Reference no: EM133398552
Case Study: Pay attention to eating and lifestyle habits that may negatively affect his health. I'm sure you will be able to relate to some of the story, though hopefully, I won't be describing all of your eating habits!
Distressed Digestion Story
This is Tyler's freshman year in college and he has been earning very good grades and performing well in his part-time job. However, Tyler's eating habits have been poor and he has gained a few pounds, and his expanded waistline is making his pants fit pretty tightly. His daily routine holds clues to his recent weight gain.
Tyler begins each morning about 9 AM when he hurriedly dresses and rushes to class without breakfast. He does, however, drink a 20 oz cola each morning for caffeine and sugar energy. All day he sits in classes or studies in the library. About 4 PM Tyler takes a break for some food and he usually heads to the food court and gets a large order of chicken wings with extra spicy hot sauce. He doesn't have much time though so he rushes through the meal, drinks another large cola, and is off to work. Tyler has a job as a waiter in a popular campus restaurant.
When the restaurant closes, Tyler heads home in his car. He usually stops to get some dinner even though it's 11:30 PM. He typically picks up a large pepperoni pizza that he consumes in one sitting. Sometimes he follows the pizza with handfuls of cookies he eats while lying down on the couch and watching late night television. Lately he finds it difficult to fall asleep. His stomach makes some atrocious noises and he's been feeling bloated. Tyler has tried getting up and taking antacids, but he still suffers indigestion. Recently, a friend who has noticed Tyler's odd stomach noises and hiccupping through class, suggested Tyler do something about his diet. At first he ignored the advice, but now his stomach pains are getting so bad he is willing to try anything.
Another painful night's sleep, Tyler wakes up early, goes to the bakery and buys two bran muffins for breakfast, thinking this is the start of his new healthy diet. To Tyler's surprise, this only makes him feel worse. He suffers horrible cramps and later that day is forced to run to the bathroom with diarrhea. The worst part for Tyler was when he was sitting in English class and flatulence hit. Poor Tyler turned bright red and decided it was time to take the rest of the day off and go home.
When he got back to his room, the phone rang. It was Tyler's grandma. He mentioned he wasn't feeling too well so his grandma, who lived nearby, came over with chicken noodle soup made with carrots, celery and lots of broth. The two had a leisurely meal together, sitting and talking at the table for hours. Tyler ate one small bowl of soup and placed the leftovers in the refrigerator for later. He then got a good night's sleep and woke up the next day feeling much better. Once again, his fast-paced lifestyle plunged him back into previous eating patterns. On the way to his first morning class Tyler was drinking a 20 oz cola.
Questions: Distressed Digestion Questions
- what are some of the symptoms Tyler was experiencing initially and describe the probable causes of his ailments.
- He tries taking antacids. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?
- After adding bran muffins to his diet, Tyler only feels worse. Why is this?
- After Tyler's grandma visited and they ate some chicken noodle soup together, Tyler felt much better. Why might this be?
- Tyler experiences the unpleasant and embarrassing consequences of poor nutrition while in English class. This only adds to the already high stress in Tyler's life. What was the cause of this and how can Tyler cure this problem for the future?
- What advice would be good to give Tyler about his eating habits?
- What thoughts of the long- term consequences of Tyler's eating habits might be?