i
Loading Page
loading, please wait

Filters

FILTERS

Clear All Filters

INSURANCE

Search for Insurance Plans...

RATING

NEW PATIENTS

GENDER

CONDITIONS / TREATMENTS

Search for Conditions/Treatments...

MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Search for Medical School...

PRACTICE AFFILIATIONS

Search for Practice Affiliations...

SPECIALTIES

SORT BY

Nutrition Specialist - Richmond, VA

We found 177 nutrition specialist in Richmond, VA. See refinement options below.

Sort By
  • Default
  • Patient Rating
  • Distance

Related searches

You can further refine your search:

obesity (10) , weight management (10) , education (5) , finger stick glucose test (1) , immunization (1) , diabetes (1) , lab tests (1) , medication management (1)

in Nearby Locations

Leonardtown, MD South Hill, VA Front Royal, VA Charlottesville, VA Suffolk, VA Petersburg, VA West Point, VA Ashland, VA Fredericksburg, VA Williamsburg, VA Newport News, VA Franklin, VA Culpeper, VA Colonial Heights, VA

Other Providers in Richmond, VA

Cornea Specialists Counselors Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians Family Therapists Hospice & Palliative care Music Therapists Optometrists Pediatric Physical Therapists Pediatric Transplant Hepatologists Plastic Surgeons Prosthodontists Spinal Cord Injury specialists Surgeons Surgical Oncologists Vascular Neurologists

What is Nutrition Counseling?

Food is one of the most basic resources our bodies use for growth and energy, tied intricately to our well-being. Not only can what we eat affect our health, but certain conditions can affect how well our bodies process food. Nutrition is the study of this complex interaction, and when patients seek the advice of an expert to help them manage food in their life, it is called nutrition counseling.

At the most basic level, nutrition counseling can be simply a talk with a family physician. Doctors receive training in nutrition as part of their education, and they are generally qualified to make recommendations about diet for their patients. Some doctors take a professional interest in nutrition and become experts by taking extra classes or studying nutrition in their practice. In general, however, complex nutrition guidance will be referred to a nutrition specialist, generally a dietitian.

Registered dietitians are nutrition experts that have passed specific higher education, accreditation, and internship requirements. They may work in hospitals, nursing facilities, or private practices to provide nutrition therapy and advise patients about their health and diet. Like dietitians, nutritionists also work to counsel patients about food and health. Some nutritionists have degrees in nutrition or food science, but the title 'nutritionist' is not protected by law. In the United States, anyone is allowed to call themselves a nutritionist, regardless of their education level.

Nutrition counseling can be useful for anyone who is looking to get to a healthy weight, manage a chronic illness through diet, or simply lead a healthier lifestyle. Some examples of issues that benefit from nutrition counseling include:

  • Obesity
  • Eating disorders
  • High cholesterol
  • High blood pressure
  • Food allergies
  • Kidney disease
  • Digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Participation in competitive sports

During a nutrition counseling appointment, the provider -- doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian -- typically will look over your medical history and talk to you about your current diet, your goals, what kinds of food you like, and any problems that you are currently struggling with in your health or diet. Then the specialist will help you set food goals and create a customized plan to help you meet your nutritional needs. Nutrition specialists may also offer classes, workshops, cooking demonstrations, and more. Their role is not to lecture you about what you should be eating, but to offer education and resources to make eating healthy foods easier.