For nearly all clients, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables is a great start to improving their health. However, many perceive the cost of healthful foods as a barrier to following a nutritious dietary pattern. While some healthful foods are expensive, clients can find affordable options that may be less costly than eating convenience foods […]
Health disparities in low-socioeconomic communities continue to be a pervasive problem. Low-socioeconomic communities often lack access to healthful, nutrient-dense foods and culturally relevant, high-quality nutrition education, leading to disproportionate chronic disease rates and low self-efficacy to make healthful choices. When high-quality, healthful foods are sold in these communities, they’re often far more expensive than in […]
I get questions all the time from my patients about the glycemic index (GI), especially from those working with me to achieve weight loss and manage their diabetes. This tool has been around for more than 40 years and remains controversial. I don’t believe it’s useful for helping my patients plan meals that meet their […]
In mid-March, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, consumer shopping and eating habits have changed. New tracking data from IRi Worldwide show a shift in shopping habits in the United States from the perimeter of the supermarket to the center aisles. Consumers are now purchasing more frozen foods (an increase […]
If you’ve been a dietitian for any length of time, you’re familiar with the concept of meal preparation. With so many clients looking to get healthful meals on the table quickly and easily, it can seem as though meal prep and being a dietitian go hand in hand. This is true now more than ever. […]
As many RDs know, the Nutrition Facts label is getting a makeover. In 2016, the FDA published its final rule about a new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods. Changes to the panel include a larger font size for calories and serving sizes, a new category for added sugars, and updated daily recommendations for fiber and sodium. […]
Affordability and convenience rank high on consumers’ lists of ideal qualities when choosing foods. Yet sometimes, well-meaning health professionals, including RDs, inadvertently steer shoppers away from nutrient-dense foods that check the boxes of both affordability and convenience. Encouraging people to eat fresh, whole foods, and avoid processed and white foods may have negative effects. I […]
Your client comes to you excited to share their weight loss success from a cleansing diet— the Master Cleanse (aka the Lemonade Diet). Seasoned RDs probably already have talking points on speed dial regarding detox and cleansing diets, but new RDs may feel uncomfortable about relating the facts. While acknowledging a client’s success and commitment […]
I moved to Pittsburgh after my internship, and one of my first patients told me he ate a “jumbo sandwich” for lunch every day. Naively, I said, “OK, but what do you put on that sandwich?” I thought he meant he ate a really large sandwich! He quickly conveyed to me that “jumbo” was bologna, […]
When I first became a dietitian, I had a glamorous idea of what providing nutrition education and counseling might look like. I envisioned working with patients who were motivated, ready to change, and interested in everything I had to say. Fast-forward to today, and I now know this was an unrealistic outlook. No matter what […]
With the start of a new year brings social pressures and expectations for clients to cut X, Y, and Z out of their lives and adapt a whole slew of new eating patterns and behaviors. While there may be good intentions behind these goals, they’re often unrealistic and can set our clients up for disappointment. […]
You can tell it’s going to be a rough session when a new patient sits down with their arms crossed and tells you the only reason they came is “because my doctor told me to.” As a diabetes educator and outpatient dietitian, I’ve seen quite a few patients who are angry about having to see […]
