Mr. T., a 70-year-old client on the acute care floor, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease during this admission. Prior to discharge the nurse completed a nutritional assessment with the client and his wife

Question

She explained about the risk for developing malnutrition due to malabsorption of dietary nutrients. She suggested including green leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts to increase the intake of: 1. Magnesium.
2. Copper.
3. Iron.
4. Zinc.

Answer 1

1
Rationale: Green leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts are good dietary sources of magnesium. Low levels of magnesium in the plasma can lead to neuromuscular hyper excitability resulting in cardiac arrhythmias and muscular contractions. Iron, zinc, and copper are trace minerals. Iron is available from animal sources such as red meat, poultry, and fish but not from in plant food. Zinc can be found in oysters, red meats, wheat germ, wheat bran, and cereals fortified with zinc. Organ meats, seafood, and nuts are good dietary sources of copper.