The incidence of non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac diseases, liver and kidney disorders etc has significantly increased in our country. Therefore, it is becoming extremely important to lead a healthy and physically active lifestyle, which requires diet modification and counselling. Various chronic disorders also require specialised medical nutrition therapy along with psychological counselling. These should be scientifically proven and done by a well qualified person.
A dietitian is an expert in the human diet and nutrition, making modifications based on the patient’s conditions, needs, medical requirements and other factors. A well qualified dietitian holds at least one degree in nutrition, along with a hospital training experience.
The Indian Dietetic Association is an authority which conducts exams for dietitians to qualify as a Registered Dietitian. Here are 15 reasons why you should always consult a Registered Dietitian for all your nutritional needs:
- A Registered Dietitian is a one who is a post graduate in nutrition, with a 6 months specialised internship in a hospital setup and cleared the RD examination. Thus, an RD is a highly qualified, well trained and true authority in the field of nutrition.
- He/She will take all factors into consideration, like your height, weight, medical condition, feasibility of the plan, preferences etc, while suggesting diet modifications.
- He/She will give you guidance regarding various components of a healthy lifestyle like diet, exercise, behaviour modification etc.
- The modifications suggested will be such that it can be followed for long term.
- All the suggestions made will be based on scientific evidence and which will be sustainable.
- Registered dietitians have the knowledge about the human physiology, relationship of food and various organs and also of the various ailments. Thus, she will be able to guide you about the correct diet to be followed depending on your ailment.
- He/She will guide you about various drug-nutrient interactions-which are basically interactions in the body between your medicine and the food you eat. She will guide you about which combinations are good and which need to be avoided.
- An RD will give guidance for appropriate nutrition for all stages of life-right from infancy to old age.
- He/She also has training in patient counselling, thus, can guide in any kind of eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia.
- In case you are planning to get pregnant, or already are, an RD will guide you about the required nutrients and how much extra needs to be consumed.
- Apart from normal diets, a Registered Dietitian is trained to plan modified diets such as salt restricted diet, low residue diet, RT feeds, etc.
- Inborn errors of metabolism such as phenylketonuria, galactosemia, urea cycle defects, etc require highly specialised and personalised diets, which can be provided by an RD.
- An RD can help in the dietary management of various autoimmune disorders like celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
- Life threatening conditions such as cancer, AIDS, etc require articulate planning of nutrients and should be done by a specialised person, like a Registered Dietitian.
- An RD can also counsel for the nutrient requirements of a sports person, such as an athlete, swimmer, racquet sports player, etc.
As the influence of social media has increased, it has become extremely common for anyone to give dietary advice. A quick search on the internet opens up a large number of sites which easily have all the information. But, these are all generalised. Any kind of modification should be done with the help of an expert. Diet and lifestyle modifications are no exceptions. Quality advice in these aspects will empower you with taking right decisions about your health and body, which will have long lasting implications. Thus, it is always recommended to consult a Registered Dietitian and not blindly trust unsolicited advice.
Siddhi Takalkar-founder of Nutriworks is a diet consultant in Pune. She is a Registered Dietitian with Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. With a vast experience in a variety of hospitals, she is the best Dietitian and Nutritionist in Pune for all your Nutritional needs.
Contact us for consultations- +91 9657711305