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Abiding by a balanced and suitable nutrition programme provides the perfect foundation to develop and maintain a healthy body and mind. The basic rule of nutrition is to ensure that the body eats right and eats enough. Through such advice from FV’s nutritional experts, patients can ensure they maintain their own health and fitness. In addition to supporting patients with this, specialists from FV’s Dietetics & Nutrition Unit also provide help in numerous other ways. These include conducting research and analysis of the value of dishes, providing instructions on how to cook food for patients who have swallowing disorders; as well as providing valuable, detailed and timely nutritional advice for patients with specific conditions.
Nutrition consultations: When do you need them?
- For children, in the following cases: weight and height are lower than the average level of those in the same age and sex, eating less than usual, unable to perform physical activities, or having gastric problems, malabsorption, issues with walking, problems with teeth, milk protein allergy or micronutrient deficiency.
- For Adults, in the following cases: malnutrition, unreasonable loss of weight, a decrease in their sense of taste, suffering from oedema ; feeling tired for a long time, among others.
- For people with chronic diseases, these include: cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure, osteoarthritis, cancer, pre- and post-surgery patients, food allergy, anorexia or digestive system problems, dyslipidaemia, among others.
- For adults and children who are deemed overweight, obese, or suffer from a fatty liver, dyslipidaemia, among others.
- For pregnant women who suffer from gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, not gaining enough weight throughout pregnancy, among others.
FV’s Dietetics & Nutrition Unit are on hand to set an appropriate treatment plan. This is based on the need of nutrition, tolerability and lifestyle, the medical condition of each patient, and with the goal to help them recover their health and maintain their body’s activities. Moreover, the patient will have their body composition measured through the use of specialised Inbody Analysis which determines any muscle loss, that can support doctors in planning their treatment strategy. FV’s nutritional specialists are also able to support patients through instructing them on setting appropriate meal plans , selecting food, calculating calories as well as providing knowledge about different groups of food. Additionally, FV’s nutritional experts can explain clearly to help patients understand about specific diet programmes that they follow, and how to monitor them carefully when they go back home.
In addition to using medicine prescribed by a doctor, having a healthy nutrition programme is also related to better outcome in managing disease. Keeping a healthy nutrition programme not only helps patients recover faster but also improves their immune system.
Dr Nguyen Viet Quynh Thu graduated from the University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, as a General Practitioner in 1999. Following that, she went on to obtain a Specialization Level I Degree in 2007 and Level II in 2011 in Internal Medicine at the University of Medicine, Hue. Dr Thu also acquired a Master’s Degree in Food and Nutrition in Japan Women University in 2008, as well as European ESPEN Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism in 2019.
In the field Internal Medicine, Dr Quynh Thu has acquired over 15 years of experience in Clinical Nutrition and Management. In the past, she was the Head of Nutrition Department of Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital, acquiring 10 years of experience overseeing the department. In addition, Dr Quynh Thu has also worked for many important specialities, such as in the Gastroenterology Department (2000-2005), Nephrology Department (2005-2006) and Endocrinology Department (2006-2015) at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital.
Dr Quynh Thu joined FV Hospital from February 2016, as a head of FV’s Dietetics & Nutrition Unit. Additional to the role as a doctor, examining and consulting about nutrition to both inpatients and outpatients, Dr Quynh Thu also organizes and teaches many training courses about nutrition to medical staffs. She also leads in creating Nutrition forms, protocols, guidelines and policies in FV hospital; actively communicates and conducts Nutrition Education classes on various patient’s clubs and communities; participates in many television programmes on nutritional consultation, as well as writes articles on nutrition topics.
