Indications of therapeutic diets

Medical nutritional therapy is used when a condition can be either improved or worsened by certain foods (more specifically, the components in certain foods).

For instance, a therapeutic diet can be used to help lower a person's elevated serum cholesterol, control a person's elevated blood sugar levels if they have Diabetes, or in some cases help control blood pressure. People with kidney failure need to be maintained on a therapeutic diet so toxic levels of various substances do not build up in their blood in between dialysis treatments. Those suffering from celiac sprue must avoid dietary gluten to remain symptom free.

Therapeutic diets in some cases can alleviate symptoms; in other cases just keep conditions from becoming worse.