Stay Updated with Dietary Guidelines that take cultural preferences into account: Different cultures may have varying guidelines for health. Staying updated can help in giving accurate advice. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides a framework that can be customized to reflect specific cultures, individual needs, and preferences in the United States.
Respect Fasting Practices: Some religions have fasting periods (e.g., Ramadan for Muslims). Understand these practices and work with patients to manage their IBD during these times.
Attend Nutrition Workshops: Enhance your understanding of nutrition and different cultures by attending workshops or courses that provide insights into cultural dietary habits and health beliefs.
Use Visual Aids: Sometimes, pictures can explain better than words, especially when dealing with language barriers. Use visual aids to help explain dietary recommendations.
Related Patient Resources
What Should I Eat
Created by the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, this webpage offers general dietary recommendations and information for people living with IBD.
Visit site
Find a Nutrition Expert
Made available by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, this database was created for patients to search and find credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners by location, specialty, language, or insurance and payment options.
Visit site
References
- 1. Aswani-Omprakash T, Shah ND. Sociocultural considerations for food-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2022;51(4):885-895. doi:10.1016/j.gtc.2022.07.013.
- 2. Damas OM, Maldonado-Contreras A. Breaking barriers in dietary research: strategies to diversify recruitment in clinical studies and develop culturally tailored diets for Hispanic communities living with inflammatory bowel disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023;21(9):2169-2173. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2023.05.006.
- 3. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf.