Clinical Conditions

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

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. We are a link for nutritional advice for both the Community Respiratory Team and the wider respiratory team and contribute to the development of individual multi-disciplinary care plans.

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.