[Answered]: – 2 – 2222 – 2236 Text A Useful diet tips on the…

– 2 – 2222 – 2236 Text A Useful diet tips on the road to recovery In a healthy-eating workshop session at a patient support centre in Hong Kong, about 20 people listen attentively as a dietitian explains the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. The participants, many of whom have recovered from cancer, are also given tips on how to get all the nutrients they need if they adopt a meat-free approach.The gathering is one of the highlights of a wellness programme set up by Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centre. Helen Lui, who runs the charity, said it was important to make sure patients got enough nutrients during and after their treatment. Under the theme “Eating Well”, an array of activities have been staged at the organisation’s specially-designed centre, all aimed at helping patients better equip themselves for the challenges of their illnesses. “As well as talks on nutrition, since body conditions among patients vary, we also carry out diet assessment for individuals and make specific recommendations to them,” Lui said.Dietitian Sally Poon, who hosted the healthy-eating workshop, said demand for one-on-one diet assessment was huge. When designing personal diet plans for patients, Poon sometimes had to address their concerns about widely-believed food myths, which prompted many to avoid certain ingredients. “I explain to them whether these food myths are substantiated by scientific evidence,” she said. “It’s important for patients to eat enough calories. We don’t normally encourage them to quit any particular type of food.”Mok Chun-keung, 66, sought advice from the diet expert to deal with his digestive problems. The retiree stopped eating meat after being diagnosed with cancer about two years ago. “I just ate vegetables,” Mok said. He is thankful that Poon has helped him to balance his diet.The centre was founded by Maggie Jencks, who had first-hand experience of living with cancer. She used this to create a blueprint for a new type of care. The philanthropist saw the need for a welcoming place away from a hospital, where patients, their families and friends could go for support.The first Maggie’s Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996, a year after her death. In 2008, the charity opened a temporary centre in Hong Kong, which was relocated five years later to its present address, in a building designed by architect Frank Gehry.510152025