- You have diabetes, cardiovascular problems or high blood pressure.
An RD serves as an integral part of your health-care team by helping you safely change your eating plan without compromising taste or nutrition.
- You are thinking of having or had gastric bypass surgery.
A registered dietitian will help you learn to eat again. Since your stomach can only manage small servings, it's a challenge to get the right amount of nutrients in your body. An RD will work with you and your physician to develop an eating plan for your new needs.
- You have digestive problems.
A registered dietitian will work with your physician to help fine-tune your diet so you are not aggravating your condition with fried foods, too much caffeine or carbonation.
- You're pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
A registered dietitian can help make sure you get nutrients like folate, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, lowering your newborn's risk for neural tube or spinal cord defects.
- You need guidance and confidence for breastfeeding your baby.
A registered dietitian can help make sure you're getting enough iron, vitamin D, fluoride and B vitamins for you and your little one.
- Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully.
A registered dietitian can assist with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and overweight issues.
- You need to gain or lose weight.
A registered dietitian can suggest additional calorie sources for healthy weight gain or a restricted-calorie eating plan plus regular physical activity for weight loss while still eating all your favorite foods.
- You're caring for an aging parent.
A registered dietitian can help with food or drug interaction, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension and changing taste buds as you age.
- You want to eat smarter.
A registered dietitian can help you sort through misinformation; learn how to read labels at the supermarket; discover that healthy cooking is inexpensive, learn how to eat out without ruining your eating plan and how to resist workplace temptations.
- You want to improve your performance in sports.
A registered dietitian can help you set goals to achieve results -- whether you're running a marathon, skiing or jogging with your dog.
www.eatright.org
