As part of the Nutrition Care month observance a display is set up in EAMC’s Ike’s Café providing educational information for patients and staff. Nutrition and physical fitness are synonymous with a healthy lifestyle. This year’s theme for National Nutrition Month is “Nutrition from the Ground Up.” This is a great time to rediscover the benefits of healthier eating habits and physical fitness. Nutrition classes as well as individual nutrition counseling sessions are available at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center in the Nutrition Care Division, 3rd Floor.

“We have five military registered dietitians in the Nutrition Care Division,” advised Lt. Col. Martha Davis, chief. “This includes Maj. Brenda White, Capt. Angelia Arnold, Capt. Ginger Dunn, 1st Lt. Christin Jessen and I. We all strive for excellence in teaching classes and providing individual nutrition counseling.”

Eisenhower’s Nutrition Care classes/services include the following:

Diabetes Education Classes

The Nutrition Care Division, as well as other healthcare disciplines, provides combined care in educating patients and ensuring that their healthcare needs are met. The Outpatient Nutrition Clinic provides three classes which are taught the first through third Wednesday of each month. The initial class provides a basic explanation of diabetes and covers the American Diabetes Association diet principles. It is for adult patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The second class is geared toward carbohydrate counting, as well as, the basics of diabetic exchanges in meal planning. All patients are provided with an individualized meal plan during the third class. This class is specifically for answering any questions that patients may have who attended Classes 1 and 2. An individualized meal plan is also provided during this class based on the exchange system.

Weight Reduction/ Meal Planning Classes for Active Duty Soldiers

The initial class is geared toward active duty Soldiers. It provides education on general weight-loss principles with an emphasis on AR 600-9 weight requirements, eating healthier, lowering fat intake, and modifying eating habits. The significance of including both anaerobic as well as aerobic fitness is also discussed. Tips on eating healthy in the field are provided. The second class focuses on meal planning. All Soldiers are also provided with an individualized meal plan based on their age, weight, height, and activity level.

Weight Reduction/ Meal Planning Classes for Dependent/ Retirees

This class provides education on general weight-loss principles with an emphasis on eating healthier, lowering fat intake, and modifying eating habits; the significance of including both anaerobic as well as aerobic fitness are also discussed. The second class focuses on meal planning. All patients in this class are provided with an individualized meal plan based on their age, weight, height, and activity level.

Healthy Heart Classes

This class provides nutrition information based on the American Heart Association recommendations as well as the American Dietetic Association. It includes a discussion on methods to reduce dietary cholesterol and saturated fat and the latest research on specific vitamins and functional foods. Lab values and risk factors for heart disease are also discussed.

Commissary Tour

This class is conducted at the commissary. Patients from each class are advised/strongly encouraged to attend this class, which is basically a “tour” of the commissary. Education is provided on various foods (healthier choices), analysis/comparison of foods patients are currently consuming, food label reading, and significance of food ingredients.

Nutrition Counseling

Individual appointments are available for patients with specialized nutritional needs such as cancer, kidney disease, children younger than age 18, pregnancy, liver disease, digestive diseases, food allergies, vegetarianism, and athletes. These appointments require a consult from a physician or other healthcare professional.

For more information, call the Nutrition Care appointment line