You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts. Your reply posts are worth 2 points (1 point per response.)
All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.
Please post your initial response by 11:59 PM ET Thursday, and comment on the posts of two classmates by 11:59 PM ET Sunday.
You can expect feedback from the instructor within 48 to 72 hours from the Sunday due date.
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Grading Rubric
Your assignment will be graded according to the grading rubric.
Discussion Rubric
Criteria Ratings Points
Identification of Main Issues, Problems, and Concepts
Distinguished – 5 points
Identify and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the issues, problems, and concepts.
Excellent – 4 points
Identifies and demonstrate an accomplished understanding of most of issues, problems, and concepts.
Fair – 2 points
Identifies and demonstrate an acceptable understanding of most of issues, problems, and concepts.
Poor – 1 point
Identifies and demonstrate an unacceptable understanding of most of issues, problems, and concepts.
5 points
Use of Citations, Writing Mechanics and APA Formatting Guidelines
Distinguished – 3 points
Effectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Exceptional use of citations and extended referencing. High level of APA precision and free of grammar and spelling errors.
Excellent – 2 points
Effectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Moderate use of citations and extended referencing. Moderate level of APA precision and free of grammar and spelling errors.
Fair – 1 point
Ineffectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. Moderate use of citations and extended referencing. APA style and writing mechanics need more precision and attention to detail.
Poor – 0 points
Ineffectively uses the literature and other resources to inform their work. An unacceptable use of citations and extended referencing. APA style and writing mechanics need serious attention.
3 points
Response to Posts of Peers
Distinguished – 2 points
Student constructively responded to two other posts and either extended, expanded or provided a rebuttal to each.
Fair – 1 point
Student constructively responded to one other post and either extended, expanded or provided a rebuttal.
Poor – 0 points
Student provided no response to a peer’s post.
2 points
Total Points 10
Post #1
Discuss the meaning of food in the German culture
Most foods taken in Germany are indigenous foods that demonstrate German culture and traditions without much adulteration from foreign cultures. Foods in German culture include pork, potatoes, bread, beer, and vegetables such as asparagus, peas, spinach, turnips, beans, and carrots (Eberle and Fels, 2016). Although other kinds of meat such as beef and veal are also consumed in Germany, pork meat and pork products feature predominantly German meals. Some of the pork products famous in German cuisine include saumagen (pork stomach), schweinshaxe (braised pork hock), and bratwurst (a sausage usually made from pork). Meat and meat products are taken together with vegetables native to Germany, such as turnips, beets, and cabbages as a salad. Germans may take cabbages freshly from the farm, but others prefer sauerkraut, cabbages that have been finely cut and fermented in bacteria from lactic acid. Potatoes features in most German diets but are not taken as a main meal but as a side dish. Turnips, beans, carrots, asparagus, and peas are usually taken as side dishes with meat or baked products such as bread.
Bread and other baked products such as cakes are also widely consumed across Germany, especially during breakfast and dinner, and form a significant part of most dishes of German cuisine. Brötchen (bread prepared as a crusty roll) and brot (bread prepared as a) are commonly taken as the main meal in Germany served with some vegetables and some pork or sausages (Eberle and Fels, 2016). Germany has different varieties of bread, such as white bread, rye, pumpernickel, or grain bread. Beer is the main alcoholic drink highly consumed in Germany, and coffee is the non-alcoholic drink. According to Tarragon and Meyer (2017), Germany boasts of being the birthplace of significant beers sold even beyond its borders, including Pilsner, Alt, and Weizenbier (wheat beer). However, Germany has also been associated with pioneering other forms of alcoholic drinks such as schnapps and some brandy alcohols.
Using the predominant health beliefs of people of German ancestry, how might you help Mr. Pfiefer reduce his cholesterol level?
Mr. Pfiefer might be helped reduce his cholesterol levels by educating him on how to prepare balanced diets and the importance of modifying his everyday diets. First, it would be imperative if the relevant health professional held an interactive session with Mr. Pfiefer to discuss the health implications of having a high level of cholesterol levels. The health professional will then help the patient develop a nutritional plan that incorporates available German foods low in cholesterol levels. However, cultural competence would be crucial to support the health professional in considering patients’ preferences and offering culturally sensitive guidance on healthy foods. According to Hamulka et al. (2018), education on proper nutrition should entail an appropriate choice of healthy foods, suitable methodologies, preparation, and routine consumption. The patient should also be taught adequate lifestyles to make to help in managing cholesterol and staying healthy.
In Mr. Pfiefer’s case, patient education should entail the choice of German foods such as meat, bread, potatoes, vegetables, and beer. The health professional should educate the patient on the importance of taking large quantities of vegetables in their daily meals since vegetables have no cholesterol and help maintain healthy body weight. The patient should be encouraged to control amounts and frequency of meat consumption to minimize cholesterol buildup. Still, on diet choices, it would be essential to establish whether the patient takes alcohol. If the patient drinks alcohol, it would be necessary to advise the patient to minimize alcohol quantities and frequency significantly and, if possible, quit alcoholism. In preparation, the health professional should advise the patient to avoid deep-fried potatoes, meat, and other foods to prevent cholesterol intake and encourage wholegrain bread instead of white processed bread. As a lifestyle modification, the patient should also be encouraged to engage in physical exercises.
References
Eberle, U., & Fels, J. (2016). Environmental impacts of German food consumption and food losses. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 21(5), 759-772. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0983-7
Hamulka, J., Wadolowska, L., Hoffmann, M., Kowalkowska, J., & Gutkowska, K. (2018). Effect of an education program on nutrition knowledge, attitudes toward nutrition, diet quality, lifestyle, and body composition in polish teenagers. The ABC of Healthy Eating Project: Design, Protocol, and Methodology. Nutrients, 10(10), 1439-1452. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101439
Tarragon, E., Stein, J., & Meyer, J. (2017). Psychometric properties of the German translated version and adaptation of the Food Craving Inventory. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(9), 736. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00736
Post # 2
Products high in fat and carbohydrates are the foundation of German food culture. Much like every other nation, Germans value local cuisine, which varies from place to place. Food is the representation of traditions and even values of a certain region. Bread is of significant importance for all Germans, and the love for this food is linked to history as well. During medieval times, bread was easy to obtain; moreover, it is a product full of carbohydrates and it instantly contributes to energy supplies (Germanfoods, 2021). Hence, German workers would eat a meal that consisted solely of bread, as they considered it both quick and substantial. These days, people of Germany are still widely known as hard workers who value productivity and punctuality, and bread is the food that is present on every table. Kruger (2018) calls bread the “cornerstone of the German diet and culture” since it is consumed at most meals (para. 16). Of course, bread is accompanied by a variety of cheeses, meats, and sauces. It will not be an exaggeration to say that the majority of German recipes have meat, potato, and bread as ingredients. Thus, substantial meals full of fats, carbs, and protein are the main part of German cuisine.
Time plays a big role in German culture, especially when it comes to food. Breakfast is not the main meal of the day, and many Germans might even skip it. Traditionally, lunchtime is when all the major hot meals are served (Germanfoods, 2021). In the evening, Germans prefer to eat lighter meals, though they do not like to sacrifice the taste of food and serve traditional products such as potato, pork, etc. Sometimes it is accompanied by salad or soup, and these light food intakes are connected to the specific point of time (Germanfoods, 2021). In this way, even mealtime is a part of German culture, as it reflects the national character of people.
Maintaining a diet low in fat can help the patient reduce cholesterol level. It is known that Mr. Pfiefer cooks traditional German meals where meat, butter, and cheese are the main ingredients. Meat, for example, contains cholesterol, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases (Keklik et al., 2018). It would be reasonable to recommend that the patient switch to lean meat such as chicken or turkey. The same can be applied to cheeses high in fat, as they can be replaced with low-fat options. In this way, Mr. Pfiefer would still be able to maintain a traditional German diet but with less risk to his health.
Other foods can be switched to healthy alternatives without losing the quality and taste, too. For example, I could recommend the patient to use sour cream instead of mayonnaise. In addition, he can incorporate more greens and vegetables into his daily diet. All of them can be successfully used as ingredients in German recipes; at the same time, they help reduce cholesterol level. The patient prefers to use vegetable oil while cooking, and it is possible to switch it to the olive one. The latter was clinically proven to decrease LDL cholesterol (Janse Van Rensburg, 2018). Thus, alternative options of usual ingredients need to be introduced to the patient.
Finally, mealtime affects health as well. It is safe to assume that Mr. Pfiefer does not have breakfast but eats a large lunch. Traditionally, Germans do not eat a substantial dinner (Germanfoods, 2021); hence, the patient probably eats bread with cheese or meat. Such meals cannot be considered healthy at all. I would recommend that Mr. Pfiefer eat normal-sized portions 3 times a day. In this way, a balanced diet will reduce his cholesterol level.
References
Germanfoods. (2021, March 31). Breakfast, lunch, dinner. . . and lots of snacks.. https://germanfoods.org/german-food-facts/breakfast-lunch-dinner-snacks/
Janse Van Rensburg, W. J. (2018). Lifestyle change alone sufficient to lower cholesterol in male patient with moderately elevated cholesterol: A case report. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 13(2), 148–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827618806841
Keklik, N. M., Bozkurt, H., & Tekin, A. R. (2018). Effect of different cooking procedures on cholesterol and fat contents of selected meat products. Food Science and Technology, 38(4), 683–690. https://doi.org/10.1590/fst.13117
Kruger, M. (2018, December 5). Why German bread is the best in the world (opinion). CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/germany-best-bread/index.html
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