Nutrition Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease

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Nutrition Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease
It is imperative as a nurse to develop an understanding that caring for a patient goes beyond the physical care given and it includes a holistic aspect: caring for the body, mind and soul. This holistic approach can be applied when assessing patients’ nutritional status and helping them implement healthy life choices, while living with a disease and possibly the comorbidities caused by the disease. Specifically, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the comorbidities associated can be highly preventable with adequate nutrition, regular exercise and management of a healthy weight throughout life. It is the care provider’s duty to educate patients on prevention and risk reduction for CVD, and to work together with patients with CVD so that they maintain quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to discuss nutritional therapy for prevention and patients who suffer from cardiovascular disease and the role of the nurse.
Cardiovascular disease is a broad term for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels, and worldwide CVD is the most common cause of death, with 30% of all deaths attributed to this disease (Walker, 2013, p. 48). With most diseases, prevention is achievable through eating healthy which means making sure one gets adequate intake of vegetables, fruits, dairy, whole grains and water daily. Regular exercise and management of a healthy weight, as well as refraining from cigarette smoking, helps reduce the risk of CVD.
In America foods high in sodium, fat, sugar, cholesterol and carbohydrates, as well as processed foods are common. These foods are often favored because of the desired taste, cheap prices, availability to grab and go, and because most people don’t understand th...

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...eir care-plan is working effectively. Providing holistic care for patients with any type of condition or disease should always be a goal for nurses, because care should provide quality of life for the patient, including: the body, mind and soul.

Works Cited

Dudek, G., Susan. (2010). Nutrition Essentials for Nursing Practice. Nutrition for Patients with
Cardiovascular Disorders (pp.485-513). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Olendzki, B., Speed, C., & Domino, F. (2006). Nutritional assessment and counseling for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. American Family Physician, 73(2), 257-264.
Walker, J. (2013). Reducing cardiovascular disease risk: cholesterol and diet. Nursing Standard,
28(2), 48-55.
WebMD (2010). Safe Exercise for Heart Disease Patients. Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/safe-exercise-patients

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