The Benefits of Working With a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Food is fuel for your brain. It’s the thing that keeps you going and it directly affects the function of your entire system. When you upgrade to a premium diet filled with high-quality foods pumped with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, you ward off long-term disease, decrease weight gain, lower blood pressure, and increase energy and emotional health.

And even though it seems simple, sometimes navigating the grocery aisles and nutrition labels can be overwhelming. Working with a registered dietitian nutritionist can help you sift through the information overload and devise a plan that's ideal for you.

Nutrition is more than merely counting calories, it’s a complex science that’s very specific to you. Here are a few ways working with a registered dietitian can holistically help you, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Personally tailored nutritional advice
• Help managing chronic diseases
• Guidance navigating food allergies, sensitivities, weight gain, self-image and overall nutritional understanding.

Whom to Seek Out

When seeking out a registered dietitian, remember to look for the RD (Registered dietitian) or RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) title. Registered dietitians may use either title to show they have completed their education and training established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. If the nutritionist you are thinking about does not have the RD or RDN title, ask about their credentials to ensure they have proper training.

Why It Can Help

Working with a dietitian means getting a personal nutrition plan just for you. An RD or RDN will spend a lot of time learning all about your health, your family history, your needs, and your goals before devising a plan. Then they help you set goals and stick to them with follow-up visits. Sometimes visits can involve keeping a food journal and confronting emotional eating.

The Long-term Benefits

Annual visits to the doctor are a good way to assess if you have high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes, but sometimes you need a closer look to fully understand how food could be affecting your health. An RD or RDN can assess any lab results and help create a comprehensive eating guide to keep you on track, with the potential to lead to healthier lab results each passing year.

Source:

http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/resources/learn-more-about-rdns/what-an-rdn-can-do-for-you