We are glad to share one of our

Happy client’s Experience!

I have reached that age when I am starting to appreciate the complexities of food and diet. Sure, you always know to “eat healthy food” and various iterations of carbs or fat or dairy or meats “are bad”.

But as I moved along my 30s, I started to become more sensitive to my changing health. I know that with my family history of diabetes, I am at risk. I also have had my fair share of hormonal fluctuations with the painful ordeal of adult acne! I know that I am not obese, but I am not a healthy weight either. I know that I tend to get tired more easily lately, and I am definitely not exercising even remotely as much as I should!

So, like any millennial adult I did what we do best – go online and consult the internet. I mean, the internet is a great resource for a lot of legitimate information. You can spend hours reading everything about pre-diabetes, and diets, and blogs. Why bother going to a doctor or dietitian?

I was drawn to the Keto Diet

 it seemed to be trending, and a lot of people – bloggers, Instagrammers – raving about this weight loss method. It seemed like Keto could cure you of just about anything! So, off I went full-throttle on the Keto – completely off carbs, lots of meats, and cheese. It didn’t even take long for my system to collapse! In a week, I was starting to feel weak, tired all the time, couldn’t think clearly. I was actually in worse health than when I started!

So, here’s the deal. Just because you have access to all this free information on the internet, doesn’t mean you have the means to process it. There is a lot of nutritional information that any layperson can, and should, learn – we all know what entails a healthy, balanced diet. But the foods we eat are complex – in what they contain and how they affect our body. That is the whole point of nutritional science – understanding the components of food, how they affect us, and how to adapt diets to solve specific nutritional problems.

After my failed Keto experiment, I decided to consult a professional, licensed dietitian – Ms. Ashu Gupta – on recommendation from a colleague who had himself benefited from her help. Ashu has helped me realize that weight gain is a symptom, which can have a variety of causes. Feeling bloated or lethargic could be from food allergies or a developing medical condition. A dietitian is trained to understand these symptoms and help manage or treat them with a specific nutritional plan that actually addresses the problem. The keto diet, for instance, is primarily meant to be used to manage seizures in children with epilepsy. There is limited research on their effectiveness in treating diabetes or obesity.

My primary goal was weight loss, but I also wanted to feel healthy and energetic. Keto was not required for me. Ashu created a diet plan for me keeping these goals in mind, as well as my lifestyle and medical history. She also taught me a bit about nutrition and has helped me be mindful of what I eat. Most importantly, having a personal dietitian helps you have a champion who can guide you to safely and effectively reach your health goals!

My take on whether you should have a personal dietitian? I can either spend some money now and get fitter through natural, healthy habits, or I can spend that money a few years down the line on pharmaceuticals to manage my health. I would much rather invest in my health now!