When Marian Sciachitano was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, she knew it was time to seek out nutrition assistance.
She met with the Director of Pullman Regional Hospital’s Nutrition Therapy program, Joyce Marshall, RDN, CD. Joyce and Marian talked about how to manage Marian’s medical condition through informed dietary choices and what she could do to make sustainable life changes.
“The tools Joyce introduced me to empowered me to make healthier choices and to get an informed perspective on areas that I needed to work on,” recounts Marian. Joyce encouraged Marian to keep a daily food journal, track her moods after meals and snacks, and taught her how to critically read packaged food labels to find smart choices.
As a team, Joyce and Marian set specific goals on recommended daily calories and sodium requirements and set out a strategy to meet those goals. Joyce provided suggestions and alternatives to some of Marian’s commonly consumed foods- as well as introduced some fun new foods such as ‘nice cream’.
“I never felt like I was being criticized or judged. Joyce was tremendously supportive and so positive- I looked forward to our sessions,” says Marian. Marian found the experience to be a positive one. “Joyce regularly provided me with encouragement and guided suggestions on healthier sugar alternatives for recipes and baking.”
“I don’t think I would have done any of this if Joyce had not encouraged me to seek out healthier options. She is the absolute best in our region and we are lucky to have her expertise and experience,” Marian says.
The Pullman Regional Hospital Nutrition Therapy team is available to assist with sports nutrition, weight management, food allergies and intolerances, eating disorders, and recent or new medical diagnosis that affect nutrition. Ask your primary care provider for a referral, or give the Nutrition Therapy team a call at (509) 336-7543 to learn more about the services they provide.