Often times our busy lives don’t allow us to fully focus on what we’re consuming. Maybe what we’re eating isn’t what our body needs, maybe in order to function at our body’s optimum capacity, we need compositions of food that are not known to us.
A healthy diet in today’s age of fast food is not an easy thing to accomplish when you don’t have the tools necessary to identify food groups. If you feel stuck in any of these circumstances, maybe it’s time you visit a nutritionist.
Now you might be wondering, why would I go to someone just so they can tell me what to eat? This is because a nutritionist is a scientist in the art of nutrition.
They use science and data based approaches to help their clients counter any diet related problems.
They are health professionals that are qualified to prescribe food plans, patterns of healthy eating and guidance to lead an overall healthy lifestyle by way of education in the nutrition fundamentals.
The style of nutritionist may vary according to their background in the field.
The difference between a nutritionist and you is that a nutrition has the academic background necessary to offer you health advice and create personalized dietary plans that are backed by scientific evidence.
However, keep in mind here that nutritionists are only nutrition and health experts, and not trained medical professionals that can diagnose, treat or manage medical conditions.
With that being said, nutritionists do often work with people that have pre-existing medical or physical conditions. They are not however completely responsible for managing that condition.
When to see a nutritionist
There are no set rules to follow when looking for a nutritionist. You might have a specific reason for booking an appointment, or you might not have a reason at all and are just looking to know more about nutrition that’s fit for your body type.
But if you are waiting for a particular sign, we have listed down a few for you.
1. Weight management
You are looking to make changes to your weight. If you have been on a weight loss plateau and it just won’t budge no matter what you do, maybe it’s time you seek professional help.
A nutritionist can help you determine your bodily composition as well as hormone levels, family history and other genetic factors, and suggest meal plans keeping your specific macro requirements in mind.
2. Abnormal nutrient levels
Glucose, iron and cholesterol are all blood components that need to be monitored. If you struggle with any of these levels, a nutritionist will help you assess your dietary intake to adjust for any irregularities in the blood levels.
They will then suggest an alternate diet plan that will reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or even autoimmune conditions.
3. Digestive problems
You may be having digestive issues such a irritable bowel syndrome. This can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms for you such as constipation, diarrhea or bloating.
In any case, a nutritionist will help you discover the root cause of your problem and suggest a meal plan that will help you avoid this condition.
4. Mental health disorders:
Whether its anxiety levels inducing ADHD or physical conditions like autism, your mental health is linked to the foods you eat. Because when you have the energy to deal with your mental illness, recovery becomes easier.
A nutritionist might help you determine what foods increase your anxiety levels and can develop plans that help you tackle this issue.
5. Eating Disorders
When it comes to nutrition, one of the biggest ailments that people face are eating disorders. Be it anorexia Nervosa or bulimia, a person can feel lost and overwhelmed after diagnosis.
At such a time, insight from a nutritionist can be both reassuring as well as equally essential during the process of recovery towards developing a healthy relationship with food once again.
6. Meal Planning:
In the modern day, you will see many diets going around such as Paleo, keto, vegan, FODMAP you name it.
And it’s quite easy to lose track and give into these diets. And while it may look like it, not every diet is in your best interest.
Here, a nutritionist can help you determine which diet will suit you best and result in the quickest results based on scientific principles and not just internet talk.
7. Fertility/pregnancy Issues
Proper nutrition during pregnancy is as important as it goes. And a nutritionist can be helpful in optimizing your health both during and after pregnancy.
They can provide guidance coupled with nourishing meal plans saving you time and energy to figure that out for yourself.
8. Sports
If you’re an athlete looking to boost performance or come back into shape, a nutritionist is in your best interest.
Whether it’s cutting or bulking, you need a proper diet plan that will help you maintain your metabolism as you progress.
These diets will take into account your macronutrients, your caloric deficits or surpluses and other variables essential to maintain a sustainable routine.
Seeing a nutritionist while pregnant
Now this is a field we’d like to elaborate further on. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has recommended four components as being key for a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. These are namely:
• Specific amount of weight gain
• Balanced nutrition
• Regular exercise
• Vitamin and mineral supplementation
Although these factors may look simple enough, the can be difficult to keep up with during pregnancy. And can mean the difference between life and death.
With the help of a nutritionist, many complications during and after pregnancy can be averted. Such as the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes later in the baby’s life.
Apart from this, there are 3 main reasons one should visit a nutritionist during pregnancy:
1. Avoid Over or Under Eating
During pregnancy, a woman needs increased amounts of nutrition because she is eating for two. This is an integral process in every pregnancy because what and how much you’re easting ultimately shapes the health of your baby.
A nutritionist here, will tell you how much you should be eating and what foods you should be eating to nourish your body.
The right energy levels are crucial to maintain during pregnancy and these levels can only be sufficiently measured by a health professional.
A nutritionist may use multiple science baked methods to figure out what is right for you based on your daily caloric intake in a way that avoids under or over eating.
This will thus reduce the risks associated with overeating such as weight gain, heartburn, and discomfort and those associated with under eating such as low birth weight, and the risk for infant mortality.
2. Ensure healthy Pregnancy Outcomes
Another reason that makes consulting nutritionists essential during pregnancy is that they can help you form a diet that built around key nutrients required for a healthy pregnancy.
These can be in the form of macronutrients such as protein, fats and carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as folic acid, calcium, and iron needed for your body to support the healthy growth of the baby.
Such a nutritional plan can reduce the risk of pregnancy conditions such as spina bifida, essentially characterized by spinal deformities.
In the same manner, a nutritionist can exclude certain foods in your diet that put your baby’s health at risk such as raw fish, soft cheese, and alcohol, reducing the risks associated with these like infections.
3. Avoid putting on Extra Weight
Due to the increased levels of nourishment through food, it is quite easy for women to put on weight that is often hard to shed postpartum due to the decrease in metabolism. Therefore, a nutritionist can help you set your weight goals during pregnancy.
The rate of weight gain is tracked at each stage of the pregnancy and modifications are made as necessary along the way.
This is essential because excess weight gain can create problems later on during the pregnancy. This can be in the form of complications such as diabetes or childbirth complications.
To get in touch with a nutritionist, simply go online and search Best Nutritionist for Pregnancy and book an appointment with a nutritionist near you.
Why a nutritionist is important
Ultimately the role of a nutritionist role is to empower their clients, providing them with the necessary tools to make better lifestyle decisions.
This empowerment is rooted mostly in enabling clients to become conscious regarding food in a sustainable way.
In doing so, they can set future goals for themselves and impart the knowledge they have gained in the process to others that are also looking to make the same healthy decisions regarding nutrition.
This way, nutritionists shape the overall health factors in a society, increase activity levels and enable people as a whole to lead better lives equipped with the energy they need to contribute to a better world.
Is a nutritionist worth it?
A nutritionist is definitely worth the investment and might be just the change you need.
You should consult a nutritionist because they can encourage healthier eating habits that will stay with you throughout your life.
In addition, they can also aid you in weight gain/loss journeys that are sustainable in the long run with the help of supplement prescription.
Furthermore, a nutritionist can implement behavioral-change modifications in relation to your eating habits in order to establish an all-round healthy relationship with food and suggest ways in which to improve your lifestyle and manage everyday stress levels.
How to get in touch with a nutritionist?
To get yourself an appointment with a professional, go online and search for the Best Nutritionist in Lahore. Alternately you can also search for the Best Nutritionist in Lahore. From here, you can get in touch with the numbers provided.
If Lahore is your domain, you may visit my website and get in touch with me. I am skilled in the art of nutrition and am a legally registered dietitian having a sizable amount of professional training under my belt, offering nutritional advice on a range of subjects.
A consultation session with me can run from anywhere between an hour and an hour and a half. During this time, I will accurately assess your individual nutritional needs based on your health, family history, and lifestyle.
This will enable me to form detailed nutritional plans for you and make your life easier.