If you've been following my Tweets over the weekend, you know that I was at the hospital up North with my Mom. She was taken there by ambulance Friday night with a few different problems. Thankfully, she is much better, but this post, however, is basically a get-it-off-my-chest post…
It wasn't easy for me to let it go when I saw what was coming up on her meal tray, or the food choices on her list to pick from. First of all, she's diabetic, you'd think her food options might look a little better. Maybe they were better than the average patient's choices, and that is a scary thought, indeed.
Here are some examples of what got me all riled up:
- Margarine comes up routinely on the trays. When I asked if they had any real butter, the dietary aide looked at me like I had 3 heads and said, “Well, I don't know. People so rarely ask for it…we might have some in the freezer.” Thank God she found some, so we could keep it nearby and promptly toss the “Promise” packets in the trash when they showed up. But what about all those patients who don't know to ask for it?
- The “SF” option was all over the menu list. “Sugar free yogurt”, “Diet Jelly”, “Sugar free syrup”, “Sugar free jello”, “Sugar substitute” for her coffee, “Sugar free ketchup”. Yes, since she has diabetes, she can't have much sugar, but why not only a small amount of real sugar, and that's it? Or a natural sugar substitute, like Stevia? All those chemicals in her system can't be good. (She uses these at home, too. That's what the dietitians tell her to use! And as an update, guess what? She died of cancer a few years after I wrote this post…)
- There were no healthy fats in sight. How can patients heal without healthy fats? As I said, margarine is all you see, and there's also plenty of 2% milk offered, along with low-fat yogurt, and non-dairy creamer. (Find out why low-fat dairy is terrible for us.)
- Mom said the scrambled eggs tasted like “egg beaters”, and if not, they were barely yellow and made with more egg white than egg yolk, the most nutritious part! (Eggs are a superfood! SO good for us!)
- The one that really got me going: an option for breakfast was (of course Mom didn't choose it), are you ready for this? CORN POPS cereal!!! Oh, what's a little high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, super processed corn, & chemical preservatives to help a diabetic patient recover?! Check out this Corn Pops ingredient label.
It's an uphill battle, but we'll win for sure!
Some days when writing this blog and interacting with all of you, my awesome informed readers who are open to the truth about nutrition, it's easy to think that we're getting there! The truth is getting out! Then I sit up at the hospital a few days with Mom and I'm head-first back into the realization of how far we have yet to go.
It's not their fault
Believe me, I get it that the dietitians putting the junk on the hospital trays are A. stuck within their budget, and B. only doing what the “higher ups” tell them to do and what they have taught as “healthy food gospel”. Before we can change what the registered dietitians are feeding hospital patients (and school kids), first we need to reach the doctors, but before we reach them, I believe we'll have to teach them. I suppose the only way to do that is to continue teaching each other and hope it trickles up. One thing that comes to mind is how my doc didn't have a real high regard for organic foods when I first brought it up to him a few years ago, but now that it's all over the stores due to consumer demand, I'll bet he's thinking more about it these days. Also, it's encouraging to see that the WAPF is gaining ground and spreading the word far and wide.
What are your ideas? Where do you see the important battles taking place?
- My other post on this topic: not-so-healthy hospital recipe substitutions
- And this one: Nursing Home Food Should Be Illegal!
- Or this: It's scary what they call “nourishment” in the hospital
- Read more about breakfast cereals
- 10 Healthy Breakfast Ideas
- 10 Steps to better health
porcupine73 says
Industrialized food manufacturers that ignores health, and cartel based medical care that ignores food. It’s perfect money making symbiosis.
Commenter via Facebook says
That’s just insane. It’s mind boggling that more people in general don’t ale their health more seriously and consider the foods they are putting in their mouth. I wonder how the nurses serve that stuff and think, “This is good for my patient. It will give the body the nutrients it needs to assist in healing.” does that question even cross people’s minds anymore? We just open and shovel in? Great post love your rants! They are similar to mine.
Mary Alice Phillips says
Oh, we had the same experience when dh was in the hospital with pneumonia. He is diabetic (type II) and they sent up “diet syrup” with HFCS as the second ingredient. No joke. Skim milk, fake eggs, artificial sugared non-fat yogurt, just plain awful. I couldn’t wait to get him home to get decent food into him. How ever do they expect folks to get better?
Commenter via Facebook says
Patients don’t need to eat the hospital food, if family are willing they can bring food in. If the pt. is on a restricted diet the food only needs to be approved by the dietition for consistency and or salt content. We have a “family kitchen” available for our pts families to use in the hospital. Yes I work at the hospital, it’s not perfect but we are working twards it. We even get some veggies from a CSA. But there are still complaints because the bread is whole grain instead of plain white.
Commenter via Facebook says
…and RDs, the ones responsible for all these horrendous hospital menus, are lobbying hard in all 50 states to be the only ones allowed to legally dispense nutritional advice!
Commenter via Facebook says
Planned C-sectoin with my second so no food after midnight… noon the NEXT day (that’d be 36 hours nothing but broth to eat, and nursing) and what do they bring me? Red jello and fruit punch. The on thing on my chart was No Red Dye… so yeah… brilliant.
Commenter via Facebook says
Enough ranting, who is in a position to actually bring food to your sister? Who lives close? You have a HUGE network, so I would bet cash money that if she lives in another state some friend of a friend could bring her food!
Commenter via Facebook says
Hospitals in MN are working on it – https://www.iatp.org/documents/hospitals-support-minnesota-farmers-purchase-locally-grown-produce-0. Definitely steps in the right direction, although one renowned heart center has a McD’s in the lobby.
Commenter via Facebook says
fed to the sick, recovering, and new moms after they just had a baby – what a joke! My husband brought me raw milk when I was in the hospital.
Commenter via Facebook says
Agree with all of the above, however, ignoring the fact that it’s likely laden with HCFS, orange sherbet sounds yummy…..
Commenter via Facebook says
Kelly, when Jacob was in the hospital, they tried giving him so much crap! It was disgusting!! Meal choices were hamburgers, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, etc. When I asked if there was something more nutritious, I was told they had a fruit plate. Seriously? And to top it all off, slushies, ice cream, cake – desserts with every meal. Really? Sugar feeds cancer. What’s up with that? Repeat customer perhaps? Yes, I’m still a little bitter! 😉
Commenter via Facebook says
As soon as she’s home tomorrow I’m making her homemade broth and real food smoothies!
Commenter via Facebook says
Maybe it would be a good idea to create a hospital plan? You know like a birth plan?
Commenter via Facebook says
Hospitals are captive audiences so multinationals subsidise the food choices so patients get home and think … I got this in hospital so it must be good for us …. NO! Also hospital menus are still designed around the stupid food pyramid designed by the grains board …. healthy has no place in hospital or so I have found
Commenter via Facebook says
With our modern diets it’s no wonder so many people get sick – and with our modern medical system, it’s a wonder so many get well.
Commenter via Facebook says
the food was pretty good the last time I was there. However they served me bouillon and called it broth ewww
Commenter via Facebook says
Last time I was in the hospital the food was so awful I couldn’t eat it, couldn’t even choke down the liquid diet. How are people supposed to get better if you feed them junk?
Commenter via Facebook says
My grandfather had major surgery last summer to try to beat cancer and it amazed me all the crap they brought him to eat. Aspartame in his ginger ale, margarine, sugar free ice cream with sucralose. I often wonder if it was those chemicals that caused the cancer in the first place. He didn’t get the nourishment he needed after his surgery and he never recovered. He passed away on Dec. 8, 2011 after are very awful battle with pancreatic cancer. I blame the food industry and medical system in this country! Needless to say, our diets have dramatically changed. We didn’t eat any of that mess before this happened, but now I make sure to fill our bodies with ONLY real foods, not chemicals.
leah b says
When I had surgery last year and didn’t have an appetite they were trying to get me to drink ensure with ICE CREAM in it! They told me it was a good way to get the extra “nutrients” I needed. And yes, the hospital dietician told me this. HOWEVER, I was impressed that they offered gluten free pastas and toast. Not that those are ideal foods (still heavily processed), but I thought it was at least a start in changing their thinking about food. It’s a sad topic, but one that I hope evolves quickly.
Commenter via Facebook says
I feel pretty lucky. I’ve only been in the hospital to give birth but the food has been pretty good. ( except the margerine, yuck!) but it’s been whole grain, and more whole food based than packaged or processed. Not perfect by any means but I didn’t starve!
Commenter via Facebook says
I was told, when my MIL was in-hospital, that patients need all of that sugar to get their energy levels up. However, vitamins would require so much red tape, as to not warrant the bother.
Commenter via Facebook says
When I had surgery I had to practically beg for water, all they wanted to give me was Coke or Diet Coke. The lady could not figure out that all I wanted was a glass of ice water. It was ridiculous.
Commenter via Facebook says
Hospital food is a complete JOKE!
AmandaonMaui says
I’ve heard some very bad stories about hospital food from people with Celiac Disease. The hospitals really don’t know how to provide food for patients on a gluten free diet. I would hope that with all of the recent activity toward providing gluten free foods in the mainstream market, as well as all of the wonderful bloggers and gluten free conferences, that the hospitals would at least start to offer some safe items on the menu.
I also cannot stand the low fat dairy, sugar free nonsense. My grandmother is in need of some help from me, but I am so far away that it is going to be hard. She is the type of person who has no real desire to learn to take better care of herself. She had gastric bypass surgery almost ten years ago. They didn’t teach her how to eat more healthfully. She just lost weight. Her diabetes issues went away for a while, but they’re back. My mom said her blood sugar count was in the 500 range the other day. She’s asked for me to figure out how to help her, but I don’t know how I can do that. The best my mom could suggest was that I send pictures of foods for her to buy and foods for her to not buy.
With the messages she is probably receiving from her doctors about sugar free substitutes, and my minimal knowledge about diabetes, I am not sure I can assist her well enough.
Tami Jo says
Hi Kelly, first of all, I want you to know how much I enjoy your website – it is AWESOME! I am in agreement concerning the need (yes, need) to educate ourselves and others about healthier diet and lifestyle. It’s been at least three years for me, researching and sifting through so much information, either by reading blogs and articles on websites such as yours, or talking with individuals that are seeking a better, sustainable way of living and making dietary choices that improve their health and/or prevent disease… Whenever I visit my “resident” doctor, we discuss my endeavors to better my health through diet and excercise rather than “try a new medication”… I am pleased to say that he enjoys the tidbits of healthy information not received in conventional medical school 🙂
Heather says
Do you have advice on a book or any kind of resource to give or suggest to my mother in law who has diabetes? She is over age 80 and reluctant to change diet. She has never seen a dietician for help with her diabetes and relies or exercise and a pump for her diabetes control…She is not overweight but she doesn’t take much care about her food choices….
heather
KitchenKop says
Hi Heather,
YES! This book is what I would recommend, scroll down here (https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2007/12/book-suggestions-on-nutrition-and-more.html) and it’s the first book under where it says “My top book suggestions”.
Kelly
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Sherrie,
I see you asked this question at two separate posts – you remind me of myself when I’m on a mission! I’ll also answer here with the comment I left at the other post:
When I saw your comment I went to my friend, Anna
Sherrie H says
I am in desperate need of help! I am trying to make a healthy cake for my diabetic mother in laws 70th birthday… the problem is all the online diabetic receipes look so unhealthy! Does ANYONE have a healthy cake receipe for a diabetic???
thanks so much!!
Kelly says
Judy, I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad. My Dad died 10 years ago of lung disease, and I still miss him.
I also had to eat junk when I was up in the hospital with Mom! I had an Arby’s sandwich one of the days and tried not to think of the trans fats and HFCS in the bread, the preservatives in the turkey, etc. …but it was probably still a better choice than something fried in who knows what oil… I hate to admit it, but those stupid sandwiches taste as good as I remembered!
I’ll say a prayer for you and your family,
Kelly
Judy says
I was just in the hospital staying with my Dad who died from pneumonia. He had Parkinson’s, so we weren’t too surprised. He once said to me when I was enthusiastically explaining about WAP that he wished he’d known sooner! He was a scientist, so that really impressed me. The “food” in the cafeteria was all very questionable. All yogurt had sugar, even though they said that the plain yogurt did not, but it was vanilla and sweet. They just didn’t know. The coffee creamer is liquid coffeemate out of a dispenser, everything was processed food. Only the bananas and apples were fairly normal. BTW, this was a time I could have really used good FAST FOOD. I wish I’d been more prepared. I ate most of it up over his 5 day hospitalization and had nothing else ready, so I had hospital soup, croissant/bacon/velveeta sandwich, and then I got a stomach bug. If I had made the crispy nuts and had eggs boiled, I could have run right out the door with them, but alas, I wasn’t prepared for this sudden development.
-Judy
Kelly says
Holly, you and Diana are both good reminders that if we take care of our bodies now with the best nutrient-dense foods we can find, we’ll be ready for whatever diagnosis or accident could be around the corner.
Ronda & Diana, thanks for getting me going on that clinic in Kansas, I am SOOOOOO posting about that soon – I just read the whole thing and loved it – it was very well written and right on! 🙂
Holly Young says
Kel,
I was never so thankful that I am educated about food as during my recent hospital stay. Due to my ability to look for whole foods on the menu I was able to make some wise choices as I was given menu selections each day. I know that my body was healing even though I was eating hospital food! I think knowledge is the most important factor no matter where you are getting your food (home, restaurant, hospital) and we all need to be diligent to look for the best options wherever we are making our food choices.
I appreciate your blog and other food advocates that I have learned so much from in the past year!
Diana says
Kelly,
Thanks for the prayer!
Luckily, I had read a lot about diabetes, and how to use a low carb way of eating to manage it, that my diagnosis was not all that traumatic. I know that I have gained valuable knowlege, and will never stop learning. I do know about blood sugar 101. I read all her posts last fall. It is a great site. I think somewhere deep down I knew this was coming.
Thanks again for all that you do!
Diana
Kelly says
Hi Diana, you absolutely positively made my day. Truly. It’s good to hear now and then how God uses this site – it keeps me going through the sleep deprivation! (A little coffee doesn’t hurt, either.)
Great job on staying off the meds! Wow, you were only diagnosed recently, 3 weeks is a fresh diagnosis, you’re still probably trying to wrap your brain around it all. Another site you probably already know about for diabetes help: https://bloodsugar101.com/
Thanks for the scoop on that clinic! I’d searched for it and didn’t have any success. Can’t wait to go check out the link you gave.
SO COOL how God (the ultimate higher power) led you to the answers you would need to be healthy – He knew your heart and mind were ready and how much you would need the info in the future. I love the quote, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” My translation is “When a heart is open, God will gladly walk in with the Truths we need.” Whether it’s about our health, our faith life, or whatever it is. 🙂
So fun to hear from you, I’ll say a prayer that you’re able to continue keeping your blood sugar in control. (Did I ever mention on the blog that my Mom and two sisters also have Type 2 diabetes?)
Kelly
Diana says
Hi Kelly,
So glad your mom is doing better!!!
The clinic you are talking about is in Kansas, run by Dr Mary Vernon.
Mens Health did an interview with her, check it out here:
https://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=health&category=other.diseases.ailments&conitem=4a935e4e40fae010VgnVCM20000012281eac____&page=1
make sure you read all the pages, there is a “next page” at the bottom.
As a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic, ( 3 weeks ago ), I am SOOOOO thankful to have found your site, among many others, last year. I have been implementing all reccomendations for the past 9 months, so I can say for sure, that had I been diagnosed last year:
1- My diabetes would have been MUCH worse
2- I would have taken the meds, and eaten the ADA’s RIDICULOS diet because I didn’t know better.
Kelly, I am not too religious a person, so to speak, but I truly believe that I was “pushed” to find and take in all this information last year, before my diagnosis, by some higher power. With all I have learned, I am keeping my diabetes under extremely tight control, without any medication. And I plan to continue this way.
Thanks for being here Kelly- you help more people than you know! Your site was the first I started with, and I look forward to your posts!
Diana
Kelly says
Mom is coming home today!
Ronda, you’ve got my interest with that clinic you mentioned – that would make a great post. If mainstream media won’t shout their success from the rooftops, I will!
Ronda says
ditto. i work at a hosptial as well. my parents are of the age “doctor knows best” so both of them battle their diabetes constantly eating all the prescribed foods and taking their insulin, while i pull my hair out in vain! it is an ethical issue to me. i mean really! they have taken an oath to do no harm and are supposed to be delivering health and wellness! instead they are actually supporting the diabetes with their brainwashed ways. even if they did have more nutrition education it would be the same old crap. (sorry but it is… crap) has anyone heard of a clinic in the midwest (kansas? maybe) that actually boasts a near 100% success rate in controlling diabetes with strict, truthful nutrition principals? you would think that kind of success would spread like wildfire, but no. i guess if that happened the entire healthcare institution as we know it would crumble and the dollars behind it aren’t going to let that happen. hope you have better luck with your mother than i do mine and well wishes to her for a fast recovery.
Kelly says
Barbara, you can rant here any old time. 🙂
Kelly, I’ll be glad to know you’re in the trenches, teaching the truth!
Janet, I love your list of who would be hurting if we all started eating whole, nutrient dense foods! I didn’t look at those sites yet because they only irritate me, yet I agree with Kimberly, when I’ve been on before, there were always some very well-written responses that make great sense. I’ve posted some of those sites here on the blog before, too, because I want readers to be totally informed. I don’t want them to blindly follow me or anyone. I hope they will go to those sites, and wrestle with what they read there, and decide for themselves where the truth and common sense lies.
Kimberly, you nailed it here: “they didn
Kelly says
Jen, I really do appreciate you sharing your perspective. And oh I hope that all the RD’s out there don’t think I was bashing them! As I said in the post, I know that budgets are a big reason that healthier foods can’t be served, and even the RD’s that aren’t familiar with Nourishing Traditions methods can’t be faulted, because they’re only going by what they’ve been taught. It’s definitely the bigger picture that I’m frustrated with, not the RD’s themselves. I’m so thankful for your comment so I was nudged to make that clear.
I think you’re right on with your baby steps. I’ve learned that too, with most people (myself included years ago when I first began eating healthier), we just can’t digest too much at once.
I couldn’t agree more with this statement, “My biggest gripe is that the doctors are responsible for prescribing diets and yet they have had no nutrition classes in med school.”
You know, I’ve thought of going back to school to become a RD, but each time it crosses my mind, I’m convinced that I’d never make it without being kicked out! There’s no way I’d be able to keep my mouth shut when the whole “low fat” or “sugar free” lessons came through, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, I’m sure. Has it been difficult for you? Maybe you were lucky (in a way!) and didn’t find the Nourishing Traditions and WAP info until closer to the end of your schooling!
Jen says
I hope that your mother is doing better. That had to be stressful.
I have been reading your blog for some time now but normally don’t comment. I felt you might appreciate a different perspective though. I am currently in school working on becoming a registered dietitian. I am currently in my hospital rotation. (I will graduate the end of April.) You do have some valid complaints. These are some of the same complaints I have with hospital foodservice in fact. In our hospital, the menu is planned by the chef, not the RDs. Although I do believe the RDs have input on the special diets, cardiac, renal, etc. The foodservice department is majorly restricted by budget. The healthiest foods are not necessarily the ones that fit into the budget. We do the best with what we can. We serve patients white bread when we know that we should be serving whole grains, etc. Another issue to consider is free choice. We can’t force people to eat healthy. We can instruct them on a healthy diet until we are blue in the face but we can’t make them follow it. Which is why things like corn pops still have to be offered on the menu. The hospitals are extremely concerned with patient satisfaction ratings and satisfaction with the foodservice is a big part of it. My biggest gripe is that the doctors are responsible for prescribing diets and yet they have had no nutrition classes in med school. Dietitians are mainly responsible for the nutrition education component. As unfortunate as it is, things like soaking your grains and the benefits of non pasteurized, non homogenized milk are not the mainstream way of thinking. If I tried to mention that to one of my patients, they would look at me like I was insane. So I start with baby steps, and hope that I have made some sort of difference in the patients’ lives to get them headed in the direction of health. If you throw too much info at them, they are just going to ignore you.
Anyway, thought you might like a different perspective. Not all dietitians are against nourishing traditions methods.
Kimberly says
Janet,
Boy, that diseaseproof blog (more against WAP) is frustrating, isn’t it? But I was impressed at how many WAPF supporters spoke up and that their statements were so much more logical and articulate. And you know, they talked about how the science SF uses is old, but they didn’t talk about how much less healthy so many Americans are now that they’re following the new “science.” Anyway, thanks for sharing.
Janet W says
Kelly,
I’m sorry about your mom, I’m glad something got her to the hospital and they discovered what all was wrong.
Online is the only place I can find like minded people about food. My parents are close, my dad had an organic garden for 30 years, but they still eat canola oil, they eat out a lot, my dad’s breakfast is cold cereal and soy milk (EEEEEKKKKK). I’ve told my mother some things but she usually says every person’s needs are different (they are, but not that much) or, once, she flat out said I don’t believe you. Sheesh. But my friends all eat SAD. They follow what the MDs say without ever thinking, Hey, it’s *MY* body, maybe I know better what’s wrong than someone outside. I know someone with low blood sugar, very overweight, asthma and severe knee problems who said he drinks soft drinks and eats candy bars when his blood sugar drops.
And we ARE going to have to work up, but it will only work to a certain point. Above that point, the problem isn’t nutrition and education, but MONEY. I made a list once of everyone who would lose money if people gave up factory food and ate things they could produce themselves:
1. the medical community, including everyone at hospitals, nursing homes, all the equipment manufacturers, etc.
2. the chemical community — you know, the giant businesses that make the toxic pesticides and fertilizers, the processed foods, AND the drugs that doctors give out to “cure” the diseases created by the toxic chemicals and processed foods
3. the diet industry including authors, publishers, paper manufacturers, pill makers, diet clinics, diet foods
4. the dental community
None of them will voluntarily give up their huge slice of the pie.
And here is some of what we are working against:
Quackwatch on WAP
More against WAP
Still more, but a nice defense
Sorry for my tirade. “I’d like to teach the world…” to think for themselves. Sigh
Kelly says
Hi Kelly! Just found your site…and also am a Michigander! I am sorry to hear about your mom being in the hospital. The food choices are appalling. I am currently completing my degree in holistic nutrition. Its funny because one of my classes involved me actually calling a registered dietician at a local hospital and interviewing her on what was served to patients and about the different specialties (renal diet, diabetic diet). It was sickening to hear they were fed egg product that came in POUCHES, margarine, SF EVERYTHING and the like. I asked her if there were any real eggs (I was desperate so I did not even SAY the word pastured) and she said “ummm, I think so in the egg salad but that comes from Gordon Food Services premade”. SIGH. You know, my degree will never land me a hospital job (not sure if I am happy about that or not) but what it will do is let me get out there and educate people. I plan on not only counseling people, but teaching classes through community ed and where ever else they will let me talk! That’s where my battleground will be! I cannot wait to spread the WAPF word around (more than I do right now anyway!). Thanks for your great site and my prayers are with your family for your mom’s speedy recovery!
leslie says
barbara, that is such a good point!! i agree that people have to take control of their own health and that doctors are not always right.
not only do we not know what is taught in med school, but where was your doctor in the graduating class? were they A or C students? how are they continuing their education? it is sad that people have put complete faith in the doctors without ever looking into their issues themselves.
Barbara says
Kelly, I read your post and think we have to do one more thing first, we need to teach people that THEY are in charge of their health. It makes me so mad when someone tells me “The doctors told me to do….”. I always say that the doctors are only human and each of us is in charge of our own health. The doctors are only doing what their taught and who tells the med schools what to teach? the drug comanies that support them. As long as we remain silent we can’t expect them to change. We have to remember that there’s no profit in good health! Sorry for the rant, but it’s so sad to see people suffering and feel helpless to do anything.
Kelly says
I can’t tell you guys how nice it is to share this with others who “get it” and are as freaked out about it as I was sitting up there in the hospital. Some that I mentioned it to were like, “Oh, corn pops aren’t that bad.” YIKES! And thank you for all your prayers, everyone. 🙂 Turns out Mom had pneumonia and a blood infection, so I’m thanking the Lord for the kidney stone pains that got her to the ER! It’s always wild when He uses something rotten for good.
Tamara says
Sorry to hear about your mother’s ordeal, i pray she recovers quickly.
It surely seems like there is a LOT of work to do concerning educating each other and those that are supposed to be taking care of us when things happen. Corn pops, tho? SERIOUSLY?! lol
Sarah says
I have also been appalled by the food choices at hospitals. I have watched my grandparents eat all sorts of garbage in their retirement home as well as in the hospital. That is why when I gave birth to my first baby four months ago I was prepared. I had made and frozen soaked grain pancakes and chicken stock. My mom and husband brought those things along with other real foods the entire time I was in the hospital. I wasn’t there long but I was so thankful for real nourishment as I was recovering from being anemic and starting to breastfeed. I can only hope the nurses took note of what I was eating. It is a pity that more people in the hospital don’t have the support that I did. Maybe the hospitals would get the message sooner that we want foods to help us to heal.
Kelly says
Julie, I’d LOVE for Mom to read this…but don’t know if it will happen. Another good one I just sent my sister was recommended to me by Anna, who comments here often, “Blood Sugar 101” by Jenny Ruhl.
Jody says
Kelly,
Oh, my gosh. Every time we have wound up at the hospital, I leave appalled by the menu choices. My oldest daughter had pneumonia when she was 15 months old. She needed to eat something with her medicine, and the nurse brought an assortment of trans-fat filled COOKIES and a Swiss Miss pudding cup. TO A 15-month old with pneumonia.
We actually spent the evening in the ER on Friday night with the same daughter. We thought that she might be having an appendicitis. As it turns out, she was not. She apparently has a virus causing the lymph nodes surrounding her belly button to swell and hurt. When we left, they gave her a Hawaiian Punch slushie.
I could go on, but I won’t right now. Perhaps when my kids are a bit older, I’ll start a campaign to change the food served in the local hospitals! 😉
Kelly says
April, I wish we could just stay in our own world, but if we all keep getting “out there”, we can change things!
Natalie, no I never went to the cafeteria, probably a good thing!
Leslie, I fixed it for ya (the “beans” word). 🙂
Kimberly, Mom is still there, but hopefully home today or tomorrow. I will call up there soon and see how her night went. OH, and the other thing about yogurt (which I wanted Mom to eat, too) besides the HFCS, was that of course there was no WHOLE milk yogurt to be found. I wasn’t surprised though. It’s tricky enough finding it at the store.
Glad to hear that about the Cleveland Clinic. Getting the junk OUT is a great first step, now if we could get them to let go of the saturated fat myth, WOW, can you imagine?!
Julie says
HI Kelly,
I hope your mom continues to get better and to get out of the hospital soon . A book she could benefit from is: The Schwartzbein Priciple. The author is an endocrinologist and her research deals primarily with diabetics.
Kimberly says
Kelly,
I’m so sorry about your mom. Is she still in the hospital? Unfortunately, I’m not really surprised at her food options. I work in a nursing home. The food choices there are actually a little better than some places I’ve worked, but still not great. On the upside, the do serve real butter, real eggs, and they always have fresh fruit out if the residents want a snack. But they only serve 2% or skim milk, and it is of course pasteurized and homogenized. They serve a ton of sugar-laden sweets and “pancake syrup” … not real maple, and tons of boxed breakfast cereals (though no Corn Pops and Sugar Pops). All of the meals are SAD foods. I’ve never seen any ethnic food choices. Nothing is organic. There are lots of pre-packaged and/or frozen things (like the potato salad, which has a terrible ingredient list). Lots of white flour choices, like breads and pastas, though there is whole wheat bread. And though I sometimes recommend to patients on antibiotics that they eat yogurt, I’m reluctant because it’s loaded with HFCS. And while, like I said, I think they have better choices than many, it’s still frustrating, and I’m sure even much more so when it’s a loved one’s health your dealing with. I’m so glad that you were able to be there. Hopefully every time we speak up makes some small impact. BTW, I live in Cleveland, and I will say that the Cleveland Clinic is trying to make some positive changes in their dietary choices for patients, employees and visitors. They still tend to follow the path of the typical diet dictocrats, but they have replaced all the junk food in the vending machine with healthier alternatives, including things like nuts. And there are even a lot of things in the cafeteria that real food or NT believers could be happy with. So, even though it’s still not perfect, there is progress! 🙂
leslie says
i am also very happy your mom is doing better!!
that last word in my previous post is beans. sorry 🙂
leslie says
i agree that education is the key. i am very glad i found this website and the local chapter of the WAPF. i am still learning all this myself. it is nice to have people who are doing it too and willing to answer any questions i have. when we first started down this nutritional road i thought it was going to be a lonely one, with people shaking their heads claiming we are going to all fall down with heart attacks.
i have to agree that hospital food is terrible. when i was there giving birth to my sons, i actually had my husband bring food from home for me. a breastfeeding mother needs more than a skinless chicken breast and squishy green beans!
Natalie says
Hi Kelly,
Did you try the hospital cafeteria while you were visiting your mom? When I was still working at the hospital here in town, I ate in the cafeteria every day for lunch. You would be surprised at what was available for purchase. Thank goodness that every day we get wiser about our food choices.
April says
I was just thinking about this last night…not your mother in the hospital (glad she’s doing better!!), but how we can actually forget how bad it is, because we are able to surround ourselves with like-minded people via the wonder of the internet. I’m just beginning on this journey of eating real food, but so much of it has become such a given for me–I forget that there are actually people out there who still eat margarine and aspartame.
And I agree…for the most part, they’re all doing what they think is right. Education is key!!
Kelly says
Hi Kris, I still like some junk, too! (Sweets mostly.) But I’m getting better. It just makes me sad that a hospital of all places would offer the junk.
kris says
First off, I am sorry to hear your mother is in hospital.
I will be 66 yrs old in May of this year. During the past few years, although I always ate a well balanced healthy diet, I really wasn’t as aware as I should be. I still like some of the “junk” I ate growing up!!
I am still working and run a small business with my daughter (a Waldorf education resource business) so don’t always have time to read as much as I would like on your website but am amazed and grateful to you for doing it!! One of the books we carry is Nourishing Traditions which is amazing!!
Don’t give up! And thanks again for your efforts.