In the health and wellness field, there is no shortage of dietary advice, with a variety of figures offering their opinions about food and nutrition, including celebrities, social media influencers, personal trainers, lifestyle columnists, and wellness coaches. You probably think about changing your eating habits first when you’re considering getting healthier because eating healthy can support a variety of health goals, including reducing cardiovascular risk factors, improving blood sugar levels, and increasing bone density. Changing our eating behaviour is a great way to address a variety of health conditions, as well as simply feeling healthier, happier, and more energetic overall.
The big question is how to get started? It can be helpful to enlist a professional nutritionist in your quest for better health, whether you need advice about where to start, need to address a specific medical condition, or simply want to motivate yourself to keep going. The process of choosing a dietician and nutritionist can be confusing because there are so many factors to take into account but finding a nutritionist that you enjoy working with can be very rewarding.
Tips to choose a dietician or nutritionist:
Decide why you are hiring one:
A dietitian can help you with a variety of health problems, such as weight loss, health management, or managing medical conditions. Have you experienced food sensitivities or allergies? Are you looking for a way to improve your gut health? Are you interested in addressing the underlying causes of emotional eating or binge eating? While dietitians are capable of helping with a wide range of issues, some specialize in certain areas that might better suit your goals
Do a background check:
Why would you seek nutritional guidance from a personal trainer or social media influencer when you wouldn’t seek plumbing assistance? Since anyone can claim to be an expert these days, it’s more crucial than ever that you consult with health professionals who are fully certified and accredited. Make sure that the dietician you are hiring has a professional degree from a reputed institution & has accreditation from a renowned authority or body. This will help in making sure that they are legit and knowledgeable.
Keep a check on how willing they are to help you:
Diet and wellness industry elements are notorious for preying on vulnerable individuals with products like protein shakes, nutritional bars, or supplements. To choose the best dietitian, you should consider their business model. If they sell a lot of products at high prices, you might want to take a step behind. The focus of a professional dietitian is on whole foods, menu plans, challenges that arise, and addressing cravings.
Be clear with the difference between a dietician & a nutritionist:
Nutritionists are tertiary certified professionals who provide a range of health-related services, such as nutrition, public health, policy analysis, and community consultation. These services can also be delivered by dietitians, but their expertise and training extend to medical conditions as well. In addition to their studies, they have received supervision and assessment related to clinical nutrition, medical nutrition, and food service management.
Before choosing the best nutritionist, keep all the above factors in mind & make a sound decision.
