That antiseptic-latex-glove-hospital ‘smell’ wafts around & it hits you that this is the fifth crisis that has sent you to the A&E in just a month. Your medications don’t seem to be working as efficiently as the pamphlets assured you & now your physician has recommended you see the dietitian. He’s handed you the dietitian’s name and telephone number and says that he would like you to make an appointment. While you nod your head in agreement, your mind screams, “There is no way I want to do this. The doctor is out of remedies & now he’s sending me to seek help from a chef in a lab coat! Aaahhhh!!!”
It’s true, in some peoples’ minds dieticians & nutritionists are terms to simply dignify highly trained personal chefs or cooks. Some think that dieticians will just tell them what they already know. This is possible, but what you have read or been told by well-meaning friends and family may be incorrect. Dietitians are trained to critique the latest research, combine it with what we already know and provide up-to-date advice. This is why advice will change as time goes on and we learn more about how the body works, and the role food plays in health and disease. So, I thought I would give you a better understanding of what to expect when you’re expecting to see a registered dietitian (RD) or nutritionist (RN).
The first time you see the Registered Dietitian plan to spend about an hour. 90% of the appointment involves talking and during the first half you are going to be doing most of it. The other 10% is spent weighing you and reviewing other body measurements and food records.
Already things are looking up: no unpleasant procedures, no vile tasting medications.
After the introductory pleasantries, you should hear some rendition of “what brings you to my office today?” This is an important question. The information in the medical chart doesn’t necessarily tell what you want out of the visit. And that is a vital piece of information. Because in the end, if your needs aren’t addressed, you’re never going to follow the recommendations anyway.
The answer to this question should be the largest part of your pre-visit homework. If you are capable of answering it, the likelihood your appointment will be pleasant and helpful increases many fold. Think about why you are going and what you want to know. Write a list of questions if you have to, this will help guide the conversation and help the dietitian understand your perspective. Think of your most occurring Sickle Cell symptoms; think of what foods, illnesses, physical activities and environmental conditions that tend to trigger any symptoms.
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| What to Expect from a Nutritionist |
But back to our imaginary visit…
You will be asked questions about your general health status, medical history, food allergies, the medications and supplements you take, who does the cooking and shopping, what type of work you do (that gives some indication of how active you are at work), what type and amount of exercise (if any) you participate in.
Then there will be questions related to Sickle Cell: your control through the years, if and how often you experience pain crises & other symptoms, if and when you have had any mineral deficiencies, specific medications, herbs & supplements you are/ have been taking, their effects on you, etc.
If weight is an issue, you’ll be asked about your weight history, weight gain/loss programs you have tried, trigger foods and weight goals. You will probably be weighed at this point.
Finally, you will provide a picture of your daily eating habits—what, how much and when do you eat? If you bring detailed food records (at least for 3-4 days) this part will go quicker and you’ll be able to give a more complete sense of your current diet. This will help you and the dietitian to look for trends and see the effect of different foods on your symptoms. If you aren’t involved in food preparation, bring along the person who is. And even if you do everything, having an additional person can help you remember more of what was said.
After explaining the basic dietary recommendations for Sickle Cell, you will together come up with a way to implement the recommendations in your specific situation; the challenge being to collaboratively develop a meal plan you can live with and actually enjoy that will help bring your blood sickling into better control. And along the way you’ll formulate goals to achieve before the next visit.
And all through this part of the exchange you’ll be asked to demonstrate your understanding of the material covered. When you leave you should have written materials to help support what you discussed as well as a way to get in touch for additional questions.
Not so bad after all, right?
So when you do get a chance to visit a registered dietician or nutritionist, receive it with arms wide open, it will be one of the best things you ever did. Your physician can refer you to one or you can easily look for the nearest RD/RN closest to you on websites like LinkedIn or the Kenya Nutritionists & Dieticians Institute.
Warriors, win the fight to healthy living by hunting for a dietician today.
Love life!
Sharlene Mule.
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