August Cover Story: New Backus Website Focuses on Nutrition
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From infomercials to magazine advertisements, you would think losing weight or getting in shape can come from a pill, a drink or a snack bar. But the reality is much of this information on diet and nutrition is confusing and even misleading.
“Everyday we are bombarded by information, and a lot of these diets or products just don’t work,” said Mary Beth Dahlstrom Green, a registered dietitian in the Backus Food and Nutrition Department. “It is important to differentiate good health information from poor or dangerous health information.”
A new Backus nutrition web site, www.backushospital.org/nutrition, will help people navigate through the nutrition nonsense. It includes videos, podcasts, columns, diet tips, recipes and other nutrition information from Backus experts, updated on a regular basis.
The videos, produced by Backus Hospital, include healthy eating for children, cooking demonstrations, gardening and the Backus Nutrition Detectives – Ms. Green and fellow dietitian Catherine Schneider – who visit people’s kitchens and make observations about sodium, fats and other common “nutrition violations.”
Ms. Green said $39.5 billion per year is spent in the United States on products, diets and procedures that don’t work.
“Not only are these products expensive, they also can prevent people from receiving the medical care that they need,” Ms. Green said.
Ms. Green said health quackery can include products such as colon cleansers, acai berry products for diet or cleansing, and pills for ailments such as arthritis or skin problems that are not based on science. She said consumers can easily be misled because advertisements may include so-called health experts.
Backushospital.org/nutrition Features
Nutrition videos
Backus-produced videos including healthy cooking demonstrations, gardening and nutritional analyses of local peoples' kitchens.
Backus nutrition blog
Share recipes, tips and ask questions of Backus dietitians.
Recipe of the week
A healthy recipe courtesy of Backus dietitians and the American Heart Association.
Health tip of the week
Timely information on healthy diets.
Backus Nutrition Detectives series
Dietitians Catherine Schneider and Mary Beth Dahlstrom Green raid local kitchens and investigate "nutrition violations" ranging from sodium situations to fats in the freezer.
Podcasts
Backus dietitians share nutrition and diet information.
Health Living columns
Read columns written by Backus dietitians that are published in the Norwich Bulletin and posted on their blog, www.healthydocs.blogspot.com
Kids Corner
Healthy food and diet information geared specifically for children.