10 Interesting Facts About Dietitians
Nutrition is the foundation of our health. No matter what other healthy choices a person makes, unless they have healthy eating habits, they likely won’t be able to reach their goals and live with true wellness. THIS is why Registered Dietitians are such an essential part of our society. However, not everyone is aware of how important your role as an RD is to the world! So, today, I’m sharing some interesting facts about RDs that will hopefully encourage you and empower you on your next step in your journey as an RD.
Here are some interesting facts about RDs that will remind you of your incredible talent and role:
10 Interesting Facts About Dietitians
Because the field does not pay well, or promise anything fancy, the field is truly made up of selfless, compassionate, and passionate humans looking to change lives.
There’s no sense in sugar coating it! Being a Registered Dietitian isn’t a shortcut to millionaire status or instant fame. People don’t go into this career for flashy, selfish reasons. A Registered Dietitian is someone who TRULY has a passion for changing lives and will continually challenge themselves to be better at their jobs to help more people. From college programs to dietetic internships to accepting their first clients, Registered Dietitians are focused on one thing . . . PEOPLE!
We REALLY LOVE food! Oftentimes, people think we don't like food or we want to keep people from eating food. When the reality is we love food We study it for 6-8+ years!
Truly, we want people to enjoy the experience of food as much as us. The last thing we want to do is take food away from people or judge what another person is eating. It's the opposite! We will empower clients to make better food choices, yes, but also we’ll help them maintain the love of food while experiencing full body change through their healthier habits. They won’t hear any toxic diet culture buzz words from their Registered Dietitian!
We learn about every disease state as it relates to nutrition. Think about that? Pretty incredible.
Registered Dietitians are well educated in nutrition, but this doesn’t mean we just know a lot about food! This means we have a deep understanding of how food affects the body and various medical conditions. Yes, even though there are thousands of diseases out there, the right Registered Dietitian will know exactly how changes in their client’s diet can impact their condition and relieve their symptoms by uniting with other healthcare professionals and employing medical nutritional therapy!
Our field is rooted in home economics and it has overtime evolved into the scientific medical profession that it is today. BUT, there are still some home ec roots that are present in the field today.
Isn’t this incredible? Originally, dietetics was pretty basic, and it focused more on meal planning, food preparation, and foundational nutrition habits. What’s cool is that dietetics still has all those components, but it’s grown into a science with evidence-based advice and strategy. This is one reason nutrition coaching is such a powerful tool for change in someone’s life. It’s not just about your client’s body, it’s about their mind, their lifestyle, their family, and their home! Registered Dietitians are uniquely qualified to care for their clients in all aspects of nutrition.
Dietitians are often specialized for various types of people and their unique nutritional needs.
Dietetics and nutrition isn’t a one-size-fits-all field. In fact, it’s HIGHLY nuanced and a RD’s approach will change with every client. Because of this, many RDs go further than just learning the generalized world of nutrition, and they dive into a niche that’s important to them. Your dreamy clients can find a Registered Dietitian that specializes in pediatrics, weight management, oncology, geriatrics, GI disorders, food allergies, eating disorders, and sports nutrition just to name a few!
That means people can find RDs that really understand them and have experience getting them to their goals (whether it’s a weight nutrition goal, something related to sports dietetics, or anything in between!). This is why RDs are life-changing for people!
They’re constantly continuing their education and expanding their knowledge base to ensure they stay up-to-date on all the latest food and nutrition research.
Anytime you’re in a science-based field, you have a responsibility to be an expert. You can only be an expert by choice and a lot of hard work! RDs spend countless hours not only doing their required continuous professional education, but RDs go above and beyond to ensure they stay on top of the latest nutrition science. They’ll read medical journals and research notes, go to workshops, obtain speciality certifications, and so much more. Our passion for people and our passion for food drives us consistently to be the best RD we possibly can be!
Dietitians are AMAZING at taking complex scientific information and adapting it into practical advice their clients can understand and apply to their daily habits.
Speaking of all that research . . . it’s not something easily available or understood by the general population. However, this information is essential for people to thrive! RDs have the tremendous responsibility and privilege of adapting this information into practical advice for our clients! This is one of the few productive ways this information gets to the public, showing exactly how essential RDs are in promoting healthy lifestyles according to the most up-to-date information.
Dietitians are like kryptonite to fad diets and uneducated recommendations.
Without a trusted expert, it’s really difficult to find trusted and accurate nutrition advice! Your clients simply can’t know whether information an influencer or a friend is telling them actually works or if it’s just a baseless fad. Not only can this uneducated information be unhelpful, but it can be downright dangerous to public health!
The key to combating all this junk information? A Registered Dietitian who is certified and licensed to give them advice on healthy eating habits. RDs only deliver trusted advice that your clients KNOW they can follow. The more RDs there are in the world, the less fad diets and snake oil health products we’ll have out there!
You won’t find a Registered Dietitian who uses a one-size-fits-all approach to help their clients. They personalize their care to each individual person and their needs.
Dietitians work to change lives, and that can’t be done with a one-size-fits-all approach. Unlike many professions where there is one “best” way to do everything, dietetics is very specific from person-to-person. An RD will use all their education, experience, and energy to find the approach that works for their clients, even if it’s different from every other situation they’ve ever encountered. This process is tailored to each individual person.
Registered Dietitians don’t just help with weight loss, they are crucial in managing chronic illness, food allergies, and reaching all your health goals!
When we think of nutrition, sometimes we just think about weight loss. But there is so much more to it than that. Dietitians play a crucial role in any health habits a client has, from mental health goals to allergy symptom management to sports needs. As the world learns more about nutrition, they become more aware of the need for RDs! So, if you’re an RD, understand how much you’re wanted and needed!
I hope these interesting facts about RDs encourage you today!
Sometimes when you’re working as an RD, it’s easy to get discouraged. Often in our 9-5s, we’re overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. This makes us feel unworthy at times, making us forget our important role in society and forget our potential!
If you’re an RD who has started their own online private practice or has thought about starting their own online private practice, let me help you through dietitian business coaching realize your full potential, create the career of your dreams, and make an even bigger impact on the world than you already do. Apply to work with me today. The world NEEDS you!
If you need more encouragement today, read these affirmations for dietitians.