Whole Life Times: Picking A Winner

October 2004 | Whole Health: Clean Food

Picking A Winner

by Rebecca Ephraim

I’ve decided to consult a nutritionist but the alphabet soup of credentials has me really confused. How do I find a winner? — Lost in Nutritionland, Internet

You mean to tell me you don’t know the difference between CCN, CN, CNC, CNS, LNC and RD?! That’s A-OK, you’ve come to the right place.

Ultimately, the nutrition credential is of minor concern compared to the counselor’s clinical experience, advanced education and success rate. The skilled ones can help you get your health back in order, whether that means dropping pounds, overcoming a raging appetite and insatiable sugar cravings, boosting your immune system or addressing myriad other nutrition-related problems that may be making your life miserable.

Currently, it’s a very uneven playing field. I wish I could advise you simply to look for a particular credential, but I can’t. Take, for example, Registered Dietitian or RD. As a group, many dietitians frown on the use of supplements and base their dietary advice on the Food Pyramid. Yet, a growing body of scientific research has shown that a one-size-fits-all approach is simplistic and inadequate in addressing Americans’ chronic health problems.

There are a growing number of “progressive” RDs who have joined the ranks of alternatively trained nutritionists specializing in biochemical approaches. For example, a good nutritionist would call on emerging research that shows the powerful role of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc.) over and above the amounts found in food, and use sophisticated techniques that can detect deficiencies. She would combine these with a selective whole-foods diet and encourage the use of other mind, body, and spirit paths.

Nutritionists, such as CCNs (Certified Clinical Nutritionists) or CNs (Certified Nutritionists), who do this as a matter of course, can often be found working with holistic physicians (chiropractors, MDs, naturopaths, etc.) who employ therapeutic nutrition approaches in their practices. However, who can do what and where varies widely as individual state laws determine who can be licensed to practice nutrition counseling.

In his book, Nutrition Made Simple, nutritionist Robert Crayhon, M.S., has devised a scorecard to help you choose a nutritionist. He suggests that before you make an appointment, you should interview a prospective nutritionist over the phone, asking these questions:

What kind of degree do you have?
__ Registered dietitian +5
__ Bachelor’s in nutrition +5
__ Master’s in nutrition +10
__ Ph.D. in nutrition +15
__ Naturopathic medicine +15

What kind of diets do you design?
__ Everybody gets a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet -10
__ Each person is given a diet to suit their unique biochemistry +10
__ White-flour is permitted -10
__ Margarine is recommended -10

Can I have phone numbers of some of your happy clients to call? if “yes” +10

Do you look for nutrient levels through hair and blood tests? if “yes” +10

Do you think most people need supplements? if “yes” +15

How many nutrients does the body require? (roughly 45) if correct +10

Scoring:

20 or below: Nutrition from the Eisenhower era. Avoid.

20-45: You can do better.

Above 50: Make an appointment. This nutritionist will be able to help you.

Once you’ve chosen a nutritionist and begun the consultations, become an active partner in your treatment. Understand the basic reasons behind the diet adjustments and dietary supplements your nutritionist has recommended. Chances are, you’ll be more excited about making the changes if you understand the advice and buy into the reasoning.

Rebecca Ephraim is a registered dietitian and certified clinical nutritionist.

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