WHEN SHOULD YOU SEEK GUIDANCE FROM A DIETITIAN?
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) support groups and individuals by providing expert dietary and nutrition advice. In addition to helping individuals lose weight, dietitians can help manage health conditions (like diabetes and heart disease), improve sports performance, and work through disordered eating.
Consider seeking guidance from a dietitian in several scenarios:
When you have a new medical diagnosis
Dietitians are equipped to give Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to individuals with chronic disease. Actually, many conditions requiring MNT are covered by insurance. Call Courtney’s business support team, LWell and see if you qualify, today!
Conditions:
Diabetes
Chronic Kidney Disease
Heart Disease
Irritable Bowel Diseases/Syndromes, and more
When you need a coach for accountability and encouragement
Dietitians are not the food police. They do not scold you for your food choices. Instead, they help you make realistic, sustainable lifestyle changes that work with your current routines. Dietitians want to empower and equip you with sound nutrition advice and education, so you can lead a healthful life.
When you don’t want a quick fix
Fad diets can damage your metabolism (the amount of calories you burn at rest), and they can even increase risk of rebound weight gain after completing a diet. Diets are often unsafe and cut out whole food groups (like carbohydrates), which could leave you feeling tired, lethargic, weak, and, in some cases, severely malnourished. Dietitians can help you lose weight, while maintaining lean muscle mass and not depriving yourself from the foods and activities you love. If you are looking for a quick fix, look no further than a fad diet. If you are looking for sustainable lifestyle change, work with a dietitian!
When you want to decrease medications
A dietitian can help you decrease medications and prevent diseases by changing your diet. Hippocrates once said “Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.” The foods you choose today can affect your body positively or negatively. Seeing food as your medicine and prioritizing foods high in vitamins and minerals may help you decrease medications taken for chronic diseases.
When you want to prevent or manage chronic disease
Your diet has implications for your health. A dietitian can help you manage current chronic diseases and even prevent chronic diseases from occurring. A dietitian can help you change your diet based on science-based evidence for longevity, improved quality of life, and health promotion, even if you currently have chronic diseases.
When you want to mend your relationship with food
Dietitians are sometimes known as “food therapists” because they focus on the individual holistically, helping you become your healthiest self mentally and physically. Life happens around food, and if you don’t have a balanced relationship with food, it may be difficult to fully enjoy and be present for memorable moments (graduation, Christmas, Thanksgiving, family gatherings, birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, etc)
When you want to lose, gain or maintain weight
One of the obvious reasons to begin working with a dietitian is to lose weight. While a dietitian can absolutely help you lose weight and keep it off, dietitians can also help you gain muscle, maintain your current weight, or remedy your metabolism from chronic dieting.
When you want to gain a better understanding of nutrition
Even if you don’t have specific nutrition concerns, a dietitian can provide you with evidenced-based nutrition information that meets your specific nutrition needs. This knowledge may save you time and money later on in life from chronic diseases that present from a lifetime of not prioritizing nutrition.
“When you give a man a fish, he is fed for a day. When you teach a man to fish, he is fed for a lifetime.” Chinese Proverb
In summary
Dietitians equip individuals with the tools, resources, and education necessary to live a full, abundant life through the science of nutrition. They can serve as your confidant, cheerleader, coach, practitioner, and friend, helping you learn life-changing principles that have the potential to positively alter the way you view food. Consulting with a dietitian can help you optimize your health and wellness to help you thrive in all life’s circumstances.
Let’s work together!
Visit SERVICES to learn more about how you can work with Courtney one-on-one with insurance-accepted medical nutrition therapy or through Courtney’s 12-week self-pay program, Creating Balance!
