Consultation of a licensed nutritionist, who needs to be?

Most people think that consulting a nutritionist is only necessary when you want to diet to lose weight. But there are many other reasons to schedule an appointment with a nutritionist.

Before that, find out what is the difference between a nutritionist (nutritionist) and a licensed dietitian (RD / registered dietitian). Knowing the difference between the two can really help you get a more effective and targeted treatment according to the particular problem you have.

What's the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

A nutritionist (nutritionist) is not the same as a licensed dietitian (RD / registered dietitian), although they are equally eligible to provide information on nutrition and health issues, as well as dietary and healthy diet recommendations.

Anyone can call himself a "nutritionist" after gaining knowledge by completing a bachelor's study program at a college or self-taught by completing short non-formal courses or reading a lot of books on nutrition.

On the other hand, a licensed dietitian is a nutritionist who has received a formal RD (Registered Dietitian) degree after going through an equivalent certification which consists of additional training for several years, a minimum of 5 years work experience at different health institutions, and passing a certification exam.

Registered dietitians are protected by the force of law and a professional code of ethics to ensure they perform to the highest standards. This makes them the only health professionals who can prescribe specific diets, diagnose, prevent and treat dietary and nutritional problems at the individual level as well as broader public health issues. Ordinary nutritionists are not protected by law so they can be involved in the formal diagnosis and treatment of any disease related to nutrition and nutrition.

You may need to consult a certified nutritionist (RD / dietitian), if …

Everyone can consult a licensed nutritionist or dietitian to help plan the best eating patterns and menus for a successful weight loss diet and ensuring a healthy life.

Apart from that, especially for some of the groups of people below, consulting a nutritionist can improve their overall quality of life.

1. Have a chronic disease

Consultation with a registered dietitian (RD) is a good adjunct therapy when you have chronic illnesses such as tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney problems, hypertension, chronic indigestion, chronic fatigue syndrome, mental health problems (depression or chronic stress, for example). ), and others.

The body's calorie needs automatically increase when you have a chronic disease because the body's metabolism is forced to work faster to fight the disease. This process requires a lot of calories. But most of the time, these additional needs are not met. Either because of the wrong diet or symptoms of the disease which reduce appetite and / or cause malabsorption.

RD will work closely with your team of doctors to help design a good meal plan without interrupting the course of major medications.

2. With special needs

A registered dietitian can help formulate a healthy diet for people who have eating disorders (eg bulimia, anorexia, binge eating, food addiction) or who need a special diet as part of medical care, for example in people with autism, cancer patients , people with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA), athletes who have recently recovered from injuries and want to return to competing, and children who have growth problems.

A registered dietitian consultation is also required if you are planning to undergo or are recovering from gastric bypass surgery. Because your stomach can only accommodate small portions of food, so getting adequate nutrition can be difficult. Your RD will work with your team of doctors to design a new diet for you going forward.

They can advise you on the safety and effectiveness of "alternative therapies" that you would like to try, such as an intermittent diet or a gluten-free diet to maintain your optimal nutritional status.

3. Women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or who are breastfeeding

A nutritionist consultation can help ensure that you are getting enough folic acid and other essential nutrients throughout pregnancy to prevent the risk of pregnancy complications and birth defects in your child.

In addition, they can ensure that your need for iron, vitamin D, fluoride, and vitamin B is fulfilled during the breastfeeding period to ensure the development process of your little one.

4. You have certain food allergies or intolerances

If you have digestive problems, often it can be due to an allergy or gluten sensitivity due to Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, or other types of irritation caused by the food you eat.

RD can help you determine if your symptoms are really caused by a specific food intolerance or allergy, or something else that is not related to your diet. They can also make a referral for you to consult a specific specialist regarding the treatment of these symptoms, while guiding you to the correct diet according to your condition.

5. Elderly or elderly nurses

Entering old age, most people will begin to experience reducing their food portions. This can be caused by various things, from decreased function of the sense of smell and taste, cognitive function of the brain, and function of the digestive tract which causes decreased appetite. The elderly also generally experience inflammation in the part of the brain that responds to the hunger hormone ghremlin. As a result, the elderly eat less often because they do not have an appetite, so that it is easier to lose weight, and may even experience anorexia.

A registered dietitian (RD) consultation can help both seniors and caregivers understand food or drug interactions, proper fluid fulfillment, and design a special diet that adapts to changing tastes as you age.

The tip, look for the title "registered nutritionist" or the initials RD. in front of the name of such a nutritionist to ensure you are accessing a professional who can provide you with trusted nutritional information and advice.