Just like various cultures around the world, Germans have their preferences when it comes to cuisine
Just like various cultures around the world, Germans have their preferences when it comes to cuisine
Reponse post should be at least 150 words, formatted and (in-text) cited in current APA style with support from 1 academic source per response.
Question 1: Just like various cultures around the world, Germans have their preferences when it comes to cuisine. Although late Germany has become a cultural melting pot and various cultures have influenced a change towards their cuisine, the majority still stick to their traditional food. The hallmarks of German cuisine are big tastes and substantial meals (Szwedowski, 2019). It is rarely the healthiest option, but it fills you up. Germans eat a lot of bread, potatoes, and meat, especially sausages. They are also great admirers of sweet meals like chocolates and cakes. Germans prefer substantial meals with meat, particularly pig, beef, and poultry, in that order of preference (Szwedowski, 2019). In Germany, the ordinary individual takes up to 72 pounds of beef annually. Meat is typically pot-roasted and eaten in the form of sausages. In Germany, there are over 1500 distinct varieties of sausage. Food in traditional Germany means hearty meals.
Traditionally, Germans were limited to products made from wheat and barley and had large parcels of land that allowed them to rear livestock. As a result, meat products have been part of their tradition. A traditional German breakfast comprises brötchen (bread) or buns topped with ham, cheese, or jam (Szwedowski, 2019). Vegetable spreads are often enjoyed by Germans who are conscious of their health. Some people enjoy preferring cereals with milk as an alternative for breakfast.
Additionally, coffee is a preferred morning beverage among Germans. In Germany, lunch, or Mittagessen as they call it, is the most essential and satisfying food during the day, and it is generally served warm (Szwedowski, 2019). Lunch usually consists of a particular type of meat accompanied by potatoes and veggies, the most favorite side dish for Germans. Also, at lunchtime, others may enjoy regional delicacies like Swabian noodles or potato dumplings, which may be served as companion dishes or as the main dish (Szwedowski, 2019). Regarding dinner, Germans prefer cold bread since consuming more than one warm meal in a day is considered a luxury. Most of the time, the bread is coated with cheese or vegetables.
Predominant Health Beliefs and The Way Forward for Mr. Pfiefer
German’s viewpoints on a patient’s amount of control over his or her disease are critical (Samerski, 2019). To assist Mr. Pfiefer in lowering his cholesterol level, I would first inform him of the cause of his cholesterol levels. I will inform him that he gets cholesterol from the foods he consumes. Because he is the one who cooks the food, it will be simple to discuss which healthy foods to incorporate into the diet and which to avoid. Secondly, I would inform him that his way of life is harmful. Even though the unhealthy diet is core to his tradition, I would convince him that he needs to give up certain social traditions for his well-being. This would include limiting his daily consumption of meat and bread.
Finally, another predominant belief in Germany is that everyone is passionate about their health (Samerski, 2019). In this regard, I will ask the patient to remain physically active. This may be accomplished by performing a few indoor activities that cause his body to need more energy. Regular aerobic activity activates different muscles, providing the most effective activity for decreasing cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of exercise five to seven times each week (Samerski, 2019). Mr. Pfiefer’s cholesterol levels will be reduced by a mix of activity and a balanced diet.
Question 2: Germans are reserved, formal people who appreciate a sense of order in their lives (Purnell, 2013). Their love of music and celebrations has permanently influenced most of the world’s culture (Purnell, 2013). For instance, the Christmas tree with its brightly decorated ornaments, a universal symbol of the holiday season, is a German creation (Purnell, 2013). A few other German innovations include the following: Gingerbread houses, Christmas carols, Christmas cards, Easter hare, hot cross buns, the tooth fairy, chain letters, and gossip sessions which are many of the things I grew up loving (Purnell, 2013). Germany has the largest economy in Europe, the third-largest economy in the world, and the largest per-capita export nation (Purnell, 2013).
German Foods
A study revealed a high concentration of immigrants from Northern Europe, which included the high cancer-risk countries of Germany and Scandinavia settled in the North-central region of the United States (Purnell, 2013). They received lower educational attainment resulting in employment in laboring and semiskilled occupations which lead to consuming foods such as salted fish (once monthly), bacon, milk, cooked cereal, and apples increasing the risk factors for the foreign-born or first-generation individuals (Purnell, 2013).
Food is a symbol of celebration for Germans and is often equated with love (Purnell, 2013). Food and food rituals are powerful identification symbols for ethnic groups. The diet of immigrants is modified by the availability of food and financial status (Purnell, 2013). German Americans like to cook with high-fat ingredients like real creams, butter, gravies, sauces, fried foods, rich pastries, sausages, boiled eggs, and foods that are also fried in bacon fat, lard, or margarine (Purnell, 2013). According to the text, it sounds as if the food was an integral part of the German culture but also a significant health risk factor (Purnell, 2013). In my particular African American culture, we too like to indulge in many of the fried options including cooking with bacon fat and lard which is detrimental to our health. Cardiovascular disease and hypertension have been the silent killers in my immediate family, and I’m trying my best to not be another statistic and find healthier options for enjoying food.
Cholesterol Reduction
Finding healthier options and building healthy eating habits in the future is going to be challenging for patient H.P. Many individuals no matter what their background or culture is; their typically settled in their ways and find it hard to break lifelong traditions. My mother died from complications of dementia and healthy eating was recommended. She loved eating fried foods and egg biscuits every morning. There was no way I was breaking this habit, but she loved exercising with her bike. It truly helped with her diagnosis. I would start off by recommending non-pharmacological methods such as exercise and walking first. Then we can move towards healthier ways to modify the diet such as cooking with olive oil instead of bacon fat, baking meat instead of frying, and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into the diet as well. According to this article, physical activity and healthy nutrition are prescribed to lower cholesterol and hypertension (Dagistan, 2021)
.Question 3:
Genital ulcers are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. The most common symptoms are similar to the case study: genital pain, genital vesicles and ulcers, fever, sick feeling, and swollen lymph nodes (Cleveland clinic, n.d.). It is critical to determine the cause of the genital ulcers before prescribing medication therapy. The most common type of genital ulcer is the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV could be the possible diagnosis in the case study because of the partner’s history of fever blisters (HSV) and the possibility of oral sex. HSV is a contagious infection that causes skin or mucous membrane sores. The virus spreads through contact with the sores or fluids from the sores. It can also spread through contact with objects or surfaces that have contracted the virus.
Treatment for genital ulcers includes antiviral, antibacterial, or antifungal medications. The specific treatment will depend on the cause of the ulcer. There is no cure for HSV, but treatments are available to reduce the symptoms and shorten the duration of outbreaks (Roett, Mayor & Uduhiri, 2012). Oral antiviral medications, such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, can treat HSV genital ulcers. Antiviral treatment for HSV can help to reduce the number of outbreaks, shorten the duration of the eruption, reduce the severity of symptoms, and reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others. They work by decreasing the number of viruses available to cause an outbreak. Many different antiviral medications are available. They can be in the form of a pill or a topical cream.
Patient-reported symptoms are the most commonly used measures to assess the success of therapy in HSV infection. Some parameters need consideration to monitor the success of antiviral therapy in herpes simplex. First, tracking the number of outbreaks the patient experiences is essential. This parameter will indicate whether antiviral treatment is working to reduce the frequency of eruptions. Additionally, monitoring the severity of each outbreak is critical. If the antiviral therapy works, the patient should see a reduction in the severity of their eruptions. Finally, monitoring the duration of each outbreak is critical. If the antiviral therapy works, the patient should see a reduction in the length of their eruptions. Therefore, the frequency, severity, and duration are the main parameters for measuring the effectiveness of the treatment.
Herpes simplex can be a complicated virus to manage, but there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help. Education is a critical part of controlling herpes simplex. The patient should know she can control the infection by taking antiviral medication and practicing good hygiene. She should also avoid oral sex with her partner because of his history of cold sores. It is also crucial to practice safe sex by using condoms and avoiding sexual contact since she has active lesions. Safe sex is critical because genital ulcers increase the risk of HIV infection (Greenblatt et al., 1988). The patient should also be aware that some medications used to treat other conditions, such as blood pressure medicines, antibiotics, and HIV medications, can increase the risk of side effects from HSV antiviral medications.
Question 4:
J.R. has reported 3-day symptoms of genital pain, genital vesicles, ulcers, fever, and malaise. J.R. most likely has her first primary infection of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) since she has no history of sexually transmitted disease (STI). J.R. would have no preexisting HSV-1 or HSV-2 antibodies (Arcangelo et al., 2017). The first line of drug therapy prescribed to control genital herpes are acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir. These three drugs inhibit viral DNA replication and are highly effective. They, however, will not eradicate the latent virus, and once discontinued, they will not affect the risk, frequency, or severity of any reoccurrence. 400 mg of acyclovir would be prescribed 3 times daily for 7-10 days, or 200 mg 5 times daily for 7-10 days. Another option is famciclovir 250 mg 3 times per day daily for 7-10 days. Finally, Valacyclovir can be prescribed with a dosing of 1 g twice daily for 7-10 days. Before these medications are prescribed, the patients should be checked for any history of renal disease, as the renal system excretes these medications. Also, these medications must be prescribed cautiously for pregnant patients and contraindicated for breastfeeding patients.
The major therapeutic goals in HSV-1 therapy are to reduce the duration and symptomatology of acute primary or recurrent outbreaks, as well as to decrease the frequency of future recurrent episodes. HSV-2 had a higher detection rate in recurrent genital herpes than in first-episode genital herpes, consistent with more persistent reactivations in the genital tract for HSV-2 than for HSV-1 infection (Alareeki et al., 2023). The parameters for monitoring the success of these antiviral therapies are to decrease the time to healing, increase the number of aborted attacks, and decrease future outbreaks, by reducing the herpes virus load in all reservoir sites.
Patients with the herpes virus need to be encouraged to consult their healthcare provider for recurrent episodes as needed. The need for continued suppressive therapy should be re-evaluated annually. Follow-up testing is not indicated, except when there are unusual or recurrent signs and symptoms, or to determine susceptibility when resistance is suspected to cause therapeutic failure. As new agents make inhibition of multiple targets in the viral replication cycle possible, the potential exists to evaluate combination therapeutic strategies like those that have proven successful in managing HIV. Combination antiviral therapy for herpesvirus infections in immunosuppressed hosts is particularly appealing because it may help mitigate the need for extended therapeutic regimens and the attendant risk of developing antiviral resistance while undergoing prolonged monotherapy (Poole & James, 2018).
The diagnosis of herpes can be traumatic and overwhelming. Therefore, will require extensive counseling to help them cope with the infection, and ways to prevent its transmission. Patients’ need specific education that includes informing their sex partners of their herpes diagnosis, and that they should abstain from sexual activity when lesions or prodromal symptoms are present. People experiencing a first episode of genital herpes should be encouraged to inform their most recent partner(s) and future partners to make them aware of the risk of infection, so that partners may also consult their healthcare provider as needed for diagnosis and treatment. People with recurrent HSV should also be encouraged to inform current and future sexual partner(s).
Each patient should be taught how to manage and treat episodic recurrent herpes. This would include providing the patient with a supply of antiviral medication that can be used to initiate treatment within 1 day of lesion onset or during the prodromal period that precedes some outbreaks. These medications would need to be started immediately when symptoms begin. J.R. should be taught to encourage her sex partners to use condoms. J.R. should also be counseled about the way herpes is transmitted when they are asymptomatic.
Subject: Nursing
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