Soulitude Health is now able to offer the services of an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD), at all three of our practice locations. So what is an APD and what can they do for you?
An APD is a university qualified professional certified to deliver advice on diet and nutrition in a variety of medical conditions, as well as for general health and wellbeing. Although many practitioners can call themselves nutritionists, they do not require any specific training to do so. A credentialed APD however, has undertaken a relevant university degree and is required to complete continuing professional development to ensure you are provided with up-to-date, scientific information which is evidence based.
APDs work in a variety of settings including community and public health, hospitals and in private practice and often work as part of a team with other health professionals to provide the best health outcomes for patients and clients.
How can an APD help you?
Whether you want to lose weight, have a specific medical condition which requires nutritional management or just want to eat a healthier diet and improve your health and wellbeing, an APD can help you set and achieve dietary goals, develop a personalized meal plan to suit your needs and food preferences and provide information about all things diet related. Visiting an APD can be beneficial is you have any of the following conditions:
• Diabetes (Type 1 or 2)
• High cholesterol levels
• Heart Disease
• Overweight/ obesity
• High blood pressure
• Coeliac disease
• Food allergies or intolerances
• Nutrient deficiencies (e.g. low iron levels)
• Osteoporosis and arthritis
• Poor dietary intake and weight loss
• Irritable Bowel disease
• Crohns Disease
• Constipation
• Kidney Disease
• Pulmonary disease
• Reflux
• Diverticulitus
• PCOS
• Eating disorders
However, you do not need to have a specific medical condition to benefit from visiting an APD. They can also provide information on general healthy eating, eating for pregnancy and lactation, healthy eating on a budget and eating for sports performance. Dietitians can also help clients to develop good eating practices through mindful eating principles to prevent overeating.
Children may also benefit from visiting an APD, who can provide information and dietary planning in the following areas:
• Failure to thrive
• Fussy eating
• Childhood obesity
• Introducing solids
• Healthy foods for children at various stages of growth
• Dietary management of various paediatric conditions.
Visiting an APD can be a great way to get the support and information you need to improve your health outcomes, manage illness, lose weight and feel great. There is no one diet that suits everybody, so forget all the Fad diets out there and get your own personalized diet based on SCIENTIFIC information that is more likely to help you achieve your long term goals and fits in with your life.
