When you need advice about your car, you talk to a mechanic. When there’s a problem with your teeth, you see a dentist. When you injure your foot, you go to a podiatrist. We seek professionals’ help all the time because they are experts in their fields. But who do you go to for guidance on eating well and making healthier food choices?
Registered dietitians are the experts
Registered dietitians (RDs) are experts in food and nutrition. They have extensive training in helping people make and stick to healthier nutrition and lifestyle habits.
Let’s take a look at how you can benefit from working with a Teladoc dietitian.
Get (and stay) motivated
When you start a new health habit, like walking every day, it’s easy to get started. You’re energized and excited to walk the first few days, and you feel good afterward. As time goes on, your calendar fills up, the weather turns and you find it harder to stick to your plan. You’re not alone. This sequence of events happens at the start of every year as people set New Year’s resolutions and abandon them in the weeks and months that follow.
Teladoc dietitians can offer the motivation you need to keep going in the right direction—not just at the beginning of the year. They’re trained in counseling techniques based on the ideas of partnership, nonjudgment and compassion. It’s effective in bringing about behavior in the areas of weight loss, diet, exercise and smoking cessation.
Dietitians take the time to ask, “What concerns you most about your health?” and “How do you think making this change would improve your life?” They can help pinpoint personal motivators for making changes, offering both accountability and a listening ear for your unique situation, experiences and challenges.
Get all your nutrition questions answered
Questions about nutrition and health are endless! It’s easy to do a quick Google search. However, it can quickly turn overwhelming as you try to sift through all the conflicting answers.
Dietitians can be your go-to expert with questions about the best way to fuel your body and feel your best, like:
- Which diet is the best for me and my health goals?
- How can I make cooking healthy meals easier?
- What is the best oil to cook with?
- Is dairy good for me or not?
- How can I actually stick to a healthier eating plan?
Plan tasty and nutritious meals
If your life is a series of decisions you make, then your health is the series of bites you take. A high-quality diet can improve how we feel in the short term and reduce the likelihood of disease in the long term.1 People who plan their meals are less likely to be obese and more likely to have a varied diet that meets nutrition recommendations.2
A registered dietitian can help you regularly enjoy nourishing foods—like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts and whole grains— by:
- Tailoring your meal plan perfectly to you, based on your goals, lifestyle, food preferences and budget
- Finding recipes, meals and snacks that you and your family like and that fit into your busy schedule
- Ensuring you get the proper ratio of macronutrients (fats, protein, carbohydrates), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and phytonutrients (plant compounds with antioxidant qualities) no matter what eating pattern you follow (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and others)
Improve your health metrics
Imagine this: Your doctor’s reviewing the results of recent bloodwork, and your blood sugar is high. She recommends making some diet changes to lose weight and lower your numbers. But where do you begin? And what do complicated values like “A1c” even mean? (It’s a marker for blood sugar.)
A dietitian, at the crossroad of food and health, is highly qualified to help you. An RD can look at your test results, answer questions and help you set goals to improve your health.
Health conditions RDs can help with include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Weight loss
- Food allergies
- Digestive issues
- Preconception and pregnancy
- Menopause
Don’t put off positive change any longer
If your health has taken a back seat to work, caring for family or other demands, a Teladoc dietitian can help. Our network of 150-plus expert registered dietitians will customize a nutrition plan and help you meet your personal health goals.
Choose your dietitian, make an appointment seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m and start improving your health today.
From nutrition to mental health, here are all the ways we can help you feel your best.
Updated September 10, 2021
1https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/nutrition.htm#:~:text=Adults%20who%20eat%20a%20healthy,these%20conditions%20and%20prevent%20complications.
2https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7495263/
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