Before you can understand what a nutritionist is, you need to understand what he is not. Nutritionists are not dietitians. According to graduate career website, Prospects, dietitians can work with people who are ill or need to change their diet to address a medical condition, such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Nutritionists, on the other hand, work with healthy people. A nutritionist plays more of a preventive role. Nutritionists require neither a special registration nor an internship in order to work, while dietitians have to pass licensing exams similar to those who finish medical school.
Prevention and Education
One of the most important roles of a nutritionist is to educate people on how to eat properly. Since nutrition as a field is not regulated, people with a number of different degrees or certifications can call themselves "nutritionists." Because of the lack of medical training, a nutritionist can only offer general nutrition advice, not specific diet plans to treat a medical condition. Nutritionists can, however, advise people on how certain nutritional deficiencies might cause certain diseases. For example, a lack of vitamin C could cause scurvy and lack of calcium can increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Menu Suggestions
While nutritionists cannot provide menus for people with specific medical conditions, they can help their clients figure out what to eat for overall well being. Nutritionists can also help people who are trying to lose weight by teaching their clients about calories, how to choose fats and how to lower sugar consumption. A nutritionist can also help people stick to a healthier eating plan. The American Dietetic Association and the USDA have ready-to-use meal plans that a nutritionist can offer a client. After choosing an appropriate meal plan, a nutritionist can help clients understand the contents of the plan, how to use food substitutions, how to read food labels, and how to eat out without straying from the menu.
Dealing with Food and Emotions
A nutritionist can help clients understand why they're eating what they're eating and how to change emotional eating. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a nutritionist often asks clients to keep a food diary for at least three days. During the following visit, the nutritionist and the client analyze food choices and try to figure out a way to deal with stress and emotions that doesn't involve food. Since one of the main goals of a nutritionist is education, she might also provide printouts and information from accredited sources on how to eat better or make healthy substitutions. A nutritionist can also offer suggestions on what vitamins and supplements to take.
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