Boon Chuah found motivation to become a dietician close to home

Boon Chuah found the inspiration for her career close to home. In fact, she found it IN her home. Growing up in Malaysia, Boon watched as a sister was forced to manage chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. “That motivated me to study how nutrition is related to the immune system,” said Boon.

It was a motivation that brought Boon to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she studied to become a dietician and graduated with a Master’s Degree in nutritional sciences. That degree resulted in a position as a clinical and renal dietician at a rural hospital; she joined the Renal Center of North Denton in Texas about a year ago.

As a renal dietician, Boon provides nutrition assessments and diet education to hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. It’s a job she finds fascinating for many reasons, including the windows it opens to learn about others. “I find it interesting to study what people eat in different locations around the world.”

The renal dietician plays a crucial role in strengthening patients, especially those just starting treatment.

“My greatest satisfaction is when patients are able to build their body protein up after being initiated on dialysis. Most patients are malnourished prior to being on dialysis due to the kidney failing. Sometimes they have misconceptions about diet when they are new on dialysis. For example, some may be afraid to eat cottage cheese when their appetite is poor. But I tell them it is OK to eat some cottage cheese rather than skip meals.”

Boon is happy to share great food sources, starting with protein such as lean beef, chicken, egg whites, fish, lamb, pork, shellfish, tofu, tuna (canned in water), turkey, veal, and wild game. She suggests thinking in “colors” to remember other good food to eat. For example:

• Green: Asparagus, lettuce, cucumbers, garden herbs, leeks, watercress
• Blue: Blueberries
• Red: Cherries, strawberries, radishes, red onions
• Orange: Tangerines, carrots
• Yellow: Pineapples, corn, onions
• White: Cauliflower, mushrooms, turnips, water chestnuts
• Purple: Eggplant

One challenge that patients face, Boon said, is related to limited financial resources. “They really want to eat renal-friendly diets, but they get worn down with no money to buy them. Another challenge is that some patients find it convenient to get a quick meal at a fast food restaurant instead of fixing their own, healthier meal at home.”

Boon has one advantage when it comes to facing these challenges: her fellow workers at Renal Center of North Denton. “It’s a great clinic where every staff member is very diligent in their work and there is great teamwork among the interdisciplinary team members in both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis clinic. All the nurses are very supportive of diet education to the patients. I am blessed to work with them.”