A functional and integrative approach to health and healing looks at the how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease. It is a whole person approach looking at the entirety of the person including how the systems of the body function as well as how their lifestyle effects health outcomes.
Registered Dietitians and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists are food and nutrition experts who are leaders in the field of nutrition and have met the minimum academic and professional requirements to quality for credentials of an “RD” or “RDN”.
Nothing! Registered dietitians have been given the choice of integrating the term nutritionist into their credential if they would like. Some dietitians like myself believe that adding the term nutritionist to our title gives more clarity as to what we do. Because registered dietitians are the nutrition experts!
The “RD” credential is a legally protected title that can only be used by practitioners who are authorized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Some RDs may call themselves “nutritionists,” but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. The definition and requirements for the term “nutritionist” vary. Some states have licensure laws that define the range of practice for someone using the designation “nutritionist,” but in other states, virtually anyone can call him- or herself a “nutritionist” regardless of education or training.
Individuals with the RD credential have fulfilled specific requirements, including having earned at least a bachelor’s degree (about half of RDs hold advanced degrees), completed a supervised practice program and passed a registration examination — in addition to maintaining continuing education requirements for recertification.
This question and answer is supplied from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Website: http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6713)
MS – I hold a Masters of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics by Eastern Michigan University.
RDN – Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, which is the credential authorized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
LD – Licensed Dietitian is the credential of the Idaho Board of Medicine and allows me to practice nutrition therapy in the state of Idaho.
CLT – This stands for Certified LEAP Therapist, and refers to the education that I have received specifically in the area the Mediator Release (blood) Test (MRT®), and the subsequent immuno-calm therapy that I provide for food hypersensitivities (LEAP protocol).
Dietitians work in a variety of areas including hospitals (clinical), community service, government, private practice, primary care physicians offices, and the list goes on! I am a dietitian in private practice, which is the area I love!
In private practice I have the opportunity to help people that are struggling with an area of health or nutrition and work along side them to better their life. Whether it is weight loss/gain, nutrition education, or a disorder like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, or migraine (any disease with pain and inflammation components), I work diligently with my clients to bring them to a better quality of life.
At this time I am in network with Blue Cross, Select Health, United Healthcare and Medicare, and I can submit a claim to your insurance on your behalf whether I am in network with your insurance or not.
If you plan to use insurance I would recommend that you check with your insurance to see if “dietary counseling” is covered under your plan. It may also be called “medical nutrition therapy.” You can have them look up procedure codes 97802 and 97803 to see if those are covered under your plan. Quite often these will be included in your “Wellness Benefits” or “Preventative Benefits.”
This part is important: if your insurance covers procedure codes 97802 and 97803 then you must also have them check to make sure that the diagnosis code that I will be using will be covered: Z71.3 (Dietary counseling and surveillance). This is the ONLY code that I can use without having a referral from a doctor. If it is not covered then you need to call your doctor for a referral (unless they already referred you to me) in order for you to have them send me a diagnosis code that is covered by your insurance.
If you will be paying out of pocket for nutrition counseling, my hourly rate is $150 payable by cash, check, Venmo or debit/credit card at the conclusion of the appointment. I also can take Flexible Spending Plans and Health Savings Account credit cards.
LEAP stands for Lifestyle Eating and Performance and encompasses the Mediator Release (blood) Test (MRT®) as well as the LEAP anti-inflammatory eating plan. This protocol can provide quick and lasting relief for irritable bowel syndrome, migraine, fibromyalgia, auto-immune disease and a wide range of other health problems, typically those associated with pain and/or inflammation.