nutritionbitsandbobs

No fad diets. No bogus nutrition advice. Real information based on science. A reputable source of reliable nutrition tips from a university trained Registered Dietitian.

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Enough is enough! Gluten-free, high protein, low carb, Atkins, South Beach, Paleo, organic and the most recent and bizarre trend, the feeding tube diet.  WHAT?!  Knowing how to eat healthy and lose weight has become a major challenge.  Who do we listen to for sound advice?  Er..umm…your personal trainer, without a college degree in food and nutrition and a thousand hours of supervised practice is NOT the expert in healthy eating and weight loss. My apologies to all my personal trainer friends.  Sorry guys, but you don’t hear me calling myself an exercise coach.

What does it take to be a dietitian?

College classes include:

Psychology, Nutrition Biochemistry, Nutrition at the Cellular Level, Medical Nutrition Therapy, Research in Food and Nutrition, Food Science, Experimental and Functional Foods, Applied Nutrition, Nutrition in the Life Cycle, Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Food Service Management and Microbiology.

All education and training must be accredited by the Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. After an extensive supervised practice program, graduates are eligible to sit for a rigid registration exam.  Pass the exam and you receive your credentials as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist!  After that, it isn’t exactly teddy bears on bicycles holding ice cream cones with sprinkles.  Individuals holding the richly deserved and sorely under appreciated title now must maintain credentials by participating and reporting 75 hours of approved continued education every five years.  In addition, must purchase registration under the Commission on Dietetic Registration annually. To legally practice dietetics, dietitians must pay a biannual licensure fee for each state within which one intends to practice, reporting 30 hours of approved continued education to maintain that licensure.  There.  I said it, or have written it rather.  A speech I can never manage to recite when someone asks if I “just tell people what to eat”, or one who says, “oh, so you just write menus”, or “you guys make soggy sandwiches”.

So, what does a dietitian do?

I can write menus and tell someone what to eat.  But, mostly what I do in the hospital setting is help to manage diseases like high cholesterol, diverticulitis, congestive heart failure, diabetes, AIDS, and kidney disease.  I can also help with food allergies and label reading.  I advise nurses and physicians on exact needs for patients who require tube feeding or for someone who has to get all of their nutrition through an IV.  I create custom weight loss plans and translate trends from evidence based information. I analyze diets, finding excess and lack of macro and micronutrients.  Ever heard of Phenylketonuria (PKU)? Wilson’s disease?  We help with those.

Where do Registered Dietitians work?

I’ve worked in hospitals, mental health facilities, nursing homes, dialysis clinics, health departments, and as a consultant.  RDs also work in outpatient clinics, rehab facilities, for sports teams, and their own private practices.  There are marketing and corporate wellness jobs for RDs as well as teaching, research, and journalism positions.

About Me

I’m not extreme.  I don’t believe rigidity is realistic or sustainable. Most of these passing fancies don’t work.  Trendy diets are often too severe to follow and don’t produce desirable results. 

What can a registered and licensed dietitian do for you?

RDs can help with weight loss, Type I, Type II and gestational diabetes, kidney disease, cancer prevention and care through treatment, heart disease, diverticulitis, digestive problems, high cholesterol, proper nutrition for athletes, and some genetic disorders.  I’ve hardly scratched the surface.

About My Blog

The goal of this blog is to clear confusion.  Eating healthy isn’t rocket science, but between free speech and internet, the lines between fact and opinion are blurred!  Everyone wants fast results, a simple plan that’s easy and requires minimal thought.  In our fast-paced world, we impatiently tap our fingers on the counter, wondering why microwaves don’t nuke faster.  I can’t promise that avoiding one food or adding another will melt away unwanted pounds.  I will, however provide reputable education, with an attempt to eliminate useless restrictions and futile weight loss efforts.  I aim to guide readers to pick and choose what works best for them,  helping to decipher fact from fad.  Stick with me and you’ll be equipped with the knowledge it takes to make informed decisions about a healthier lifestyle.

Click here to find books written by Registered Dietitians!

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