If you're having trouble kickstarting healthy habits, it may be time to see a certified nutrition specialist. Here are the benefits of seeing one.

A certified nutrition specialist is well qualified to advise people on their nutritional needs. Prevention, they say, is better than cure. But people sometimes manage to wait until there is a condition to manage.

You know an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and you know you should drink 2 litres of water every day. You are slim and your nutrition tips come from your favourite celebrity. Why would you need a certified nutrition specialist? In spite of the availability of knowledge, most people still exceed recommended trans fats and sugar levels. And most beliefs you have about your nutrition are myths.

Who Needs a Certified Nutrition Specialist?

While everybody would enjoy a certified nutrition specialist, there are some who need one.

Are You Dealing with too much information? 

First, they said, drink a lot of water; then they said, a lot of water could be harmful. Conflicting information can be confusing. Research is forever ongoing,  new information gets released every day, and it’s almost impossible to keep up. A nutritionist knows what information is beneficial to you. She can sort through the myriads of studies available and determine which are valid and relevant to you.

Are You Dealing with illnesses?

Illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes need a regulated diet. There are several myths around these diseases that can make it confusing to know what to do. They say diabetes patients can't eat sugar.

This is only a myth. You need a certified nutrition specialist to point you in the right direction.

Are You Dealing with change in your body? 

Are you trying to make a diet-based change to your body? Nutritionists can help you manage your weight loss, cholesterol levels, and food allergies. They can also help you manage your diet as you get older.

Everybody

Even if nothing is seemingly wrong, you will enjoy seeing a nutritionist.

They can help you prevent diseases and establish a healthy routine. Instead of waiting until you need to see a doctor, you can see a nutritionist and potentially avoid the trip to the doctor’s office altogether.

 

 

Who Is a Certified Nutrition Specialist?

A certified nutrition specialist is an advanced nutrition professional. They promote healthy lifestyles by guiding people to make the right food choices.

They are professionals who are proficient in science-based education, research, and medical nutrition therapy.

Benefits of Seeing a Nutritionist

1. Prevention of Illnesses

Your diet is one of the most critical factors in determining the state of your health. Food can improve your immune system and prevent your body from getting sick. A certified nutrition specialist will instruct you on the right food to eat and in what quantity.

Certain fruits and vegetables such as apples, avocados, and beets are excellent for preventing sicknesses.

The apple is an excellent source of pectin. It lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and decreases the risk of colon and breast cancers.

If there are illnesses that are common in your family, your nutritionist can help guide your diet to help reduce chances of inheriting the disease.

2. Management of illnesses

You don't recover from sicknesses by swallowing pills alone. Diet during disease can be as crucial as the pills you take.

As mentioned earlier, you can manage certain sicknesses with the right diet. People living with diabetes, for example, need a lot of protein and vegetables. With the help of a nutritionist, you can find out which food is right for you. Diabetics should also stay away from sugary food. But do you know that sweet potatoes are healthy?

High blood pressure is a sickness that costs the nation about 48 billion dollars every year. Alternatively, it can be managed with a proper diet. Leafy greens, berries and red beets are examples of food that lower blood pressure.

A nutritionist will help you find more.

3. They Help You Decipher the Facts

Nutritionists are trained and thus know more than you can find out by reading labels. They can help you see the difference between dietary myths and realities. Specific food items are useful in some quantities while others should be avoided.

Certain 'health-foods' are more dangerous than you think.

A search through the internet may not provide enough information as everybody has a different health situation.

Fruits are the typical go to snack for people looking for natural foods. Unfortunately, not every fruit is healthy. A nutritionist will help you figure out which to avoid.

4. Personalize Your Nutrition and Develop Recipes

Several factors determine what your diet should be. Age, height, and weight are elements that may help identify which foods are right for you. Special needs, family history, and your current health condition will also influence your diet.

There are different dietary requirements for distinct goals that you may have. A person looking to lose weight may not have the same dietary needs as someone training for the Olympics.

It is easy to lump some food types together and go with what you know, but a professional will guide you in the right direction.

5. More Energy

You need to eat the right food in the right amount at the right time to maintain healthy energy levels. Tiredness and lethargy, including that afternoon slump, can be a sign of poor feeding habits. A nutritionist can study your feeding pattern and determine if you are eating enough of the right vitamins and minerals.

6. Motivation and Support

Besides providing information, your nutritionist can also provide motivation and support. They are responsible to you, and you are, in turn, accountable to them.

Food is personal and central to other aspects of life. Changing your diet means, in some cases, making a significant lifestyle change. It is better if you have someone you know and trust to help you through the process. Making these changes can also be emotional, and you may need a firm professional who can guide you and provide the support you need.

It's also good to have someone apart from television celebrities telling you if you're eating healthy.

7. Reduces Aging

What you eat affects your skin. Poor dieting accelerates the aging process of your skin and teeth. There are several food items you may be eating that could be changing the way you look.

Too much sugar, charred meat, and salty food all affect what happens to your skin.

A fit liver leads to healthy skin. Too much alcohol hurts your liver. Alcohol dehydrates your body and affects your sleep. A study by Case Western Reserve University found this to cause accelerated aging.

Thankfully, there are foods that act as anti-aging agents. Olive oil and fish reduce the likelihood of heart disease.

Your nutritionist can help you decide which foods you should eat or abstain from. They might just help you stay younger.

Now that You Know the Benefits of Seeing a Nutritionist

You know that "knowing" in itself isn't enough. The nutritional facts you see on labels might seem like it's for everyone, but that’s not necessarily the case. Let your nutrition specialist help you determine what is right for you.

Let Kelly Aiello show you excellent tools that will improve your health. HappiHuman.com also offers customized meal planning services that you can even test out here.

Be good to yourself this new year, starting with the food you eat. Let HappiHuman.com help you become whole food optimized and make an appointment to see your nutritionist today!