Question

1. Stephanie is an 18-year-old college freshman who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago. She has an insulin pump, is of healthy weight, and has no other significant medical history. She went to the student health center on campus with complaints of fatigue, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. Her vital signs and temperature are within normal limits. The physician assistant diagnoses viral gastritis and advises her to eat a bland diet until her symptoms abate.

Her symptoms resolved when she limited her intake to chicken broth, Gatorade, and tomato juice, but when she resumed her normal eating pattern, her symptoms returned. She has unintentionally lost a few pounds. She decided to keep a food diary to see if her symptoms correlated to food. She concluded that milk is a problem and has eliminated all milk and dairy products from her eating pattern.
a. What nutrients may she be lacking by eliminating all dairy?

Answer 1

Stephanie might be lacking calcium, vitamin D, and protein by eliminating dairy from her diet. If she's lactose intolerant, lactose-free dairy products or lactase supplements can help. She can also find these nutrients in non-dairy sources.

Step-by-step explanation:

By eliminating all dairy from her diet, Stephanie may lack several essential nutrients. The major ones are calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Dairy products are the primary source of calcium in the diet, a mineral crucial for bone health. Vitamin D is often added to dairy products and aids in calcium absorption. Protein, although available from many other sources, is also abundant in dairy products and is necessary for muscle building and repair.

If she finds that dairy is causing her discomfort, she may consider consuming lactose-free dairy products or taking a lactase supplement when eating dairy. Additionally, she can find these nutrients in non-dairy sources: leafy green vegetables and fortified beverages for calcium, fortified foods and sunlight exposure for vitamin D, and meat, legumes, and nuts for protein.

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