Who is Your RD Everyone Has a Doctor But Do You Have a Registered Dietitian

Everyone has a doctor, but do you have a Registered Dietitian "The American Dietetic Association (ADA) urges you to get one and now is the perfect time," says registered dietitian , Renee Wiggins. "You see, March is National Nutrition Month and March 10th is the first annual Registered Dietitian Day."

What is a Registered Dietitian or an "RD"

A registered dietitian is a trained professional who has participated in four to six years of training and has successfully completed a national board test. "We specialize in diabetes prevention and management, weight management, gastric-by pass surgery, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol management, as well as Renal disease and Pediatrics," says Wiggins. "As a dietitian, I develop lifestyle programs for groups and individuals. My job is to carefully tailor the program to the individual's goals and habits, and make them user-friendly and achievable."

In honor of National Nutrition Month, Renee says, "here are a few tips I share with my patients." These are small steps to help ensure to promote good health and well-being:

- Instead of whole milk try 1% milk.

- Choose low-fat dairy products.

- Eat more plant-based foods.

- Increase your servings of fruits and vegetables to 5 a day.

- Choose whole grain-cereals and breads. (ie, shredded wheat, 100% Bran cereals.

- Eat only 6 ounces of meat a day and eat meat only 3-times a week.

- Bake, broil, boil or poach your meats instead of deep frying them.

- Eliminate sodas from your diet. (One 12-oz can has 10 teaspoons of sugar! Just imagine, if you drink a 20 ounce or 22 ounce soda, you're taking in at least 20 teaspoons of sugar.)

- Choose low-fat, reduce sugar snacks such as unsalted pretzels, low-fat pudding, sugar-free gelatin, low-fat yogurt, cottage and fruit, a waffle with 1-tsp of sugar-free jelly, 3-graham crackers and 4-oz skim milk.

- Take your lunch to work. Not only will you save on the calories by controlling your own portion size but you'll also save on money. And

With the money saved, Renee encourages everyone to visit a registered dietitian this month. Most insurances cover medical nutrition therapy, and all you have to handle is a co-pay.

With more than 60,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation's leading and largest organization of food and nutrition experts. ADA serves the public by promoting optimal health. To locate a registered dietitian in your area, visit www.eatright.org or call 1-800-877-1600.

Renee Wiggins, RD.LD, registered dietitian based in Silver Spring, Maryland, and author of "Can I Exercise Sitting Down" and " Stress Down and Lift Up". For more information visit www.resultsbyrenee.com or email Renee: renee@resultsbyrenee.com.

Who is Your RD Everyone Has a Doctor But Do You Have a Registered Dietitian

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Who is Your RD Everyone Has a Doctor But Do You Have a Registered Dietitian

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