Yellowknife (Mar 19/03) - Without a dietician, John Colford would be eating beans and lentils for the rest of his life.

Six weeks ago the slim and healthy-looking 50 year-old underwent "catastrophic" coronary bypass surgery because of a hereditary disposition to cholesterol buildup.

Now he's returned home he needs assistance adjusting to a new lifestyle which includes low cholesterol food.

That's where Lori MacMillan comes in. MacMillan is a home dietician on Yellowknife Health and Social Service Authority's Home Care team. She is working with John to establish a heart healthy diet.

"The one advantage with having (MacMillan) is she offers dietary options, guidelines and reduces the panic you get after a surgery like this," said Colford.

"Having been through this once you don't want to have to go through it a second time."

Without her, Colford said, he "probably would have eaten beans and lentils for the rest of my life."

Instead MacMillan works with Colford to address his needs, likes and dislikes. Because Colford likes to bake, she has put together low cholesterol recipes and will help him alter his favourite dishes -- including double chocolate chip cookies.

"I would like him to continue to enjoy eating food but we want to prevent him from having a heart attack," said MacMillan.

"Ideally I would have seen John 20 years ago."

MacMillan visits between two and four home care clients a day from pediatrics to geriatrics to educate and support them in meeting their nutritional and dietary goals.

Working in the community

Trish Fitzpatrick, regional nutrition co-ordinator with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, works on the other end of the spectrum.

Instead of visiting patients like a dietician does, Fitzpatrick tries to prevent people from becoming patients through community education.

She travels across the territory visiting community groups and schools to answer questions, host workshops and educate.

Last week she spent the afternoon baking 'very berry muffins' with four children from the Aboriginal Head Start Program in Ndilo. By adding frozen blueberries, substituting whole wheat flour for white and adding milk the recipe becomes highly nutritious, she told the four-year olds. The 'Healthy Helpers' perched themselves at the kitchen table of the program's kitchen to watch Fitzpatrick and teacher Lisa Paul make the muffins.

"If they learn at a young age it will be something they can use when they're grown," she said, adding children often bring the knowledge home, thus also educating the family.

She said most people have a "basic knowledge" of nutrition.

Time and planning often prevents people from making healthy choices. Some people don't make nutrition a priority, said Fitzpatrick.

"If it's not a priority then it's probably not going to be something they can change. It's a lifestyle change."

A lifestyle change can be either by choice or forced as it was for Colford. He now has to make conscious and planned decisions about what he eats or he could have a heart attack.