Nutritional counselling

Nutritional counselling means assessing diet and lifestyle, followed by individualised guidance and, where appropriate, personalised meal plans. The aim is for recommendations to be realistic and adapted to food preferences, daily routine and the objectives agreed with the patient.

At Detalii Med in Baia Mare, counselling is provided by Paul Săplăcan, nutritionist-dietitian. The service is aimed both at clinic patients preparing for surgery and at people who wish to manage their weight or improve their diet.

• Patients scheduled for surgery — nutritional preparation ahead of the procedure, by assessing the diet and identifying any factors that may influence recovery.
• People pursuing weight management — nutritional assessment, individualised guidance and personalised meal plans.
• People who need dietary optimisation in different clinical contexts.

Counselling can also help people who have tried several diets without lasting results or who want to understand better how to organise their meals. For conditions such as diabetes or kidney or digestive disease, nutritional recommendations are aligned with the advice of the patient’s own doctor.

Nutritional counselling can help organise eating, correct habits that stand in the way of the agreed objectives and prepare the body for surgery and the recovery period. It can provide structure, explanations and support throughout the change.

It does not replace medical diagnosis and treatment, does not promise a particular weight loss within a fixed period and is not based on very restrictive diets. Results depend largely on applying the recommendations consistently. In situations that require medical assessment, for example a suspected eating disorder, consulting a medical specialist is recommended.

The consultation begins with a nutritional assessment, on the basis of which personalised recommendations are made, adapted to lifestyle, food preferences and agreed objectives.

Perioperative nutrition

Personalised recommendations for the periods before and after the procedure are intended to support healing, post-operative recovery and, in turn, the best possible final result.

Weight management

Meal plans are built with an emphasis on achieving sustainable results and on building eating habits that can be maintained over the long term.

For the most accurate assessment, the patient is asked to bring, if available, recent blood test results, a list of medicines and supplements taken and information about any planned surgery. A few notes on usual meals over the last few days can also be useful.

The first session usually takes longer, as it includes a discussion of dietary history, daily habits, physical activity, sleep and the patient’s objectives. Simple measurements may be taken, such as weight, height and waist circumference.

Based on this assessment, the nutritionist-dietitian makes recommendations and, where appropriate, prepares a personalised meal plan. Follow-up sessions are used for:

• discussing how well the recommendations could be applied in everyday life;
• adjusting the plan according to progress, preferences and any difficulties;
• agreeing the next steps.

The frequency of sessions is set individually. When preparing for surgery, the schedule is aligned with the date of the operation and the recovery period.

Nutritional counselling involves no invasive procedures. However, there may be some difficulty adapting to new habits, such as hunger, tiredness or digestive discomfort in the first days of a dietary change; these are discussed at follow-up sessions and the plan is adjusted.

It is important for the patient to report any medical conditions, allergies, intolerances and current treatments so that the recommendations are safe. Major dietary changes in people with chronic conditions are made in agreement with their own doctor.

Some patients notice early changes, such as better-organised meals or more steady energy through the day, after a few weeks. Weight changes are usually gradual, and the pace varies with the starting point, lifestyle and consistency.

For perioperative nutrition, recommendations are followed before and after surgery for the period agreed with the medical team. For weight management, the emphasis is on habits that can be maintained over the long term rather than quick results that are hard to keep.

Nutritional counselling at Detalii Med in Baia Mare starts with an individual assessment and aims for realistic recommendations tailored to each patient. Whether the goal is preparing for surgery, managing weight or optimising diet, results depend on consistent collaboration between the patient and the nutritionist-dietitian.