Common Dietary Challenges and How Counseling Can Help

Many Americans face dietary challenges in their everyday life. Such challenges can make healthy eating problematic in many ways. By working with an experienced nutritional counselor, you can learn more about creative options for eating and how to fuel your body best while respecting your dietary challenges.

Common Dietary Challenges in America

• Lactose intolerance: A digestive disorder resulting from a deficiency of the enzyme lactase. Lactase is necessary to digest lactose — the primary type of carb in milk.
• Gluten intolerance or sensitivity: Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. It provides elasticity and viscosity to baked goods. Individuals with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity must avoid gluten in their diets.
• Other allergies/sensitivities: In addition to lactose and gluten, other dietary allergies and sensitivities exist, making it difficult for some people to eat healthily.
• Vegetarians/Vegans: Some people choose to avoid meats, dairy, and animal products at all costs. This is their decision, and they may experience health benefits by following such a diet.
• Kosher: The dietary principles aligned with Jewish law, indicating which foods are permitted. Generally, a kosher diet only allows certain animals, prohibits blood, and prohibits the mixing of dairy and meat.
• Keto: The ketogenic, or keto, diet is high in fat while being very low in carbs. It’s been very successful in helping some people lose weight, but can require some additional attention to nutritional details.

How Counseling Helps with Dietary Challenges

Nutritional counseling can help in many ways with all kinds of dietary challenges. Nutritional counseling can provide you with:

• Self-worth and self-esteem can give you the motivation to stick to a dietary and exercise plan
• Planning meals that are sensible and healthy while fitting within the confines of your dietary restrictions
• Education about what macro and micro nutrients you need in your diet and how to incorporate them into the foods you can have
• Confidence as you learn how to plan and cook your own healthy meals that honor your dietary challenges

Frequently Asked Questions About Dietary Counseling

Is Nutrition Counseling Right for Me?

Receiving nutritional counseling is an individual choice. People see a nutrition expert for many different reasons. In fact, working with a nutrition counselor can help provide insight, support, and new strategies for all types of life challenges, including dietary challenges. If you are interested in getting the most out of your life by taking responsibility, as well as working towards greater self-awareness and positive change in your life, nutrition counseling is right for you.

Is Dietary Counseling Confidential?

Generally speaking, federal and state laws protect the confidentiality of all communications between a client and health care professional unless the client is under 18 years of age, where the counselor supports the rights of the minor as well as keeps communication lines open with their parents or guardians. If the dietary counseling client is at least 18 years of age, there’s no disclosure without the client’s prior written permission.

Dietary Challenges? The Weight and Wellness Institute Can Help

At The Weight and Wellness Institute in Cranston, Rhode Island, our dietary counseling services can complement all you are doing to manage your weight and eat within your dietary challenges. Contact us online today or call us at 401-895-9937 to request an appointment to learn more about how we can help with all types of nutritional challenges.