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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Dalia Perelman, right, a dietician at the Center for Integrative Medicine, and Anna Levia, go over the ingredients between two types of microwaveable popcorn Levia keeps in her kitchen. Perelman offers kitchen makeovers to help make assessments and suggestions for her clients.
New Attitude
Nutrition program gets to the heart of healthy eating
By Melissa Matchak
For the Levia family of Sunnyvale, healthy eating poses a different struggle for each member. Anna has constantly struggled to lose weight. Her husband, Oz, has battled high cholesterol for the past two years. Anna knows her three young children don't eat the healthiest food.
After experimenting with numerous diets and trying to encourage her children to choose healthy snacks over sugary ones, Anna decided to seek inspiration through a new program. She decided to have a kitchen makeover.
Dalia Perelman, a dietitian at the Center for Integrative Medicine, affiliated with O'Connor Hospital in San Jose, began going to people's homes recently in order to better help them meet their nutritional goals. During a kitchen makeover, Perelman discusses with her client their goals, from losing weight to changing their diet because of a health condition such as diabetes or high cholesterol.
Perelman then goes through food cupboards, the refrigerator and freezer to discuss the food choices and what changes should be made. She also teaches her clients about food safety, and what types of cooking equipment are adequate for the type of cooking they do. Another factor Perelman discusses with clients is their eating environment. She then makes suggestions based on the client's goals.
"The most common issue is that people don't like or don't have the time to cook," Perelman said. "I go over convenience items that are healthy. I make suggestions that apply to their lifestyle."
Perelman said the suggestions she makes are only a part of a successful kitchen makeover: the client has to be willing to make the changes and stick with them.
"If they are ready for a change, this can be very beneficial," Perelman said. "I talk to them about the benefits of a change, and help them set realistic goals."
In doing dietary consultations with patients in her office, Perelman said she realized she could make better assessments and more practical suggestions if she could go into
their homes to see what they eat, what they cook with, and where they eat their meals.
For the Levia family, Perelman made suggestions based on Anna's goal of losing weight, her husband's goal of lowering his cholesterol, and making sure the children had a more balanced and nutritious diet.
Perelman went through the cupboards and refrigerator in the Levia kitchen, commenting on the types and brands of their food. She compared pastas, explaining the difference between the nutritional value of plain noodles versus pre-packaged, fried noodles, such as those found in Top Ramen instant soup. She made suggestions for substitutes for certain types of food, such as vegetables or parmesan cheese instead of some brands of pasta sauce.
She also explained the information found on the nutrition chart and ingredient list on packages of food. Perelman told Anna the ingredients are listed from the highest amount to the lowest amount in the food. Perelman explained that sometimes all the information about the food product might not be accurate. For example, the total amount of fat may not be exact, especially in terms of listing the amount of saturated fat in a serving.
"Some labels are hard to read," Perelman said. "There are guidelines, but there are many loopholes."
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Sunnyvale resident Anna Levia, left, and dietician Dalia Perelman go through the contents of the family's refrigerator. Levia wanted to have a kitchen makeover because she said she is constantly trying to lose weight and her husband is trying to lower his cholesterol. She would also like to see her three kids cut down on their daily intake of sugar.
Perelman explained to Anna how to calculate how many teaspoons of sugar are in a serving size. She made suggestions about foods that naturally help lower cholesterol, and explained the difference between "light" and "reduced calories."
In addressing Anna's concern about her children's diet, Perelman emphasized that by watching their parents eat healthy food, the children would learn to eat the same way. She also said giving children choices about what they eat is good, but those choices should be healthy ones.
"It's important to teach kids at an early age that they have a choice about what they eat," Perelman said. "If you teach them to make certain choices at home, they will make them wherever they go."
Anna, who said she grew up in a household that didn't allow her much choice about what she ate, believes in a free choice system for her children.
"I have to get the kids to participate in wanting to eat healthy food, I can't trick them into it," Anna said.
Perelman explained the importance of a regular eating schedule, and especially a specific place where meals and snacks are eaten. She encouraged cooking and eating in the same environment. Perelman emphasized the importance of paying attention to food.
"Paying attention to what you're eating absolutely has an effect on what you eat and how much," Perelman said. "You tend to make better choices when you pay attention."
Since having her kitchen evaluated, Anna has started making changes in the food she and her family eat. She said she has also recommended the program to other people.
"It was very inspiring, and I really see the value of her suggestions," Anna said. "I think it will be very positive for the long run."
The kitchen makeovers cost $125. Appointments can be made by calling Dalia Perelman at the Center for Integrative Medicine at 408.283.7626.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
