Between what you hear on TV and read in the news, eating well can seem like a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. A registered dietitian, or RD, or registered dietitian nutritionist, or RDN, will partner with you to develop a safe and realistic eating plan that you can stick with for the long haul. To guide and motivate you, an RD or RDN will use creative and out-of-the-box strategies to help with meal planning, grocery shopping and mindful eating.

Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. But, only an RD or RDN has completed multiple layers of education and training established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. All RDs or RDNs must:

• Get a four-year degree which includes a specially designed, accredited nutrition curriculum.
• Complete an extensive supervised program of practice at a health care facility, foodservice organization or community agency.
• Pass a rigorous registration exam.
• Maintain continuing education credits throughout their career.

You Have Digestive Problems

Working closely with you and your doctor, a registered dietitian nutritionist helps fine-tune your diet. Guidance can help you make choices that do not aggravate your condition. For example, limiting fried foods, or caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

You’re Pregnant, Trying to Get Pregnant, or a New Mom

Meet with an RDN to make sure you get the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy, and after the baby comes, a registered dietitian nutritionist can help make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need for you and your little one.

Unsure what you can eat because of celiac disease, food allergies, lactose intolerance, or another condition? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what you think you can’t eat and, that can lead to a boring diet that doesn’t give your body the nutrition it needs. An RDN can teach you strategies about identifying foods to avoid and help you find substitutions to keep your diet balanced and tasty.

You Need to Gain or Lose Weight

Fad diets may sound like the quick ticket to weight gain or loss, but they rarely work for very long. An RDN can suggest calorie sources for healthy weight gain. Or, design a personalized weight loss plan, including diet changes and physical activity – while still eating all your favorite foods.

You’re Caring for an Aging Parent

An RDN can help with food or drug interactions, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension and changing taste buds as you age.

You Want Practical Lifestyle Advice

Need help sorting through the facts and fiction of nutrition headlines? Learn how to read labels at the supermarket, discover how healthy cooking can be inexpensive, learn how to dine out healthfully and how to manage temptations. When you see an RD or RDN, the last thing you’ll get is one-size-fits-all diet advice. After learning about your health history, favorite foods, eating and exercise habits, an RD or RDN will help you set goals and prioritize. Follow-up visits will focus on maintenance and monitoring your progress.

These are just a few of the reasons people seek the expert, science-based advice of a RDN.