Registered Dietitians vs. Holistic Nutritionists

11:26 AM Jackie Mart 0 Comments

The term “nutritionist” is thrown around these days like a hot potato in a Kindergarten class. One person says this while another person says that, when in reality anyone can call themselves a nutritionist if they really wanted to. Is it wise to believe everything the Average Joe preaches about the topic? Absolutely not. Does he/she know what they’re talking about? Possibly. There are designations, education and guidelines created by governments that deem certain practitioners qualified professionals. Also keeping in mind that the industry keeps growing and developing new  research that one needs to keep on top of.

So you’re seeking advice about food since the last weeks worth of meals you remember have been caloric catastrophes from local restaurant chains and dive bars. The first thing you’ll most likely do after working your butt off in the gym and seeing no results, is hop on your laptop or mobile device and search for a nutritionist that can help you achieve your glorious goal of losing weight. The only problem with that is that you might find yourself caught in a vicious spider web of information from dieticians to nutritionists, The following information was gathered to help you understand the difference between a Holistic Nutritionist and a Registered Dietician so that you can easily decide what method is best for you.

Holistic Nutritionists understand that everybody is different so that there cannot be a “one-size fits all” mentality for overall wellness. They look at the person as a whole including current diet, lifestyle, health problems, as well as any emotional concerns that may be effecting a healthy lifestyle. Dieticians focus more on the USDA Food Guide, since that is where their training sprouted from, and perform a more rigid, scientific approach usually found in a hospital on patients that have already been diagnosed with health issues. Whereas a holistic approach would focus more on organic, natural, whole food diets.

When most people think of Nutritionists, they typically think of Registered Dietitians or RD’s. RD’s are more mainstream and are referred to more often by health professionals. Many of their recommendations will reflect meeting the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA’s) that you find on nutrition labels and helping patients make healthier dietary substitutions and plan their meals. Their training is best equipped to design menus at cafeterias in school and hospital/skilled nursing settings for example.

Whichever professional you choose be sure to have a consultation with them first to discuss your needs and goals and determine if they would be a good match for you!! Ask them what areas they specialize in and who they have helped in the past and what they can do for you!!

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