Nutrition Counseling With Your Primary Care Provider
Updated May 24, 2021.
Nervous about talking about your diet? Don’t be! A nutrition counseling session may never be like getting a massage, but it doesn’t have to be torture, either. A good nutrition consultation shouldn’t feel like a lecture about what you should be doing, and you shouldn’t feel as though you’re being scolded or judged on your eating habits either. Your primary care provider can help and will take the time to listen closely and understand where you are right now in terms of your lifestyle and diet, and work with you to help achieve your goals. To get started, book a standard in person or remote visit with your provider and type the reason for the visit as “nutrition counseling.” This helps inform your provider what you would like to cover during the visit and gives you the dedicated time you need to review your health goals.
Who can benefit from nutrition counseling?
Anyone can benefit from discussing their diet with their primary care provider. The following are just a few of the conditions that can benefit specifically from dietary interventions:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Allergies
- Diabetes and pre-diabetic conditions
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Celiac disease
- Obesity or overweight
- Pregnancy
How can my primary care provider help?
Your provider will ask about your diet goals, objectives, and reasons for wanting to make a change. In addition to reviewing your medical history and current medications and supplements, they may also ask about your lifestyle to get a sense of your current stress, sleep patterns, and physical activity levels.
To prepare for your visit, it can be helpful for you to write down everything you ate in the 24 hours prior to the appointment (or better yet, a food diary of two to three days’ worth of meals and snacks). With that guidance, your provider can begin to discuss your dietary preferences and cooking habits, and identify trouble spots, like skipping breakfast or late-night snacking.
If your provider thinks you would benefit from advanced nutrition guidance, they can connect you with a nutritionist or weight management center to help you achieve your goals.
Looking for some guidance to help with your diet? Book an appointment today!
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