An inspiring case study from an IINH student
RICHARD BURTON, the director of the Irish Institute of Nutrition & Health, asked his students to orally present one case study report. This is Ciara’s story.
“My case study is 65 years old, and her main problem is the she has been overweight since her first pregnancy. She was 42 kilos when she got married, and, when we started, was 69 kilos, BMI 29, so almost obese. She’s dieted all her life, but was always hungry, always craving, always tempted by the lovely Italian foods and biscuits around her.
She has diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hay fever, and inflammation in her gums.
She ate lots of refined foods, dairy and coffee, but no whole grains. She wouldn’t feel satisfied without any bread, so I suggested just 1 slice a day, preferably homemade with rye and sunflower seeds. I asked her to cut treats down to one a week. She agreed to eat omega 3-rich foods: ground flax seed, flax seed oil, pumpkin seeds, and more whole grains and pulses; also, porridge with soya milk and cinnamon for breakfast, and soups full of vegetables and pulses in the evening, along with herbal teas instead of coffee to help her diabetes. I also encouraged more aerobic exercise, like walking.
She was skeptical at first, but eventually followed the plan. She started losing lots of weight, and even now she’s still losing 1 pound per week. Now she’s 59 kilos, BMI 25. All the inflammation and hay fever are gone. She even went on long hikes with friends, and her blood sugars have improved.
I never expected so much. She’s completely changed her diet. I am really happy with this result – because she’s my mother.”
