Koen Registered Dietitians

Koen Registered Dietitians Registered Dietitian with a special interest in rehabilitation nutrition therapy.

Supporting recovery, strength and resilience through evidence-based nutrition care.

Nutrition Insight: Gut Health & “Fibre Layering”One of the nutrition trends currently gaining attention is the idea of “...
12/03/2026

Nutrition Insight: Gut Health & “Fibre Layering”

One of the nutrition trends currently gaining attention is the idea of “fibre layering.”

Rather than consuming a very high amount of fibre in one meal, dietitians are encouraging people to spread fibre intake across the day from a variety of whole foods. This approach helps support digestion, stable blood sugar levels and a healthy gut microbiome.

Instead of focusing on one “superfood,” think about building fibre gradually into your meals and snacks, for example:

🥣 Oats or whole grains at breakfast
🥗 Vegetables and legumes at lunch
🍎 Fruit or nuts as snacks
🥦 Fibre-rich vegetables with dinner

This diversity helps nourish beneficial gut bacteria and supports overall metabolic and digestive health.

Nutrition trends come and go, but the message remains the same:
✨ consistent, balanced, whole-food eating patterns matter most.

Small daily choices really do support long-term health.

— Dr Sandra Koen
Registered Dietitian

Nutrition and Brain Recovery After Traumatic Brain InjuryTraumatic brain injury places significant metabolic demands on ...
11/03/2026

Nutrition and Brain Recovery After Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury places significant metabolic demands on the body. During recovery, the brain requires adequate nutrition to support healing and cognitive function.

Early and appropriate nutrition support can play a vital role in rehabilitation outcomes.

Important nutrition considerations following TBI include:

• Adequate energy intake to support increased metabolic demands
• High-quality protein to support tissue repair
• Omega-3 fatty acids to support brain health
• Micronutrients involved in neurological function
• Careful management of swallowing difficulties or enteral feeding

Nutrition therapy forms an important component of the rehabilitation pathway, supporting recovery alongside medical and therapy teams.

Nutrition for Recovery. Strength. Resilience.

Koen Registered Dietitians

Why Nutrition Matters in RehabilitationIn rehabilitation settings, therapy often focuses on movement, mobility, and func...
10/03/2026

Why Nutrition Matters in Rehabilitation

In rehabilitation settings, therapy often focuses on movement, mobility, and functional recovery. However, nutrition is equally important in supporting the recovery process.

Adequate nutrition supports:

• Muscle rebuilding and strength
• Wound healing and tissue repair
• Energy for therapy participation
• Immune function and recovery
• Prevention of malnutrition

Patients recovering from neurological injury, surgery, or complex illness often have increased nutritional requirements, making medical nutrition therapy an important component of care.

A comprehensive rehabilitation programme integrates nutrition with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and medical care to optimise outcomes.

Nutrition for Recovery. Strength. Resilience.

Koen Registered Dietitians

Welcome to Koen Registered DietitiansKoen Registered Dietitians provides specialised medical nutrition therapy with a fo...
10/03/2026

Welcome to Koen Registered Dietitians

Koen Registered Dietitians provides specialised medical nutrition therapy with a focus on physical rehabilitation and recovery.

Nutrition plays an important role in supporting recovery, rebuilding strength and improving long-term health outcomes after illness, injury or surgery.

Our services include:

• Rehabilitation nutrition therapy
• Medical nutrition therapy
• Enteral and PEG feeding support
• Diabetes and metabolic care
• Nutrition for neurological conditions
• Patient and caregiver education

Nutrition is an important part of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, supporting recovery and resilience.

Nutrition for Recovery. Strength. Resilience.

Dr Sandra Koen
Registered Dietitian (RD SA)

📧 [email protected]

📍 Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa

Overnight Chia Pudding is a no-cook breakfast staple to add to your weekly menu! ✅We love chia seeds for their ability t...
11/12/2022

Overnight Chia Pudding is a no-cook breakfast staple to add to your weekly menu! ✅

We love chia seeds for their ability to transform just about any fluid in a mason jar into a pudding. They are a nutrient-dense, complete protein and are high in fiber and rich in omega-3 fatty acids!

Here's all you need to make overnight chia pudding:

❤️ 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
❤️ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
❤️ 2 Tbs maple syrup
❤️ 1 tsp vanilla extract
❤️ 1/4 tsp salt
❤️ 1/4 cup chia seeds
❤️ 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
❤️ 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:
1. Hull and dice strawberries the day you are serving pudding. You can slice some and press against the side of the jar as pictured here for 🤩 presentation.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Whisk in the chia seeds. Let stand for 30 minutes and stir again to ensure all chia seeds are incorporated and not sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Add to jars, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

3. The next day, top with strawberries and almonds. Drizzle with additional maple syrup if desired.

That's it! ✨

Have you ever packed a salad in a mason jar? Mason jar salads make packing lunch a cinch👌🏻 and their upright shape keeps...
05/12/2022

Have you ever packed a salad in a mason jar?

Mason jar salads make packing lunch a cinch👌🏻 and their upright shape keeps ingredients separated enough to prevent your made-ahead salad from becoming a soggy mess. 🌿

They also store beautifully and are an easy solution to organizing your lunches for the week – truly grab-and-go.

🍽️ You can make up any salad you prefer following my formula, just make sure you layer the ingredients correctly to keep your salad from becoming soggy!

I recommend that you consume your salad in a separate vessel for the best experience - simply dump mason jar ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Swipe to see one of my favorite dressings for mason jar salads.

🥜 Nuts are nutritious foods containing fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Several studies show that p...
01/12/2022

🥜 Nuts are nutritious foods containing fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

Several studies show that people who eat nuts have lower risks for heart disease and cancer. 🙌

A small study published in the journal Nutrients looked at pecans in particular.
Researchers carefully controlled the diets of several volunteers for four weeks.

They swapped out just 15% of the calories and replaced those calories with pecans (the participants continued to eat the same number of calories, fats, and carbohydrates each day, but some had pecans and others didn’t).

This simple food swap found that people who ate pecans had improvement in several markers of diabetes, including higher insulin sensitivity. ✅

What's your favorite way to enjoy pecans? 👇

You know the feeling when it’s 6:00 pm, you’re hungry and tired, and you have no idea what to eat for dinner. 😩Add to th...
29/11/2022

You know the feeling when it’s 6:00 pm, you’re hungry and tired, and you have no idea what to eat for dinner. 😩

Add to this the thoughts that you probably shouldn’t go to a restaurant, get takeout or delivery, or pop yet another packaged meal into the microwave . . . again.

And top both of those off with a dose of “but I really should have more ...[vegetables/fruit/fiber/protein] today,” and you have a perfect situation for dinner stress. 🤯

It’s easy to fall into a rut of eating the same not-so-healthy foods over and over.

As with so many things in life, having a simple plan increases your chance for success.

Whether your success is measured by saving time and money, reducing food waste, managing an ongoing health concern, reaching a health goal, or maintaining a healthy weight, meal planning can help. ✅

The easier your plan is, the more likely you are to stick with it. So, being able to enjoy meals that are simple, healthful—and delicious—is a win-win-win!🎉

👉 Swipe for three reasons to meal plan.

DID YOU KNOW: Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C and potassium...
10/04/2022

DID YOU KNOW: Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamin C and potassium, to maintain a healthy immune system. They are also an excellent source of dietary fibre, which can help to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems.

Our Planet, Our Health - Make healthy choices. Ask me how .com
07/04/2022

Our Planet, Our Health - Make healthy choices. Ask me how .com

Address

Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital, Bunting Road
Melville
2006

Telephone

+27829086814

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