What is Personalized Nutrition Counseling ?
Personalized Nutrition counseling is an ongoing process in which registered dietitians, qualified health professionals trained in nutrition, work with a patient to assess his or her dietary intake to identify areas where change may be needed relative to preventing and/or managing their current health conditions. Via nutrition education, behavior modification, accountability/support, and frequent follow-up visits, registered dietitians help patients make and maintain needed dietary changes.
The purpose of personalized nutritional counseling is not only to assess a patient’s diet but also to help them make realistic dietary changes that take into account the unique lifestyle and health status of each patient. In addition to helping patients make nutritional changes, personalized nutrition counseling helps patients maintain those changes. At Health First Wellness our goal is to encourage patients to put their health first daily by working on making sustainable changes to diet and lifestyle.
What to Expect:
1. Assessing Dietary Habits
Via a 60-minute initial session, registered dietitians will assess the new patient’s personal nutrition strengths and challenges, review their preexisting medical history, and determine what current patterns or habits exist relative to diet, exercise, sleep, stress, and/or general lifestyle. Assessing these different areas, allows the dietitian to gain a comprehensive understanding of what changes moving forward may be recommended in order to achieve the patient’s short and long-term health goals. this form and we will contact you about scheduling.
2. Identifying Areas for Improvement
Sometimes the patient already has a good idea of what dietary changes are needed, but may require help making the changes. Other times the dietitian can help educate a person on the health effects of different dietary choices. Both work together to identify areas where change is needed, prioritize changes, and problem-solve as to how to make the changes.
Making dietary change is a gradual process. An individual may start with one or two easier dietary changes the first few weeks and gradually make additional or more difficult changes over several weeks or months. For example, an easy change for a person might be switching from 2% to skim milk or taking time for a quick yogurt or granola bar in the morning instead of skipping breakfast. More difficult changes might be learning to replace high-fat meat choices with leaner ones or including more servings of vegetables daily. In making dietary changes, each individual’s situation and background must be carefully considered.
3. Setting Goals
The dietitian and client set behavior-oriented goals together. Goals typically focus on the behaviors needed to achieve the desired dietary changes. Our dietitian will work with you to identify your nutritional and health goals and ensure that the plan that is developed is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time sensitive.
4. Maintaining Changes
The challenge for the nutrition client lies not in making the initial dietary changes, but in maintaining them over the long term. Self-monitoring, setting realistic expectations, and having continued follow-up can help a person maintain their desired dietary changes.
Dana Sivak
Dietitian Nutritionist
(MS, RDN, LDN) Hi there! Inspired by my many years spent being mindful of nutrition as a figure skater, I completed my Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Delaware. Continuing my pursuit of my dietetics career, I graduated with my Master’s of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Northern Illinois University and obtained an additional Graduate Certificate in Eating Disorders and Obesity.
My approach combines holistic and functional nutrition, as I have had extensive experience working to improve nutrition with patients suffering from a variety of health concerns including, butnot limited to: cardiovascular health, diabetes, digestive health, eating disorders, metabolic health, pain management, sports nutrition, and weight loss.
My patient-centered care recognizes the importance of an individual’s health and lifestyle as avenues for behavior changes related to nutrition, while promoting one’s overall health and wellness. I believe, as T. Colin Campbell once said, “Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.”
Benefits of Personalized Nutritional Counseling
One of the primary benefits of personalized nutrition counseling is its ability to prevent chronic illnesses. Poor nutrition is a leading cause of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. By working with a nutrition professional, you can learn how to make healthy choices that reduce your risk of developing these conditions. Our personalized nutrition counseling services can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight, improve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.
Another benefit of personalized nutrition counseling is its ability to improve athletic performance. Athletes require a well-balanced diet to fuel their bodies and support their physical activities. Our nutrition professionals can help athletes develop personalized plans that provide them with the nutrients they need to perform at their best. Whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, our personalized nutrition counseling services can help you optimize your diet and achieve your athletic goals.
At Health First Wellness, our personalized nutrition counseling services are integrated with our physical therapy and rehabilitation programs to provide comprehensive care for our patients. We believe that good nutrition is an essential part of the healing process, and we work with our patients to develop personalized plans that support their overall health and wellness.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of personalized nutrition counseling or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us today. Our team of skilled professionals is dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health and wellness, and we look forward to working with you to develop a personalized plan to meet your unique nutritional needs.