I like it when people who don't know anything about health in general begin giving you advice about fitness, and in particular, nutrition. And one part of you just wants them to shut up but you have to be polite.
In between the calorie-counting and the endless rants about how good this food is as opposed to that one, the ideology of living a bit tends to get lost. Yet there's no doubt that one must at least adhere to the basics…
At another level altogether though, the Chinese don't break their heads with a diet because… they pretty much eat everything! And they're the healthier for it…
However, since most of us still consider Chinese food to be so (and not just "food"), and would like to take expert opinion from certified professional as opposed to "quacks" (even if they're good ones!), then it's time to give thought to finding a nutritionist/ dietitian who will help you with your daily needs, especially if you feel that you are not eating well and it is not working out for your health.
But then one might wonder what the role of a dietitian is all about, and that is what we will look at next.
Dietitian Vs. Nutritionist – Which one is better?
While most people might consider these two roles to be the same, the truth is that they're not. And before you give thought in consulting one of these folks, you'll come across both types of medical professionals that bear these titles to their name, and which can stop to think if there is a difference at all, apart from the title.
The difference between the two is the fact that while both work in the field of health and medicine, a dietitian has specialized in nutrition while a nutritionist normally has not.
What nutritionists can do is provide one with information about their diet, in a general sense, while the dietitian can really go into specifics when the need arises for his or her patients.
Another difference between the two is the fact that with a dietitian, you will have to take up a registered dietitian course in order to be called one while to call oneself a nutritionist does not require that.
However, this difference between the two is not necessarily consistent in the United States as some dietitians continue to call themselves nutritionists even though they have the qualification of a Registered Dietitian.
So in understanding the differences between the two, and keeping your needs in mind, one can either choose to find a nutritionist or a dietitian.
Finding a Nutritionist Online
Now, if you are sure about meeting a nutritionist, there are two ways that this can be done, either online or face-to-face. While there's a danger of not getting things right with the former, it is always recommended to have a face-to-face meeting instead.
Here are some associations that can assist you with this:
1. American College of Advancement in Medicine (ACAM)
2. Well-Mind Association of Greater Washington (WMAGW)
3. Dr. Whitaker's Directory of Nutrition-Oriented Physicians
4. Life Extension Foundation (LEF)
In Closing
And trust me, no matter how hard you exercise, if you don't get your diet right… there's no point in a regular work out either!
