A Trip to the Nutritionist

As you may remember from a recent post, I have decided to cut sugar from my diet. I found that my area hospital had a “Diabetes and Nutrition Center”. I did a quick internet search and gave them a call for more details. They walked me through requesting a referral from my primary doctor, confirming coverage with my insurance, and before I knew it I had an appointment to see a nutritionist. I went to the appointment armed with a three day food diary (as they requested) and lots of questions. I had a bit of fear, as well. I was afraid of them telling me I eat pretty well, I’m pretty active, that’s good enough. I’m safe and don’t have anything to worry about. Luckily, none of that happened. I was able to share why I was there and how my medical and family history led me to reach out for an appointment. (I have a condition commonly known to cause weight gain and increased risk of diabetes, along with my family history, I have the makings of a perfect storm if I do not live carefully) The nutritionist took my concerns very seriously and I left with a lot of practical information and advice. I walked away with a few lasting statements. She said that she has never met anyone who regretted the time and effort they spent to be proactive. I felt relieved that maybe I wasn’t crazy and going off the deep end after all. She also said that between my own health and my family history, I will never live a life where I don’t need to be concerned with what I eat or my activity level. If I find myself with a running injury, I must find another activity, I’ll never be able to hang out on the couch with Netflix until I get better. If I ever get tired of running, I will need to replace it with another activity.

Now, those are some pretty big statements to hear on the eve of your 28th birthday. I mean some days, this life of exercising daily and counting, measuring, and weighing everything you eat is just exhausting and to think I have at least 50 more years of this, it’s a little daunting. But ultimately, my life is worth it. If I choose not to be concerned with my health, one of two things will happen. Either I will not live to see the next 50 years or I will likely have even more life altering complications. I am honestly not sure which is worse. BUT, I still have the chance to be proactive. Sometimes I feel like I am overreacting and implementing rules for myself that are completely unnecessary but I appreciate having a professional confirm that my seemingly overboard rules are actually warranted.

Since I have experienced seeing a nutritionist for myself, I've realized it’s something everyone can benefit from. No matter where you are or what your goals are, they can offer advice, information, and education on improving. If you’re not sure where to start in finding a nutrition professional, check with your primary doctor and let them know you want to be more serious about your health and you’d like to see a nutritionist and find out who they recommend in your area.