Whether you want to improve your fitness levels or you are recovering from some injury, Dietitian is a professional who can successfully assist you to meet this objective.
Generally, an individual can get confused between choosing a nutritionist or a dietitian. People use these two terms
Dietitians are the expert on food and nutrition. They study all about diet, nutritional values of food and about how to regulate and design a diet as per a human and patient’s health requirements.
Before we delve into more details about a dietitian, their types and jobs; let’s first clarify a common misconception between dietitians and nutritionists.
Difference between a Dietitian and Nutritionist
Many people might think a dietitian and a nutritionist are similar professions but they are, in reality, quite different. Here’s how:
Dietitian:
A dietitian’s main job is related to the diet and its effect on your health. They help you figure out what to eat depending on your medical condition such as diabetes, obesity, anorexia etc.
R.D.N or Registered Dietitian Nutritionists is a certificate that an individual can obtain if:
– They have a bachelor’s degree with relevant coursework, as approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,
– Internship in a healthcare facility, community agency or food-service organization,
– Acceptable performance on the registration exam
Apart from this, the dietitian is also required to maintain the professional education requirement each year to retain their certification.
Dietitians are recognized with the letters RD (registered dietitian) or RDN (Registered dietitian nutritionist) following their names.
Dietitian
Nutritionist:
Any person who gives general advice about food and nutrition can call themselves nutritionists, even without any professional training. A nutritionist is a person you go to if you want to eat healthily and you do not have any medical condition that requires you to monitor your diet.
A nutritionist, after passing a certain examination, can become a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS).
So in short, a dietitian is someone who can give you medical diagnosis regarding your medical condition or eating disorders, and design a diet as per that diagnosis. They are well versed and professionally trained to treat a multitude of conditions such as diabetes, obesity, malnutrition, renal diseases etc.
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In Practical Life, You May Come Across Dietitians in the Following Fields:
Clinical Dietitians
Clinical dietitians are most commonly working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. They design specific diets tailored as per the patient’s requirement, keeping their medical history in mind.
Consultant Dietitians
Consultant dietitians practice privately and provide consultancy to corporations, individuals who want to achieve health and recovery goals, athletes and sports teams etc.
Community Dietitians
Community dietitians design nutrition programs to prevent various diseases and promotesthe wellbeing of a community.These professionals target a particular group of people only. Community Dietitians practice area involves fitness centers, health clinics, and corporate wellness programs etc.
Management Dietitians
Management dietitians offer their services where large scale food planning and preparations are required, such as school lunches, restaurants, company cafeterias, and prisons etc. They ensure quality control and may audit to see that all food safety standards are being met.
Dietitian – Measures your Diet
Why Should You Consult a Dietitian?
There might come a point in your life when you want to fix your health problems through changes in your diet, and that is when you should consult a dietician. These can be:
• If you are nutritionally deficient
• If you want to live a healthy life
• If you want to lose weight
• If you have any digestive issues
• If you are allergic/intolerant to certain foods
• If you want to enhance your athletic/fitness performance
• If you have been diagnosed with any medical complications
• If you have any eating disorders
A one-on-one consultation with a dietician can be the best way for you to achieve better health and a better lifestyle. The dietician will suggest the best diet plan and an optimum prescription for you, as per your medical history, to help you in achieving your health goals.
Conclusion
They say you are what you eat. It goes without saying that what we eat plays a huge role, not only on our health but also on our mind and mood.
Food is science and not everyone is capable of understanding this science or tweaking it as per our body’s requirement. This is where the role of dietitian comes into play.
If you want a diet specifically designed for your body, keeping in mind its medical condition and requirements, then a dietitian is the person you should definitely give a visit.
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