What can I expect during a nutritional counseling session?

The goal of a nutritional counseling session is to help you with your individual nutrition needs and fulfill your physician’s orders. A physician referral is needed. Our office staff can obtain this by contacting your physician.  Many insurance companies cover nutrition counseling, referred to as Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT).  You may want to check your insurance benefits.
                     
An initial appointment usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. During the session, the dietitian will take a diet history to assess your current eating habits and food preferences. The majority of the visit is spent talking, no blood work will be done.

We suggest that you keep a food journal of what you eat and drink for a few days and bring it with you to your appointment. If you have diabetes and check your blood sugars, bring those records with you, too, or you may want to use this Diabetes Self-Care Form to record food and blood sugars. We also suggest that you think beforehand about topics you want to discuss. For example, if there are specific foods you want to discuss, feel free to bring food labels.

Although this is a one-on-one appointment, you may bring someone with you, especially if they help you with the cooking or grocery shopping. Visual aids are used to help teach you about food portions, labels, and other aspects of your nutrition prescription. You will receive up-to-date educational materials, and if indicated, a meal plan will be set up. 

Follow-up appointments are scheduled as needed. This will be determined by you and your dietitian. They typically last 15 to 30 minutes.