or are at risk of, malnutrition. 

For further information on nutrition, talk to your liver team. They may refer you for an appointment with a dietitian. 

See Information Eating to Feel Better. Liver Disease for more information

The role of the dietitian includes nutritional assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation of nutrition related issues in respiratory patients.

Universally across respiratory conditions, the management of malnutrition is at the forefront of priorities for Dietitians – however both under nutrition and over nutrition are considered.

Having a diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) means patients use 10 times more energy to breathe than someone with healthy lungs – Therefore COPD patients need more energy to do the work of breathing. A good diet can help prevent lung infections. Ensuring the patient has a sound nutritional status reduces the risk of getting infections, improves lung function and reduces both likelihood/ duration of hospital stay. Good diet also reduces the likelihood of unplanned weight loss from eating poorly which can weaken the muscles used for breathing. Poor nutritional intake/ status can make symptoms of COPD worse and it can also decrease a patients ability to exercise.

Community Respiratory Team can be contacted on 0141 800 0790 and patient needing dietetic input will be seen by Community dietitians

See link below for short video on the role on diet and COPD.