Ayana Kersey-McMullen, DO, MSPH, Medical Director of Good Shepherd’s Stroke Rehabilitation Program, and Melissa Rolwood, RDN, LDN, Facilitator of the Outpatient Nutrition Wellness Program, teamed up recently for a webinar on how a customized diet plan can help people have more energy, overcome chronic conditions, improve overall wellness and recover from a serious illness or injury.
Both presenters answered questions from attendees throughout the panel-style discussion. They addressed the importance of nutrition through consistently eating healthy foods and choosing the best diet for specific conditions, such as inflammation.
Healthy Diet Is Not ‘One Size Fits All’
Dr. Kersey-McMullen and Rolwood explained that a healthy diet is not a one-size-fits-all model. Rather, people should take into consideration their lifestyle, preferences and conditions when planning a healthy diet.
“Someone with multiple sclerosis might need a higher anti-inflammatory diet to help them bring down inflammation and control that condition, while someone else might need to be more focused on their carbohydrate intake — so nutrition is individual,” says Rolwood.
Common Food Myths
They also set the record straight on some common food myths around carbohydrates, plant-based diets and protein.
“There is definitely a misunderstanding about not being able to get protein from plant-based sources; you absolutely can get all of your dietary protein needs met through plants,” says Dr. Kersey McMullen, a physiatrist with the Good Shepherd Physician Group. “Largely, most people are not protein-deficient.”
For more information on how a healthy diet can prevent disease or injury, request an appointment online or call 1-888-44-REHAB.