8 Truths to Understand About the Benefits of Nutritional Counseling
Given the alarming levels of obesity, heart disease and diabetes in our society today, the importance of nutritional counseling has never been more evident. Much of the bad medical news people receive today is either exacerbated or caused by a poor diet. Receiving nutritional counseling from a nutritionist, registered dietitian or other professional in this field has a number of important benefits.
1- Food is Medicine
When you receive counseling from a nutritionist or dietitian, you will gain an appreciation of how food impacts your body. You will see that good food has medicinal properties and that how you feel at any given moment is tremendously impacted by what you eat. Realizing that food is the most basic medicine available to us will give you greater control over handling conditions and ailments throughout your life.
2- It Promotes a Healthier Lifestyle
The media is full of stories about the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle, but few of us actually practice what’s necessary to make it a reality. By receiving nutritional counseling from a certified professional in this field, you will gain a greater understanding of exactly what it takes to live such a lifestyle. Exercise is an important part of it as well, but healthy food is the cornerstone of turning the corner toward a healthier and happier life.
3- It Helps You Get Physically Fit More Rapidly
If you have been going to the gym or running or doing some other intense physical exercise regimen, you may find you’re not reaching your goals as quickly as you’d like. It may be your diet that’s holding you back, and nutritional counseling could help you to see this. It can also give you specific advice as to what ways to eat better in order to make you able to meet or exceed your fitness goals.
4- Discover New and Delicious Foods
Many of us fall into dietary habits from a fairly early age. We may try something new once in a while, but there will always be those comfort foods that we love to return to. Through nutritional counseling, you may gain an appreciation of many foods that you simply walked past when going down the produce isle at the supermarket. Even if some foods are not favorites in terms of their taste, you may find palatable ways to incorporate them into your diet through delicious recipes once you’ve had your eyes opened as to what they can do for you nutritionally.
5- Learn More About Your Cravings and Relationship With Food
When we get advice from a nutritionist and start to apply that advice, most of us will feel different. Through nutritional counseling, you may learn why you craved certain foods in the first place and through following dietary guidelines, you may find these cravings start to subside. Many of us just put our diets on autopilot without thinking about its potentially deleterious effects on us. Nutritional counseling should cause you to focus more attention on what you are putting in your body and how it makes you feel.
6- Handle a Variety of Conditions and Maladies
The wealth of knowledge you can carry away from nutritional counseling sessions should have the effect of putting you in greater control over your health. When you come down with something you may think about what you have been eating or drinking and whether it might have something to do with how you feel. Learning about certain foods with healing properties will also help you get over minor illnesses without having to take time out of your day to go to the doctor for antibiotics.
7- Creates A Greater Awareness of Foods Impact on You
Your eyes will truly be opened as to the connection between your mind, body and the food you eat. Your increased understanding of nutrition will reveal the importance of this relationship between mind and body. According to Advanced Medical Rehab of Slidell, many aspects of our thoughts, feelings and moods are affected by how we feel physically due to our diet. This mental connection is not discussed as much as physical ailments but does have a tremendous impact on our lives.
8- The Motivation to Learn More and Gain Greater Control Over Your Health
The insights you gain from receiving nutritional counseling will hopefully not end after leaving their office. The value you get from what you learn should make you want to expand your understanding even more and will hopefully start you on a road to life-long learning on the subject. If you are a parent, then leading by example and doing other things to instill healthy habits in your children will hopefully cause them to live healthier and happier lives.
