1. You want the advice and guidance of a highly trained professional.
A registered dietitian can help make sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals, review and recommend lab work for your physician to order, review results and help you cut through all the false and unsafe information regarding supplements, food choices and help keep life simple!
2. You have diabetes, cardiovascular problems or high blood pressure.
A RD serves as an integral part of your health-care team by helping you safely change your eating plan without compromising taste or nutrition.
3. You are thinking of having or have had weight loss surgery.
Since your stomach can only manage small servings, it’s a challenge to get the right amount of nutrients in your body. A RD will work with you to develop an eating plan for your new needs.
4. You have digestive problems or you are told you need to go gluten free.
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, gluten or carbonation.
5. 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, 5K, skiing, swimming or doing your first triathlon!
6. Your child or teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully.
A registered dietitian can assist with a balanced diet for the entire family, whether there are issues with weight or not and best choices when dining out.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
Chicken Barley Soup
This recipe is cool and refreshing, and perfect for any time of the year.