What is a PCOS dietitian?
If you’ve been consuming content about PCOS on social media, you’ve probably come across a video or two from a PCOS dietitian or nutritionist… and you’re probably wondering…
What is a PCOS dietitian? Is there a difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?
When should I see a PCOS dietitian?
How can a PCOS dietitian help me?
Will my PCOS dietitian restrict my food?
These are such great questions, and we’re happy to answer them for you. Here at Feed Your Zest, PCOS is one of our main specialties as a practice! We’d love to dive into what we do as registered dietitian nutritionists, and how we help our patients with PCOS thrive. So let’s dive in and answer these common questions.
What is a PCOS dietitian? Is there a difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?
Simply put, a PCOS dietitian is a highly qualified nutrition professional who specializes in using nutrition to manage PCOS, but let’s dive a little deeper!
A dietitian is a healthcare professional whose job is to provide medical nutrition therapy to patients in all walks of life. We can work in many settings, from hospitals, to eating disorder facilities, to private practices, and can specialize in many disease states like diabetes, IBS, food allergies, and more.
In the United States, the title “dietitian” is protected by law in many states, and can only be used by those who are registered dietitian nutritionists. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
“Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are food and nutrition experts with a minimum of a graduate degree from an accredited dietetics program and who completed a supervised practice requirement, passed a national exam and continue professional development throughout their careers.”
Unfortunately, the title “nutritionist” is not protected by law in the US. I like to explain that the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist is a bit of a square vs rectangle scenario; all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians. So, while dietitians are absolutely highly qualified nutritionists, your Aunt Sally with no nutrition degree could technically call herself a nutritionist, even if she’s not offering good advice.
Here at Feed Your Zest, we are all registered dietitian nutritionists with master’s degrees and multiple years of experience working with folks who have PCOS. We love what we do!
When should I see a PCOS dietitian?
PCOS is both a hormonal and a metabolic condition, and a lot of research shows that even basic nutrition and lifestyle changes can help with symptom management. So, we recommend seeing a PCOS dietitian as soon as you are diagnosed and interested in making changes!
If you’ve had PCOS for a very long time, it’s never too late to see a dietitian. PCOS is a lifelong, chronic condition, and any nutrition changes you might make should support you through old age. Whether you struggle with acne, insulin resistance, disordered eating, weight gain, hair growth, inflammation, infertility, or irregular periods, the time to see a PCOS dietitian is now!
How can a PCOS dietitian help me?
PCOS is associated with increased risk of eating disorders, infertility, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, mood disorders, and nutrient deficiencies. On top of this, the internet is rife with misleading claims about PCOS “cures” and extreme diets meant to “reverse” PCOS. This can get really overwhelming, especially if all you’re getting from your doctor is “lose weight, take metformin or birth control, and come back when you want to get pregnant.” You deserve evidence-based, compassionate, and individualized support to manage your PCOS symptoms.
A PCOS dietitian can help you build an individualized plan to meet your nutrition and lifestyle goals through a process called nutrition counseling.
We help our patients make small, achievable changes that are in line with evidence-based nutrition science for those with PCOS. Your dietitian can look at your lab work, medical history, allergies, culture, and preferences, and make specific recommendations for foods and supplements to add to your eating pattern that will help you thrive. In this process, we can also help you work on improving your relationship with food and body image with mindful/intuitive eating techniques and myth busting that will help you improve your confidence with taking care of your body. Your dietitian may also have additional expertise to offer in areas like exercise, diabetes management, or breastfeeding that may be relevant to your goals as well.
Whether you are trying to conceive or not, your PCOS dietitian can follow you through your journey and support you for as long as you need them. We tailor our recommendations to help you THRIVE with PCOS.
Will my PCOS dietitian restrict my food?
While some PCOS dietitians may have a restrictive approach, the answer to this question from the RDNs here at Feed Your Zest is a resounding NO. Having worked with eating disorders, or experienced them ourselves, we strongly believe that your relationship with food is extremely important, and will never push our clients to restrict their food intake or demonize certain foods. We take a body positive approach to our work, and will help you support your body with PCOS no matter your size.