Paenut Dietitians

Our founder, Cecile van Niekerk, will be part of this fantastic event!!

We are so proud of you, Cecile! 🥳👩‍🏫

Be cautious of what you SAY 👅

A good reminder!!

Sometimes - less is more!
Keep lunchboxes small, easy and quick to eat 🥳

Behind the scenes, the PaeNut dietitians are always busy with something contributing to our profession.
Throwback to the Critical Care Congress where Cecile 🦸‍♀️provided an excellent presentation on this huge platform!

We are so proud of her! And sure everyone learned a lot!

TRUST YOUR GUT 🍎🥒🍠🥕🍗

This is an educational video to show and teach kids about the gut microbiome!

It is a 5 minute clip.
Comprehensive and easy to understand 🦠

How the food you eat affects your gut - Shilpa Ravella View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-the-food-you-eat-affects-your-gut-shilpa-ravellaThe bacteria in our guts can break down food the body can’t d...

Today's is Sheri Brynard 🥰

An international ambassador for people with Down syndrome!
Shéri Brynard of South Africa is the only person with Down syndrome who has a tertiary teacher’s diploma (in Educare), without any amendments been made to the course (or special assistance), in South Africa. This was achieved in spite of the fact that her lectures and her study material was only provided in English, her second language. She is also an international ambassador for all people with Down syndrome, chosen by Down syndrome international (DSi), and she meets with the international ambassadors from other countries once a month virtually. She truly believes that all people have the responsibility to endeavour to make the best of their circumstances and she is a living example thereof. Sheri has also been chosen by her Down syndrome peers as their official South African spokesperson (chairman) for a term of four years. She serves as the South African representative on the Down Syndrome International adult group, who meets every month.
We are in AWE of your achievements and the remarkable woman you are 🌻

Credit: https://sheribrynard.co.za/

Today's is Dr Gillian Saloojee 💪

Dr. Gillian Saloojee is a paediatric physiotherapist with a special interest in working with children with disabilities and their families living in rural resource-constrained African settings. Promoting access to quality intervention and excellent services for all children and young adults with CP, irrespective of where they live, has been the driving force behind her work. She is the Founder and former Executive Director of Malamulele Onward, a non-profit organization providing therapy services and caregiver training to children with cerebral palsy living in poor, rural areas of Southern Africa. Together with the Malamulele Onward team, she pioneered the concept of Parent Led Services and developed the Carer-2-Carer programme as an innovative way of reaching all parents of children with disabilities in resource-constrained settings. Gillian is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Alliance of Academies of Childhood Disability; Board Member of the Bophelo Day Care Centre; Execute member of SA-ChilD and an honorary senior lecturer in the Physiotherapy Department at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Wow - you are one superwoman, Gillian!! ♥

Credit: SA-ChilD

Today's is Qaqamba Gubanca.💓

Qaqamba Gubanca was born in Ngcobo, South Africa. She works as a mentor mother at the Philani Maternal Child Health and Nutrition Trust in Khayelitsha township in Cape Town, South Africa. The Philani Clinic provides holistic health and nutrition support to women and families in townships; its Mentor Mother programme has been extended to South Africa’s Eastern Cape, as well as to Swaziland and Ethiopia. You are such an inspiration and remarkable woman, Qaqamba - keep on inspiring other South Africans 🥳

Photo credit: Google Arts and Culture

Today's is Idonette van Zyl 👩‍🌾

She is a phenomenal registered dietitian with incredible knowledge on food allergies. Walking the journey herself with her own children, Idonette has contributed significantly to the field of pediatric allergies in South Africa. She has developed a fantastic app called AlleGrow that lists allergens in over 2000 different foods from our South African market. We look up to you, Idonette, and the amazing difference you are making to families out there ♥

Download the AlleGrow app here: https://allegrow.co.za/download

Today's 👩 is Dr Cicely William

She has done incredible work in Africa!
Dr Cicely discovered kwashiorkor in 1929. She used scientific methods but the breakthrough came when she started listening to the mothers of malnourished children. She was strong-willed and tough but empathetic and sensitive. All of this contributed to a remarkable breakthrough in infant and child health, saving the lives of many!

Photo credit: Pediatric House Calls

Women's month is officially ending this week 🌸🌻🌎

We will be posting an inspirational story of a woman each day of the week to celebrate their incredible impact on children around the world.

Today's is our very own, Talitha de Klerk 🦸‍♀️

She is the founder of "Rhythm of Hope Dance". Her journey started when she was already concerned in High School about the wellbeing of children from impoverished areas. Through her dance, she provides hope and immense support to underprivileged communities in Africa, especially girls. She also founded the Pure Hope School where they are doing incredible work and outreach.

RAISING GIRLS TO LOVE THEIR OWN BODIES 👗♥

Girls become very aware and conscious of their bodies during teenage years. Loving their body starts from very young and mothers are their FIRST role-model that every little girl looks up to. We are therefore responsible to set the beautiful example they need to form a happy relationship and healthy body image of themselves.

How can we support our growing girls?
🗣 Use positive body language when you talk about yourself and their bodies.
🍩Avoid associating food with emotions. Like giving them a cookie when they feel sad. Rather get them outdoors and go for a walk to feel better.
🏃🏽‍♀️ Keep them active and moving!

GIRLS AND SOCIAL EATING BEHAVIOURS 🎈🍕

During school-age years, your little tween's social needs for eating away from home become really important to them. They get exposed to unhealthy foods and their eating patterns are influenced by friends, social media and the food industry. They enjoy independence and responsibilities. They have started forming strong preferences to certain food and know exactly what they like and dislike.

What can YOU as a parent do to help navigate them through this stage of growing up:
👩🏻‍🍳 Provide them with the responsibility of cooking a healthy meal (or two) in the week. From preparation to serving it. They might discover they enjoy cooking and strengthen relations with healthy food.
🥘 Experiment with new flavours and cuisines to trigger their curiosity.
🥗Keep the base of their daily eating (at home), healthy. If the majority of their food intake is breakfast and dinner at home, ensure that these meals are nutritious and sustainable for their needs.
🍔Respect their need for social eating. Teach them about portion control and pairing an unhealthy meal (burger) with a healthy side (salad or corn).
🫐Keep exposing them to healthy snacks at all times. Nuts, fresh fruit, popcorn and low-fat yoghurt are all great grab-and-go options when they are on the go.

SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE 🧁

We know that is not entirely what little girls are made off 😉😅

We CAN tell you that their little bodies are growing at alarming rate when they reach school-age years, and their need for micronutrients sky-rocket by the time they enter teenage years.

Make sure your little girl is getting sufficient intake of:
🥛🧀CALCIUM (milk, cheese, cottage cheese, maas, yoghurt, fortified food)
2-3 portions daily
Keep it low-fat and sugar-free

🥩🌿IRON (animal sources include liver, lean meat, poultry; plant sources include green leafy veg and fortified porridge)
3-6 portions daily
Supplementation is required when following a vegan diet

What does INFERTILITY have in common with your weight, alcohol and caffeine consumption? 🧐

👦 A male’s weight can also affect the success of conception as being overweight may reduce s***m quality.
🥂Research studies indicate that alcohol consumption is associated with decreased fertility for BOTH women and men.
☕Some studies indicate that increased caffeine consumption is associated with decreased fertility, especially for women.

HEALTHY START, HEALTHY FUTURE 🤰🏾

Here are some nutrition recommendations when you are planning to fall pregnant:

1. Make sure to have foods rich in protein, calcium, iron and folate 🍗🥛🥬
2. Have a variety of different foods and focus on low GI meals 🍞
3. Have lots of fibre in your diet but remember to drink plenty of clean water to prevent constipation 🥗💦
4. Avoid raw fish, alcohol, undercooked meat and poultry, and soft cheeses 🐠🧀
5. Continue to move! Aim for moderate intensity daily exercise or get a personalized
exercise program that is safe during pregnancy 🏃‍♀️

Consider taking the Grow Baby Genetic test which offers targeted nutrition, lifestyle and health recommendations to offset possible weaknesses and optimize pregnancy health outcomes.

DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH ENDOMETRIOSIS? 🍂

Did you know that there is a strong inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and endometriosis? But also that certain pesticides interfere with hormonal pathways and contribute to oxidative stress?

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disorder and following an anti-inflammatory diet has shown many benefits.

Dietary factors that may decrease the risk of endometriosis include:
🥦Consumption of vegetables
🍅Antioxidant vitamins,
🍗B-group vitamins
🥛Dairy products rich in calcium and vitamin D.
🐠Fish oils and omega 3 fatty acids.

Dietary risk factors that may potentially increase the risk of developing endometriosis include:
🛢Consumption of trans-fatty acids (such as deep fried food and crisps)
🥩Red meat and ham
🍺Alcohol

Let US help you improve your diet quality to support a healthy pregnancy outcome!

Ending this wonderful weekend with our superwoman, Sammy!!🦸‍♀️

Treating the staff at Pretoria East Hospital with some cupcakes for breastfeeding week (maybe even month 😁!!)

VITAMIN D AND HEALTHY PREGNANCY OUTCOME 💊

Vitamin D is very important in the prevention of preterm birth and delivering a baby that is small for gestational age. Also, a vitamin D deficiency and alterations in the VDR gene have been strongly related to abnormalities in calcium metabolism, cell proliferation and immune function.

If you are planning to fall pregnant or in the early stages of pregnancy, consider the Grow Baby DNA report from DNAlysis that gives more personalized information on your VDR gene that encodes the vitamin D receptor. Our experienced dietitians can guide you to focus on specific foods, supplements as well as lifestyle changes to address your vitamin D status.

Pregnancy - are you eating for two?? 🥰

For most women, there is NO need to eat significantly more food during pregnancy. Rather focus on a variety of nutritious foods each day from all various food groups.

🍓It is recommended that for the first trimester, your energy intake should remain approximately the same as it was before your pregnancy. Exceptions may occur if you are having multiple pregnancies or if you were underweight at the time of conception.

🥦During the second and third trimesters, energy requirements increase slightly as your baby grows and you begin to store additional fat in anticipation of breastfeeding. In addition to your usual dietary intake, choose 2-4 additional snacks during this time.

Here are some ideas to get snacking on:
🥣200g yogurt
🍉A serving of fruit
🍞A slice of wholegrain / Low GI bread
🍘4-6 wholegrain dry biscuits
🫘20-30g of nuts
🍿1 cup popcorn
🌽1 cob of corn
🍳2 hard-boiled eggs
🥛250ml low-fat milk



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HAVING A BABY, STARTS WITH A HEALTHY MOM AND DAD!🥰

Early life nutrition is the period of time from conception until a baby’s second birthday also known as the “first 1000 days”. Research indicates that the first thousand days of a baby’s life provides a critical window of opportunity where a healthy environment, in particular diet and lifestyle, can positively influence lifelong health.

Did you know that the health and lifestyle of the mother and father during the 6 months (180 days) prior to conception is essential for improved outcomes?
Remember that the egg and the s***m will provide the genetic material for the developing foetus.

The DNA Grow Baby genetic report offers targeted nutrition, lifestyle and health recommendations to offset possible genetic weaknesses and optimize pregnancy health outcomes.

Weight gain during pregnancy 🤰🏽⚖

Weight gain during pregnancy is dependent on so many factors such as your pre-pregnancy weight, fluid retention, number of babies you are carrying, baby's weight, blood volume, etc.

As a general guide, a healthy weight gain over the course of pregnancy is
usually between 11.5–16kg for women who are within a healthy weight range at the
time of conception.

Let us break it down:
Baby: 3-4kg
Placenta: 0.5kg
Breasts: 0.5-1kg
Amniotic Fluid: 1-2kg
Uterus: 1kg
Extra Blood Volume: 1.2-1.5kg
Fat Stores for Breastfeeding: 2.5-3.5kg
Fluid Retention: 1-1.5kg

Weight loss is NOT recommended. If you are experiencing this, you urgently need to seek medical attention.



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