A nutritional consultation involves building a detailed picture of your lifestyle, eating habits, medical history and any concerns you have about your health and wellbeing.
Nutrition is a recognized branch of science that deals with food and the nutrients that can be obtained from them. Cells survive not only because of the oxygen but also due to various minerals, vitamins, and enzymes from the food that a person consumes. However, food can also be a source of many metabolic problems as they can contain additives, preservatives, and other ingredients that may be toxic or plain unhealthy for the cells.
The main purpose of nutrition consultation is to make sure that you can harness all the good nutrients to keep your body healthy. People with chronic or serious diseases can also take advantage of it as a complementary therapy.
People who want to achieve optimal health – You don’t have to be sick before you start seeing your nutritionist or dietitian. In fact, to achieve optimal health, it’s best to approach one while you’re still feeling well to fend off diseases particularly those that are life-threatening such as cancer. Nutritionists or dietitians can help you plan your meals, select the types of food that are best for your metabolic or medical history profile, and monitor your progress
Those who are already overweight or obese – Weighing way more than your ideal body weight is both an aesthetics and serious health problem. Obesity is associated with cardiovascular diseases, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, and even certain types of cancers. Nutritionists and dietitians help in safely losing excess pounds by introducing sustainable diets and closely monitoring your progress
People who have a higher risk of developing certain diseases – Some people, for example, are predisposed to type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease because their parents have been diagnosed with the same issue. The risk of developing the same medical condition can be mitigated through prompt and regular nutrition consultation
People with various medical conditions – The majority of health conditions can be improved by proper nutrition. Take note that nutrition alone may not be enough, and it may not cure an illness. However, it may be helpful in alleviating symptoms, delaying the progress of the disease, or enhancing the patient’s response to treatment
Children and other people with allergies – According to Food Allergy Research & Foundation, at least 15 million Americans have food allergy. While the symptoms can be mild, they can also become deadly due to anaphylactic shock. It may, therefore, help if the person avoids food that they are allergic to.
Nutrition counseling aims to help clients understand important information about their health and focuses on practical actions to address nutrition needs, as well as the benefits of behavior change.
The five domains of nutrition assessment outlined in the NCP include
Food or nutrition-related history
Biochemical data, medical tests, and procedures
Anthropometric measurements
Nutrition-focused physical findings
Client history
