Overview of Dietetics

How many times have you been browsing online and been flooded with “quick and easy” solutions to help you reach your health goals? It can be overwhelming and intimidating to navigate this seemingly unlimited nutritional information.

Let’s take it a step further; how many times have you tried these catchy fad diets, juice cleanses, and “quick fixes” on yourself? Did you find them helpful? Approachable? Sustainable? Or did it cause frustration to take the plunge and give it a shot, only to lose a few pounds and gain it all back; or not even budge the needle on the scale?

A typical person who is moderately plugged into the internet and modern technology is inundated with more than 1000 advertisements per day; and let’s be honest, some of them do seem like they could be the “perfect fix”. Anyone who self-educates themselves by reading and promoting these ads and catchy cleanses can call themselves a “Nutritionist”.

The difference between a nutritionist and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is that we have completed formal educations and extensive internships through accredited colleges/universities and received degrees in Nutrition, Food Science, and Dietetic. Dietitians are required to take a national registration exam that is recognized and accredited through the Commission on Dietetics Registration. We have studied not only food and its components, but all biochemical processes within the body, and how the foods we eat affect us. Using this formal training we are able to take an individual’s current nutritional habits into account to formulate a personalized comprehensive health plan that takes all parts of a person into account.

So before you click on that juice cleanse quick-fix, know that Registered Dietitian Nutritionists possess the knowledge and unique skill set to sift through all of the ads and fads out there while using evidence-based nutritional therapy along with a holistic approach to develop a treatment plan that fits the person. Whether it’s to shed a few pounds, address one’s relationship with eating/food, or to better manage current health conditions a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist’s goals are all focused to create a better you, mind and body.

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