Leslie Mason Professor DiAngelis Date Informative Essay The Expert Source My day shadowing a registered dietitian opened

my eyes, I learned so much about what it meant to be a registered dietitian, how it's different from being a nutritionist, some pros and cons of the RD title, and current dietary happenings. However by far, the most important thing I lerarned is that there is a serious difference between being a nutritionist and a registered dietitian. I know now that on the one hand every registered dietitian is a nutritionist, yet on the other, every nutritionist is most definitely not a registered dietitian. According to the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, a registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements which qualify one for the credential "RD". Whereas a nutritionist is simply one who studies or is trained in the field of nutrition. Having an respected and legally protected title that is authorized by the Comimission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the bachelors degree is very different from obtaining a clinical nutritional certification. The first requires a four year accredited college degree and the latter requiring a one and a half year technicial school completion diploma. I believe it's this education that one must attain to earn a "RD" that truly sets them apart from a nutritionist. When thinking of the bennifits and the drawbacks of obtaining the "RN"cred v.s. getting a nutritional certification a few big points on each side come to mind. The bennifits of having obtained a registered dietitian title include a lot more flexibility when definining your work parameters. Within the majority of the companies I researched, having the "RN" cred entitles one to higher salary negotiations, more desirable work hours, and a bennifits package. It is unfortunate but there are in fact some downsides to this respected title: many well known, facilities like hospitals and eating disorder centers require their "RD" to be on call, or after graduating and spending all that money on a bachelors degree several hundred more hours of supervised training are yet required, and no matter how well one can plan healthy meals and lifestyle eating tips sometimes a terminally I'll patient you are working with will die. While talking with the Registered Dietitian I was shadowing we were discussing the importance of maintaining an up to date knowladge of current dietary information and new nutritional breakthroughs. When asked about the most current breakthrough she knew about in the dietary industry she replied that she had read a research study done by the undergraduate students at Conneticut College about how foods high in fat and sugar aka junk foods can be just as addicting as cocaine or crystal meth. She told me that the research showed how some scientists believe certain foods trigger the brain to signal for more and immitate a craving, similar to the way addictive drugs prompt cravings; if we don't fulfill the brain's request, the body could produce a physical response (like caffeine headaches or worse) similar to withdrawal symptoms. Study designer and neuroscience major Jamie Honohan said in a statement that "these junk foods may present even more of a danger because of

their accessibility and affordability." I was astounded by how much sense the study made. The Reistered Dietitian nodded and reiterated that it is truly and incredibly important it is for a registered dietitian to maintain the most current knowladge on dietary breakthroughs no matter how busy they are with their work. As stated earlier being a registered dietitian is very different from being a nutritionist and this assignment response was not meant to darken the names of the clinica Nutritionists of the industry but rather shine anspotlight on the registered dietitians in the industry and share how tough their road is, and also how worthy the rewards are. I am proud to be working towards becoming a registered dietitian, and look forward to the day I can recieve my "RD" credential and be acknowledged for the work I've put into my career choice.