I hope you have found this series an invaluable resource of nutriton information.
This is the nineth post in the series…
Best Books Written by Registered Dietitians
(Note: At the top of each post in this series, I have provided a description of what a dietitian is; therefore, if you have read any of the other posts in the series, you may want to skip down to the list portion.)
You may be asking…
So what exactly IS a Registered Dietitian, and why do I want to take note when a health and wellness book is written by a Registered Dietitian?
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A registered dietitian, by definition, is considered the expert in the field of nutrition science. The term Registered Dietitian is actually different than a nutritionist. In fact, the term nutritionist is not a regulated term and has a more general meaning. The term registered dietitian, however, is regulated much like the terms doctor or lawyer. In other words, you are not allowed to call yourself a doctor unless you are a doctor, and you cannot call yourself a registered dietitian unless you have completed all the academic and professional requirements.
Requirements for Registered Dietitians
So what are the requirements? Is there some kind of certification you need to be a registered dietitians?
Actually, you cannot just get a certification to become a registered dietitian. Whereas there might be certifications available for nutritionists.
To become an RD you must:
-
Complete a Bachelors Degree at a college accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Dietetic Education. Some of the required courses generally included are:
- Microbiology
- Medical Nutrition Therapy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Evidence Base Nutrition
- Human Nutrition and Metabolism
- Nutrition Counseling
- and more
2. Complete 1200 hours of a competitive internship (The internship is usually completed in hospitals, community service agencies, medical clinics, etc)
3. Pass the CDR Exam
Just like a lawyer can’t practice law without passing an exam, an RD cannot become a registered dietitian without pasing the CDR.
4. In addition, by 2024, all register dietitian will be required to have a master’s degree as well. Many RD’s already do.
5. Complete Continuing Education Units throughout their career to keep their registered dietitian credentials.
So you can see why it is a plus when a health and nutrition book is written by a registered dieitian. I want to preface here that just because an RD is considered the expert, doesn’t mean you can’t get great nutrition information and advice from non-dietitians. People who have a passion for nutrition or people who have discovered something that works for them can write insightful nutrition books.
Many health and wellness enthusiasts have done extensive research on their own and have valuable information, but if you are getting advice from non-dietitians, I would recommend looking for the following:
- Are they getting their information from a Registered Dietitian? Are they seeing what multiple registered dieitians have to say about the topic before giving advice?
- Do they know when it is time to refer their clients to a registered dietitian? Many informed people have general nutrition knowledge, but when a client or customer needs medical nutrition therapy; then, a dietitian may be needed. Dietitians are trained in nutrition as it relates to diseases, drug-food interactions, tube feeding, enteral nutrition (nutrients through the veins), and various other medical conditions. These topics can get complicated and even be dangerous if incorrect information is given.
For example, someone may tell a client to eat more bananas because bananas are healthy, after all, BUT if a person has kidney failure and is on dialysis, too many bananas could put someone in the hosptial or worse!
One Final Note..
So one final thought before we move on to the book lists. If a book is written by a non-RD, you may want to see if a registered dietitian has written a review about the book, recommended the book, or even written a forward for the book.
Nutrition books written by non-dietitians are not a deal breaker, by any means, but you can see why seeing that RD beside an author’s name in a nutrition book is a plus.
Okay now for the good stuff…
The 9th post in this series is…
Weight Loss Books by Registered Dietitians
Diabetes Weight Loss: Week by Week: A Safe, Effective Method for Losing Weight and Improving Your Health
This guide takes people with diabetes through the simple week-by-week steps toward lasting weight loss and improved health. Readers gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence required for permanent weight loss and lifestyle change. I love that this book includes inspriational stories from real people who have improved their health.
The Mindful Diet: How to Transform Your Relationship with Food for Lasting Weight Loss and Vibrant Health
If you have read some of my past posts, you know that I have had a history of weight gain. In fact, being called a “two ton whale” in middle school was the negative motivator that started me on a weight loss journey. I kept the weight off for years, but then gained weight right after I got married. It was when I stopped focusing on weight and focused on mindful eating that I naturally lost 55 pounds without needing willpower, without counting calories, without dieting, or getting on the scale. I only know how much weight I lost because I saw the weight at the doctors office. This books is about the power of mindfulness and mindful eating. “The Mindful Diet” discusses how mindfulness and mindful eat can help with with lasting weight loss!
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals
Remember when I said mindful eating helped me lose 55 pounds? Well this book is about that! Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals provides mindful living and mindful eating strategies as well as make-ahead freezer meals. The goal of these freezer meals to make it easier and less stressful for families to eat healthy meals at home. Did you know developing a routine and planning your meals are the keys to lasting weight loss? That is why I designed Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals!
The freezer meals in this ebook are designed to helps families develop a stress-free meal prep routine. This faith-based mindfulness and nutrition ebook is perfect for busy families who just can’t seem to find the time to cook healthy meals everyday. Developed by a dietitian, this ebook shows you how to make ALL you breakfast, lunches, and dinners for the WHOLE month in one day.
This ebook is for moms and families looking to:
- Decrease stress,
- Eat healthier meals at home
- Lose weight,
- Have more daily free time,
- Reduce the grocery bill,
- Simplify cooking, meal planning, and their day, and
- Mindfully ENJOY eating healthy meals in the presence of God.
Lean Body Smart Life: 12-Fix Plan to a Leaner, Healthier, Happier Life
I am an organizer and list maker so I love how organized this book is. In Judith Scharman Draughon’s book, Judith narrows down the science into what she considers the 12 most important things you can do for your health and wellness- all without being on a diet!
The Teen Eating Manifesto: The Ten Essential Steps to Losing Weight, Looking Great and Getting Healthy (Volume 1)
Just as the title suggests, this book is geared towards teens and explores the 10 essential steps to losing weight in a healthy way. The Teen Eating Manifesto is for teens, regardless of their weight, who want to live a healthier lives.
The DASH Diet Younger You: Shed 20 Years–and Pounds–in Just 10 Weeks (A DASH Diet Book)
Backed by research, the DASH diet has been shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, slow the aging process, and help with weight loss. This book provides everything you need to incorporate the DASH diet in your life, including meal plans and recipes.
Dressing on the Side (and Other Diet Myths Debunked): 11 Science-Based Ways to Eat More, Stress Less, and Feel Great about Your Body (2019)
Dressing on the Side offers a realistic science-based approach to life, and yes, weight loss!
This book provided tools and solutions that work with YOUR specific life. Some of the topics discussed are idetifying “fake” nutrition news; eating to feel satisfied, not just full; and how to form life-long habits even in a world where we are busier than ever.
The Nourishing Meal Builder
When I started as a dietitian 15 years ago (eeek!!!!), my focus was weight loss. Okay, I was obsessed with weight loss. You see, I was made fun of in middle school for being “the chubby girl.” When I lost weight, I was determined to help others do the same.
When it was time to go to college, I knew I wanted to major in Human Nutrition. Overtime though, I began to see that nutrition was not all about weight. Foods could nourish and even stop some illnesses and conditions in their tracks! I also began to realize that we are all built differently. In other words, you cant just look at someone and tell how “healthy” they are.
Eventually I began incorporating mindful eating practices so that I could enjoy my food more and stop food obsessing. I also began to focus on eating to nourish and heal my body regardless of weight.
A few things happened:
1. Symptoms like seasonal allergies, mucus drainage, and acne went away.
2. My mood improved thanks to mood boosting foods
3. I started enjoying food. Food is a love of mine now instead of something I fear.
4. My weight naturally fell into a zone that felt good to me.
So Is This a Weight Loss Book?
So if you want to lose weight, that is okay too! There are reasons you may want to lose weight:
– Maybe you want to lose weight to see if your joint pain will improve (there are foods for that, and they are listed in The Nourishing Meal Builder);
-Or maybe you want to lose weight to significantly reduce the risk of developing chronic disease (yup, there are foods for that as well listed in The Nourishing Meal Builder);
-Or maybe you just want more energy to play and embrace life (These foods are listed in The Nourishing Meal Builder too!)
Btw, food that aid in weight loss are also listed in The Nourishing Meal Builder!
So you may still want to lose weight, but if you focus on mindful eating and become more intentional about eating healing, nourishing foods, you will more times than not find that your weight will naturally fall into a healthy place for you.
THAT is what The Nourishing Meal Builder is all about!
Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN is the owner of Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC and Mindful Vending (a dietitian owned and operated vending company). Ngo, who is one of top experts in faith-based mindfulness and nutrition, is the author of several faith-based mindfulness and nutrition books including, Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals, The Nourishing Meal Builder, and Faith, Mindfulness, & Nutrition. Whether it’s through quick snacks in her vending machines, her healthy freezer meal recipes, or her Meal Builder Cards, included in The Nourishing Meal Builder, Ngo is determined to make eating healthy as easy and stress-free as possible for people with busy lives!
Related Posts
Meal Prep & Meal Planning Books Written by Registered Dietitians
Healthy Living Books Written by Registered Dietitians
Healthy Cookbooks Written by Registered Dietitians
Childhood Nutrition Books Written by Registered Dietitians
How Does the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook Plan Work?
Faith-Based Weight Loss Courses and Books
Sports Nutrition Books by Registered Dietitians
Holistic Health Books by Registered Dietitians
Books for Registered Dietitians by Registered Dietitians
Nutrition for Specific Conditions: Books Written by Registered Dietitians
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