Exercise is King, Nutrition is Queen; Put them together and you have got a KINGDOM.” Most of us, in our lifetime, have got on a diet and have regretted it later for the simple reason that “I-did-not-lose-weight“. Then later on, once done with our own experiments, we would come to the conclusion ‘Let’s go to the dietician or the nutritionist’.
Have you heard the term ‘You are what you Eat’? Well, this simple “term” falls true for most of us.
Okay, so do this little thing: One day, go home and order junk food, anything Pizza, Burger, Chinese, anything would do. On another day, have a completely healthy meal. Notice the difference now! The day you had all the junk would make you feel all lethargic and tired. On the other hand, the healthy day would make you feel much healthier.
What is Nutrition?
The food we choose to eat is the final determinant as to what nutrients will enter our body in which quantity. Nutrients are the substances that help our body in making energy, building and maintaining tissues and regulating bodily processes. There are 6 classes of nutrients which include:
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Proteins
- Water
- Vitamins
- Minerals
What is Dietetics?
Dietetics is the study of diet and nutrition which helps to prevent, cure and eradicate disease and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The major focus points of Dietetics are:
- People-Oriented
- Evidence-Based
- Science-Focused
- First step towards acquiring professional credentials
Who is a registered Nutritionist and Dietician?
To be a registered Nutritionist and Dietician, you must fulfill the following criteria:
- Complete and hold a minimum of B.Sc degree in nutrition and dietetics from any recognized university.
- Complete the mandatory internship or practice program whichever is a part of your course or curriculum.
- Pass the national registration examination for dietitians.
- Completion of other educational qualifications to hold the degree.
What does a Nutritionist do?
A nutritionist brings about some ‘positive change’ in the lifestyle of a person by altering some daily eating habits. Here are a few things a nutritionist does:
- Explain nutrition and its positive impact on the lifestyle of a person.
- Understand the client’s lifestyle and suggest a suitable diet as per it.
- Construct a certain meal plan for the client taking the cost and availability into account.
- Monitor the meal plan and notice the effect of the same on the client’s health and body.
- Make changes in the meal plans if required after monitoring.
- Promote better nutrition by exchanging motivational words about nutrition and diet.
- Making the client understand the benefits of good eating habits and managing diseases and the relationship between them.
- Staying updated with the latest nutritional
Where can a Nutritionist Work?
There are a number of places where a nutritionist can work at:
Government Sector: There are ample of work opportunities with government hospitals, government health departments, schools, factories, and cafeterias for nutritional planning.
Sports and Health Clubs: A nutritionist can be employed at sports hostels and athletic camps. Health and recreation complexes also require the services of a nutritionist or a dietician. Moreover, the catering departments of 5-star hotels also require nutritionists.
Teaching, Research, and Development: In the nutrition field, research and development includes conducting research on the food items. It also includes understanding the nutritional implications of a particular food item and seeing its effect when eaten. For a research career, you can opt to be associated with a university, college, food manufacturing units, hospitals or various research institutes.
Another career option available for a person is being associated with some university as a professor.
Mass Media: You can be a part of various high-end mass media websites and print papers by disseminating knowledge on healthy living. Have you ever seen the health columns of various newspapers? They constantly require qualified individuals to contribute to the field and hence, it is an upcoming career option.
Until you get your Nutrition right, nothing is going to change
We all know about Kareena Kapoor’s famous ‘size-zero figure’ and the woman behind it. Rujuta Diwekar who belongs to Mumbai is the person behind this *WOW* transformation. The popular dietician has a postgraduate degree in nutrition from Mumbai.
Basically, this is what Nutrition can do to us and our body. It can completely change the way we look by giving us some serious makeovers. If dieticians like Diwerekar can reach that stage where she has all the high-end clients like Kareena Kapoor, then why not you?
