Nutrition Experts

Pseudo nutrition experts are a dime a dozen in Southern California, you could throw a rock and hit several nutritionists. (Don't throw rocks though, that's mean.) It's really hard to know who to take advice from and what information is real. I'm going to give you some tools for navigating this foreign world.

First let me explain the basic nutritionist qualifications:

• Nutritionist:

• Anyone with basic nutrition eduction can call themselves a nutritionist.

• Certified Nutritionist:

• To become a Certified Nutritionits candidates must complete a two-year college level or distance learning six-course program and pass a proctored exam.

• Degreed Nutritionist:

• This person has at least a bachelor's degree with coursework approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This coursework includes food and nutrition sciences, food systems management, business, economics, computer science, sociology, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology and chemistry.

• Registered Dietitian (RD or RDN):

• RD's have also completed an accredited, supervised practice program at a healthcare facility, community agency and foodservice corporation in addition to the nutrition coursework as stated above. They have also passed the national exam and complete continuing education requirements. Often times they also hold certifications in specialized areas of practice.

What questions to ask:

Education

my first question when someone tells me they are a nutritionist is, "Where did you go to school?" This a great way to find out what kind of a nutritionist they are and what kind of advice they are able to give. I certainly wouldn't ask a nutritionist who took an online class advice about food and drug interactions or how to correct my autoimmune disease. I would ask someone qualified, like an RD or a degreed nutritionist with specific training and knowledge in disease states.

What is their food philosophy

If someone tells you to eliminate an entire food group (unless necessary) walk away. Unless you have an intolerance or allergy to certain foods, you shouldn't be eliminating whole food groups from your diet. We need a wide variety of ingredients in our meals to have a balanced diet. Right now there is a war on carbohydrates but they too serve a purpose. They keep us full longer, help to regulate glucose levles in our bodies and give our brains the energy to function properly. Low fat dairy is a great source of calcium and protein. Don't eliminate healthy foods from your diet unnecessarily.

What is your goal

I think this is the most important question to consider. Are you just looking to clean up your diet, lose weight or improve your athletic performance? Or have you recently been diagnosed with a new disease and you need help understanding what that means for you?

If you just need help cleaning up your diet you can see anyone that holds the title of Nutritionist. If you are a new cancer patient, a new diabetic, you have celiac disease, Crohn's disease or some other GI issues I recommend you see a Registered Dietitian that specializes in your needs.

What's great about this field is that it's growing and more than ever people are interested in where their food comes from. What's not great is that there is a lot of crazy information floating around and it's hard to weed out the truth. The more we educate ourselves about how our health is connected to what we eat the better off we are. Just make sure you know where your information is coming from and find the person that fits you best.