Medical and health advice is everywhere you look, it can be difficult to know what is correct and what advice to follow. You might use WebMD to look up a few symptoms and figure out what’s going on with you, but at the end of the day, you’re better off making that doctor’s appointment to get examined by a professional. The same holds true for your nutrition advice. Striving toward health and wellness, nutrition counseling offers an opportunity to identify and change unhealthy habits to support a long-lasting healthy lifestyle. There are endless sources of information but it’s hard to discern what solutions would best suit you.
What Does a Certified Nutritionist Do?
That’s when you select a Certified Nutritionist ; a trained professional that gives you individualized recommendations to help you create a plan that supports you in the most effective way. Whether you want to lose weight, control your blood sugar, manage high cholesterol or blood pressure or address unhealthy eating behaviors, a Certified Nutritionist creates a diet plan as part of a nutrition therapy approach for your specific needs. While you could try to navigate the endless inventory of information available on Google and social media by yourself, you’ll find it far more effective to seek the support of a nutrition professional.
What is the Value of a Certified Nutritionist?
Seeking a professional can save you time and money by providing you a plan with recommendations that actually work. This saves you from trying various fads and gimmicks that promise the health outcome you desire but often fall short. With various drugs and supplements available that claim to aid weight loss, people are understandably drawn to an “easier” solution of taking a pill rather than examining their dietary and physical activity habits and making improvements. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked what supplement or product a client should purchase to help them lose weight or to “detox” their liver. My answer always is - none.
Time and time again, I see people buy into these extremely effective marketing schemes for supplements that they don’t actually need. As a Certified Nutritionist, my job is to teach you how to properly fuel your body first with balanced nutrition, hydration and lifestyle. Nutrition should be the focus of nutrition therapy.
What Should I Know Before my Appointment?
Before you meet with your Certified Nutritionist, it is helpful to have an idea of what your health goals are. Some of the more pressing reasons to schedule a consultation include elevated blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, digestive problems, irregular bowel movements, changes in appetite, constant thoughts about food and binge or overeating. Your nutritionist may ask to see some of your recent blood work, they may ask about some of your daily eating habits, cravings, how you feel after you eat certain foods and more.
It’s also important to understand that nutritionists are not magicians, and better health through nutrition takes time. It is a marathon, not a sprint! Quick and easy solutions while highly sought after are not impactful enough to result in long term transformation. Dietary and lifestyle changes require some guidance as well as accountability and support. Your nutrition plan along with guided support from your Certified Nutritionist, holding you accountable every step of the way, will get you to your health and nutrition goal.
Aida Sadeghi MS,CNS
Learn more about services FeelGoodEats Nutrition provides.
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