Are you looking to add a nutrition expert to your treatment team? If you're looking to gain more insight into the science of nutrition, working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) could be a great idea!
Who's an RDN?
You may have heard the following titles tossed around: RDN, dietitian, nutritionist, health coach, certified nutritionist, wellness expert, etc. With all of these terms and not enough title regulation, it can be very challenging to understand if you're working with the right provider.
According to The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is a provider who has a minimum of a bachelor's degree in nutrition science, completed a year-long ACEND-accredited supervised internship program, passed the national board exam administered by CDR, and completed continuing professional education requirements to maintain registration.
An RDN is able to provide medical nutrition therapy to clients for the purpose of reaching optimal health and wellness. An RDN is a nutritionist, but a nutritionist is not automatically an RDN. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist or nutrition expert without education or experience in the field, therefore it's important to ensure that you're working with a qualified provider.
How Can an RDN Help?
From customized meal plans to education around nutrition science, and nutrition therapy for medical concerns, an RDN can assist in several ways. It's important to find a provider that specializes in the area of treatment you're in need of.
For example, our in-house dietitian Eden Davis, specializes in the treatment of Eating Disorders, PCOS, and gut health here in Maryland, DC, Virginia, New Jersey, and California. She would be an ideal fit for somebody looking to work with an RDN towards recovery from an Eating Disorder or managing PCOS in the outpatient setting.
Dietitians specialize in various areas including kidney disease, infertility, sports nutrition, COPD, cancer treatment, diabetes management, GI distress, and more.
Finding an RDN
When looking to work with a dietitian, it's important to see if they'd be an ideal fit for your current needs. We encourage you to look into their website, areas of specialty and interest, experience, and reach out for a call.
An RDN may offer a complimentary consultation call which is a time to connect, ask any questions or address concerns, and see what their treatment modality looks like. Eden offers these to alleviate stress and fear around getting started with a dietitian for nutrition therapy.
If you have further questions or are looking to connect with an RDN in Maryland, DC, Virginia, New Jersey, or California, feel free to send us a message. Our dietitian Eden Davis would love to connect with you!
With Pearls of Wisdom,
