Nutritionist

A nutritionist studies what we eat and how we eat.

A doctor of this specialty knows everything about food, the components of food products, their interaction and impact on the body, their importance for our health. A nutritionist is interested in the issues of food consumption, its absorption in the digestive tract, potential benefits and elimination from the body. By the way, dietetics is one of the sections of the science of nutrition.

Who is a nutritionist?

A nutritionist is a specialist in nutrition who studies nutrients and food components. His/her competence includes assessing the rules of food consumption, compatibility of products, their impact on the body. The goal of the specialist in this profession is to determine the patterns of the impact of our nutrition and the process of eating food on human health, to find ways to facilitate the absorption of nutrients, processing, absorption and the release of residual products from the body.

Nutritionist education can be obtained in almost any country in the world, but the most prestigious higher education institutions that train these specialists are considered to be:

• American Kaplan University – it trains specialists in many areas of healthcare, including nutrition (with an emphasis on management positions);
• Australian University of Adelaide – the course of study here lasts 3 years, and is based not only on theory, as the university has an excellent practical base;
• University of Surrey in the UK – trains specialists in regular and advanced courses. The advanced course includes additional knowledge on the problems of food allergies, excess weight, metabolic disorders, as well as on the topic of the influence of antioxidants on the body;
• I Sechenov State Medical University (Moscow) – a course on modern problems of rational nutrition, biologically active food supplements in the prevention and complex treatment of the most common diseases.

Thus, we can conclude that a nutritionist is a truly trained specialist who has completed training at a higher medical educational institution and has the appropriate level of accreditation.

When should you see a nutritionist?

As we have already said, you can contact a nutritionist both for the treatment of any disease and for prevention purposes. What does this mean?

The main food of modern city dwellers, regardless of the country of residence, are products from supermarkets, fast food chains, etc. It is no secret that such food consists of a large number of preservatives, stabilizing, coloring, flavoring and other chemical substances. Such ingredients are designed to extend the shelf life of products, improve their taste and appearance, and encourage consumers to buy products of a certain brand again and again. What do we get as a result: a minimum amount of benefits and a maximum of unnecessary, and even harmful substances. This situation in the consumer market served as an impetus for the emergence of such a specialty as a nutritionist. Anyone who wants to prevent the occurrence and development of diseases, eliminate existing pathologies, and simply maintain their health in the conditions of a modern metropolis can contact this doctor.

Proper nutritional correction will help stabilize metabolism, give the body energy to fight external adverse effects, and slow down the course of irreversible age-related processes in the body.

What tests should you take when visiting a nutritionist?

If you decide to see a nutritionist about an existing disease, then on your first visit you need to bring all the available test results and examinations related to this disease. The conclusions and extracts of the treating and consulting doctors may also be useful - this will help the nutritionist to understand the problem more deeply. Be sure to tell the doctor about the basic principles of nutrition in your family, about preferences among the variety of food products: the more the doctor knows about your diet, the sooner he will determine what exactly your body needs.

If you are visiting a nutritionist for preventive purposes, you will not need any preliminary tests. Everything that the doctor deems necessary, he will prescribe you during the first appointment. If you have recently taken any tests (for example, blood, feces or urine), it would be a good idea to take the results with you. Sometimes this can help out, and you will not have to take the tests again.

What diagnostic methods does a nutritionist use?

The diagnostic methods used by a nutritionist depend on the disease the patient is treating, as well as the therapeutic method that the particular specialist adheres to.

A classical traditional medicine doctor may refer a patient for the following types of examinations:

• general blood and urine analysis;
• stool analysis for parasites;
• ultrasound examination (abdominal cavity, thyroid gland, etc.);
• PCR diagnostics (as a method for detecting infectious diseases);
• gastroscopy, duodenal intubation;
• assessment of hormonal levels;
• immunogram (assessment of the immune system);
• X-ray (lungs, joints);
• electrocardiogram, etc.

In some cases, consultation with other specialized specialists may be necessary.

Alternative medicine specialists may use diagnostic methods that differ from those commonly used for many procedures:

• iridology (diagnosis based on the pattern on the iris);
• auriculodiagnostics (assessment of health status based on the condition of the auricle);
• linguadiagnostics (determining the presence of diseases based on the condition of the tongue surface: shape, color, plaque, vessels, etc.);
• diagnostic method based on the nail plate and palms;
• pulse diagnostics;
• hemoscanning (blood assessment).

The doctor decides which diagnostic method will be needed in each specific case.

What does a nutritionist do?

A nutritionist can study several areas of this science:

• growth and formation of food as a natural factor, food production and consumer organizations;
• metabolic processes, metabolism, absorption and distribution of food components, their impact on the functioning of organs and systems;
• food as a possible factor of preventive and therapeutic impact on the human body.

In order to stabilize and support nutrition, as well as the full functionality of all systems and organs, nutritionology identifies the following necessary ingredients:

• nutraceuticals – food components that can replenish the deficiency of important substances in the body. They control the intake of vitamins, microelements, essential amino acids, enzymes, polyunsaturated fatty acids;
• parapharmaceuticals – components based on all kinds of extracts and herbal infusions (herbal remedies);
• Probiotics are a variety of live beneficial bacteria that restore and maintain the natural balance of microflora within the body.

A nutritionist is engaged in the development of all kinds of nutrition plans, including diets, therapeutic, balanced, children's, sports diets, etc. His competence also includes the prevention and correction of various pathological conditions by using nutraceuticals (proteins, minerals, vitamins, amino acids) and parapharmaceuticals based on medicinal plants, fruit and berry juices, etc. The listed bioactive components provide relief for the function of the organs of the human body.

The use and substantiated effectiveness of dietary supplements, a qualified revision of the diet (especially with the appearance of fundamentally new food products on the shelves) - all this determines the prospects of such a specialty as a nutritionist.

What diseases does a nutritionist treat?

It is no secret that modern food products contain an abundance of all kinds of preservatives, stabilizers, flavor enhancers, etc. As a result, our food loses most of its nutritional value and usefulness. To make up for the deficiency of important and necessary substances and prevent malfunctions in the body, there is a profession of a nutritionist. A nutritionist knows about all the patterns of the effect of food ingredients on the body and on each other, as well as the influence of food consumption principles on human health.

A nutritionist provides assistance in correcting nutrition and meal regimen. Thanks to such a specialist, the absorption of all substances necessary for the body from dishes and food products is significantly improved. At the same time, the health characteristics of each individual are necessarily taken into account.

A nutritionist can even prevent a disease by recommending to introduce certain products into the menu that contain substances that the body lacks. Therefore, you can contact a doctor of this specialty not only with existing diseases, but also as a preventive measure. In this way, you can cure almost any disease, both of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolism, as well as diseases of the liver, kidneys, joints, and many, many others. The most effective methods of nutritionology are in the treatment of excess weight, diabetes, brittle hair and skin diseases.

Nutritionist's Advice

Human health is possible with a combination of several mandatory factors:

• hardened organism;
• strong healthy nervous system;
• good ecology;
• a well-balanced diet;
• daily physical activity.

The task of a person is to ensure the fulfillment of all the above points. The task of a nutritionist is to competently and balancedly compose a daily diet for the patient.

The patient can draw initial conclusions for himself independently. For example, what the body may lack in the following situations:

• If a person constantly wants a chocolate bar, the body has a magnesium deficiency. It can be replenished by eating bananas, raisins, nuts, and legumes.
• If you want baked goods, your body has a nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen can be replenished by eating high-protein foods, such as meat and fish dishes, and nuts.
• If you crave sweets, there may be a lack of glucose. It can be obtained from bee products, fruits, berries, sweet vegetables (bell peppers, beets, carrots).
• If you want something fatty, you can talk about a calcium deficiency. Calcium can be “obtained” from dairy products, legumes, sesame, broccoli.
• If you crave hard cheese, you may lack calcium or phosphorus. Dairy products and broccoli can be sources.
• If the body wants smoked products, this may indicate a lack of cholesterol. "Good" cholesterol can be obtained from avocados, nuts, olives, fatty fish.
• If you crave sour foods, it's a lack of ascorbic acid. Where to get it: in lemons, kiwi, berries, rose hips, etc.

You should be attentive to your health and take care of it while you have it. There are plenty of factors that lead to illness in the modern world. This is polluted air, life "on the nerves", an abundance of bad habits, poor nutrition, poor quality water, a lot of bad energy around, an increase in the number of types of viral, bacterial and fungal infections, worsening heredity. All these factors have a destructive effect on our health.

If you trust a specialist such as a nutritionist, you can avoid many problems. Important: when choosing a specialist, always pay attention to his qualifications and reputation. This should not be just a person who has attended a month-long course, or, even worse, bought a certificate on the Internet. Remember that a nutritionist is necessarily a medical specialist who has graduated from a university and undergone specialized training.