Jamie-Lee James, RD (SA)
As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to remain at the forefront of medical science so as to deliver the best possible care for our patients. But as a dietitian working in South African hospitals, I soon discovered that many of the dietary guidelines used to treat patients with conditions such as Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity are either outdated or misinformed. This was apparent because patient recovery after using the conventional guidelines was slow, ineffective and, in most cases, caused more harm than good. I am, of course, alluding to the fact that most South African hospitals, unlike their overseas counterparts, are ignorant of and frustratingly resistant towards implementing a ketogenic approach to diet therapy. It was for these reasons that I took matters into my own hands and sought out the Professional Training in LCHF for Dietitians course, facilitated by the world-renowned Nutrition Network.
The comprehensive training is presented in a logical and succinct manner, and the instructors are all experts in their respective fields. I found that the content not only affirmed my beliefs regarding conventional treatments, but also equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to put the holistic, evidence-based ketogenic guidelines into practice. It was an incredibly rewarding and validating experience to see significantly improved patient recoveries when I was able to implement my newly acquired skills and direct patients along an LCHF pathway. Unfortunately, I was met with hostility from my superior when trying to prescribe ketogenic diet therapies, to the point where I became slightly discouraged. From my experience, the majority of healthcare professionals are either ignorant of ketogenic diet therapies, believing that they only have limited application in the field of neuroscience, or they are completely against them, treating “LCHF” as a taboo word of sorts that shouldn’t be mentioned in a professional environment. Thankfully, the course also afforded me access to the Nutrition Network Community Platform, and I am immensely grateful for the support and expertise its members provided me.
Having completed the training and witnessed the improved patient recoveries from LCHF treatments, I can wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone working in the healthcare industry. It is high time South African hospitals embraced evidence-based ketogenic diet therapies to treat numerous diseases ranging from T2D to cancer more effectively. I wish to thank the Nutrition Network for generously providing me with funding to complete this training. I look forward to the day when LCHF training forms part of all health-science degrees.
Our Professional Training for Dietitians is presented by national and international medical and allied healthcare experts in their field, on a range of topics related to LCHF nutrition and its implementation into clinical dietetics and nutrition practice. Worth 15 credits.
