NoMU Talks Daily Dietetics – This month: Renee Gielis
So far in our Monthly Dietetics features we’ve been focusing mostly on the weight-loss aspect of dietetics but there are so many areas of dietetics that are specialized to unique problems. This month we delved a bit deeper into the more serious problems one comes across in dietetics as we chatted to Renee Gielis, BSc Dietetics RD, who specializes in GIT (Gastro-Intestinal) dietetics.
Having studied dietetics in the UK and after gaining a wealth of experience working at the NHS and Kingsbury hospital in the GIT ward, Renee is definitely our go-to person with all things gastro-intestinal-related. To make an appointment with Renee you can email her on rgielis@mweb.co.za or call her on 072 427 6515.
Renee explains that she mostly deals with patients who suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Celiac’s Disease and bowel cancer. Celiac disease (for those of you like me who had heard of the disease but don’t know what it does) is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have Celiac disease have an intolerance to gluten, rye, and barley. When they eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. This causes food to be improperly absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream leading to malnutrition and symptoms such as pain and bloating, chronic diarrhea and unhealthy weight loss. Renee guides her clients in dealing with and avoiding the symptoms by prescribing a gluten-free, balanced diet.
The most prevalent disorder Renee comes across in a lot of her patients is IBS. She explains that one of the main causes is stress and until recently was believed to be the only cause but new research findings have showed that it is also closely linked with allergies to foods such as gluten, a protein found in wheat. Renee empowers her clients with information so they can cut gluten from their diets and suggesting yoga to alleviate stress, help regulate appetite and restore the mind-body connection. She explains how rewarding it is to help patients who feel so powerless about what’s happening to them, in particular those who have bowel cancer, regain some control over their gastro-intestinal problem using diet and alleviate some of the symptoms.
Renee believes that one problem South Africans have is an obsession with counting calories, weight loss and being thin which is not always indicative of a healthy body. She explains that people are too concerned with “low calories” and will reach for something that is low in calories but is not necessarily healthy as it is full of sugars, additives and preservatives. Although one would most often associate weight loss with dietitians, in dealing with patients who have suffered with something as severe as bowel cancer weight gain is often the aim of an eating plan as the patient has often undergone surgery or chemotherapy and needs help getting back to their normal lifestyle and regaining their strength.
“It’s amazing what it can do and the things that you can do with food, how you can prevent disease how you can cure certain circumstances and its actually quite simple. People always think they need lotions and potions and all these complex things but if you can fix the diet it’s so effective and its something they can do for themselves. Its about giving them the information and the confidence to do it and showing them how”
NoMU Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate
All NoMU products are gluten-free but Renee’s favorite is the Sugar-free Hot Chocolate, which seems to be a popular favorite among the dietitians so far… She says even her husband a Chocolate Fundi also can’t get enough of it.
Renee’s Top Tips to help alleviate or avoid Gastro-Intestinal problems:
Get back to basics – learn how to enjoy the taste of a fresh orange rather than reaching for sugary processed foods
Try yoga to restore the mind-body connection, help control appetite and alleviate stress which is often linked to high blood pressure and IBS
If you struggle with cravings, make sure you have a balanced diet with all the right nutrients – cravings occur when something is missing from your diet
Learn how to accept your body both in a positive and negative way and empower yourself with knowledge
Wherever possible stick to the most natural foods and if you know you have an intolerance to a certain food try to stay away from it
Look for healthier alternatives and try to eat low GI where possible
If you suffer from Celiac Disease, IBS, or have other food related allergies and struggle to find gluten or wheat-free recipes, take a look at Leaine’s Kitchen: Learning to Eat with Limitations.Leaine Brebner created this blog which is full of recipes that cater to those who suffer from food intolerances or allergies. Her most recent post includes a delicious gluten-free strawberry cheese cake.
This space is where Tracy and I get to share our thoughts and experiences as entrepreneurs, business- people, brand owners and parents. We hope you’ll enjoy the evolving story of NoMU, and we’d love to receive your comments.
NoMU Talks Daily Dietetics – This month: Renee Gielis
So far in our Monthly Dietetics features we’ve been focusing mostly on the weight-loss aspect of dietetics but there are so many areas of dietetics that are specialized to unique problems. This month we delved a bit deeper into the more serious problems one comes across in dietetics as we chatted to Renee Gielis, BSc Dietetics RD, who specializes in GIT (Gastro-Intestinal) dietetics.
Having studied dietetics in the UK and after gaining a wealth of experience working at the NHS and Kingsbury hospital in the GIT ward, Renee is definitely our go-to person with all things gastro-intestinal-related. To make an appointment with Renee you can email her on rgielis@mweb.co.za or call her on 072 427 6515.
Renee explains that she mostly deals with patients who suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Celiac’s Disease and bowel cancer. Celiac disease (for those of you like me who had heard of the disease but don’t know what it does) is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have Celiac disease have an intolerance to gluten, rye, and barley. When they eat foods or use products containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi—the tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. This causes food to be improperly absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream leading to malnutrition and symptoms such as pain and bloating, chronic diarrhea and unhealthy weight loss. Renee guides her clients in dealing with and avoiding the symptoms by prescribing a gluten-free, balanced diet.
The most prevalent disorder Renee comes across in a lot of her patients is IBS. She explains that one of the main causes is stress and until recently was believed to be the only cause but new research findings have showed that it is also closely linked with allergies to foods such as gluten, a protein found in wheat. Renee empowers her clients with information so they can cut gluten from their diets and suggesting yoga to alleviate stress, help regulate appetite and restore the mind-body connection. She explains how rewarding it is to help patients who feel so powerless about what’s happening to them, in particular those who have bowel cancer, regain some control over their gastro-intestinal problem using diet and alleviate some of the symptoms.
Renee believes that one problem South Africans have is an obsession with counting calories, weight loss and being thin which is not always indicative of a healthy body. She explains that people are too concerned with “low calories” and will reach for something that is low in calories but is not necessarily healthy as it is full of sugars, additives and preservatives. Although one would most often associate weight loss with dietitians, in dealing with patients who have suffered with something as severe as bowel cancer weight gain is often the aim of an eating plan as the patient has often undergone surgery or chemotherapy and needs help getting back to their normal lifestyle and regaining their strength.
“It’s amazing what it can do and the things that you can do with food, how you can prevent disease how you can cure certain circumstances and its actually quite simple. People always think they need lotions and potions and all these complex things but if you can fix the diet it’s so effective and its something they can do for themselves. Its about giving them the information and the confidence to do it and showing them how”
NoMU Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate
All NoMU products are gluten-free but Renee’s favorite is the Sugar-free Hot Chocolate, which seems to be a popular favorite among the dietitians so far… She says even her husband a Chocolate Fundi also can’t get enough of it.
Renee’s Top Tips to help alleviate or avoid Gastro-Intestinal problems:
If you suffer from Celiac Disease, IBS, or have other food related allergies and struggle to find gluten or wheat-free recipes, take a look at Leaine’s Kitchen: Learning to Eat with Limitations. Leaine Brebner created this blog which is full of recipes that cater to those who suffer from food intolerances or allergies. Her most recent post includes a delicious gluten-free strawberry cheese cake.