You have an annual physical with your doctor and twice-a-year check-ups with the dentist. How about staring an annual Nutrition Check Up? “You can rely on a Registered Dietitian (RD) to help manage your nutritional needs in the same way you rely on your physician to manage your medial needs”, says Joan Hill, a Registered Dietician with the Natick Visiting Nurse Association.

Hill says that her family, friends and patients are amazed to discover how small lifestyle changes, such as adding more vegetables to their daily eating plans, quickly add up and pay big health dividends over time. Registered Dietitians use their nutrition expertise to help individuals make just these types of unique, positive lifestyle changes. “It’s not secret that everyone is different,” says Hill. “Based on a person’s lifestyle, level of activity and medical history, creating a personalized eating plan can help to maximize the body’s ability to function at its best.”
People with high blood pressure, who are overweight, or have a family history of stroke or heart attack can help to address these issues through the foods they eat. Hill, a Certified Diabetes Educator, has also seen that food choices, along with traditional medical care, can help people manage their diabetes successfully. Registered Dieticians can be helpful for people in good health as well. For example, someone who is exceptionally active has very different nutritional needs than a sedentary person.

Many health insurance plans cover visits to a Registered Dietician, sometimes without a doctor’s referral. In 2002, Medicare began reimbursing for medical nutrition therapy provided by an RD for people with diabetes and kidney disease, and private insurers increasingly are covering visits to registered dietitians for treatment of obesity, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels. If you are not sure what your coverage is, call your insurance provider.

In the meantime, there’s no reason you can’t start (or continue) to make nutrition and health a priority. As part of National Nutrition Month, the American Dietetic Association offers a few common-sense tips to get started:
Eating right doesn't have to be complicated. Use Mypyramid.gov to develop a personalized plan for lifelong health.

• The best nutrition advice is based on science. Before adopting any changes to your diet, be sure the information is based in scientific fact.
• Get your food and nutrition facts from the expert: a Registered Dietitian. RDs are uniquely qualified to translate the science of nutrition into reliable advice you can use every day. 
• Balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness. 
• Think nutrient-rich rather than "good" or "bad" foods. The majority of your food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients — and lower in calories. 
• Look at the big picture: No single food or meal makes or breaks a healthful diet. Your total diet is the most important focus for healthful eating. 
• Prepare, handle and store food properly to keep you and your family safe from food-borne illness. 
• Don’t fall prey to food myths and misinformation that may harm rather than benefit your health.
• Read food labels to get nutrition facts that help you make smart food choices quickly and easily.
• Find the healthy fats when making food choices. By choosing polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, you can keep your saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol low.
  

Celebrate National Nutrition Month by making changes that will take you and your family down the road to good health and nutrition. You’ll enjoy the rewards!

Betsy Wadland is Director of Development for the Natick VNA, a non-profit health care organization providing home care to thousands of people throughout MetroWest each year. For more information, call Natick VNA at (508) 653-3081.