1.      What is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist…Is there a difference?

A registered dietitian (RD) is an expert in the field of food and nutrition and is held to highest professional standards of practice and performance. An RD is credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) under the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and assures lifelong competence of a registered dietitian. A registered dietitian uses evidenced based nutrition information to provide clientele with sound nutrition recommendations that are based on facts and not fads. By seeking nutrition information from an RD, you can be assured that the information you are receiving is derived from the most current evidenced based research. Another benefit of meeting with a registered dietitian is that they are allowed to practice medical nutrition therapy for those individuals who require a higher level of nutrition care due to a medical diagnosis (i.e. diabetes, high cholesterol, celiac, IBD, etc.). A registered dietitian is able to communicate with your doctor to ensure that you are receiving the most comprehensive care possible. With the increasing amount of misinformation being presented in the media, seeking out nutrition information from an RD is even more pertinent.

RD Requirements

Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, however, only someone who has completed the following requirements is allowed to call themselves a registered dietitian or RD.

• Obtained a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in which they have completed dietetic specific coursework
• Completed, at minimum, 1200 hours of supervised practice from an accredited dietetic internship
• Passed the Registration Examination for Dietitians
• Complete, at minimum, 75 continuing education units over a 5 year period in order to maintain their RD status (Arden Hills requires all RD’s/Nutritionists complete 150 CPU’s over a 5 year period.)

 2.      Who can benefit from nutrition services?

Anyone looking to learn more about nutrition and its impact on health and physical fitness can benefit from meeting with a registered dietitian. An RD can provide you with information on a wide variety of topics. Some of these include:

• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular Disease
• High Blood Pressure
• Gastrointestinal Disorders – (IBS, Chrons Disease, Celiac, etc.)
• Pregnancy Nutrition
• Renal Disease
• Eating Disorders
• Sports Nutrition – Pre-, During, and Post-Competition (recovery) nutrition
• Strength/Muscle Gain
• Weight/Fat Loss
• Bariatric Nutrition

 3.      What is nutrition periodization and how does it apply to me?

Nutrition periodization alters the timing, amounts, and types of food eaten based on a person’s training load, athletic performance, and/or physical fitness goals. It takes into consideration the different training demands that are placed on an individual during pre-season, competition, post-season, and off-season. This method of devising a nutrition program to match the athlete’s training load will help the athlete be better prepared for the demands of his/her sport while optimizing performance and body composition. While this usually applies to people who are involved in a highly competitive sport, anyone with an intense training schedule or fitness goal can benefit from nutrition periodization.

4.      What can I expect when I make an appointment with you?

When you meet with a registered dietitian at Arden Hills, you can expect to meet a professionally trained and knowledgeable individual who will provide you with credible nutrition information based on the most current research. You will receive an individualized nutrition program that will support you in achieving your nutrition, health, and/or fitness goals. You can expect the dietitian and your personal trainer to communicate with one another to ensure the best program has been designed with your goals in mind. There are many factors that contribute to your overall health so if the dietitian feels that your needs are outside of his/her scope of practice, he/she will make the necessary professional referral who can better assist you in achieving your goals.

5.      If I have a medical diagnosis such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, can you help me?

Yes! A registered dietitian is a trained professional in the area of medical nutrition therapy (MNT). A variety of nutrition intervention strategies can be implemented to help resolve nutrition problems which have occurred as a result of a medical diagnosis.

 6.   For how long does someone usually see a Registered Dietitian?

The length of time one sees an RD varies from person to person. While some people require lifelong nutrition counseling , others simply want general nutrition questions answered from a trusted source and will likely only require 1-2 visits and occasional follow-up appointments to address future nutrition concerns. Some people find working with an RD helps them stay on track and see better long term success. However, this varies from person to person.

For any other questions, you can email Jackie!