What To Expect in Nutrition Counseling

Nutrition advice shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. In fact, it can even change for you over the years. Here’s what to expect from personalized nutrition counseling designed around your health and goals.

Have you ever tried to eat healthier, only to get overwhelmed by conflicting advice about what you should and shouldn’t put on your plate?

You might hear eggs are bad, eggs are good, cut out all carbs, add more carbs, go plant-based, don’t go plant-based, or take this or that supplement. With so much nutrition advice available, figuring out what actually makes sense for your body and health goals can be frustrating.

That’s where nutrition counseling at Infinite Life & Wellness in White Plains, New York, can help.

Evelyn Ha, MD, takes a personalized, holistic approach to nutrition and weight management. Instead of handing you a generic meal plan, she looks at your current diet, lifestyle, health history, available lab results, and goals to help you make informed choices you can realistically maintain.

Here’s what to expect during nutritional counseling with Dr. Ha.

Start with an in-depth look at what you’re already doing

You don’t have to clean out your pantry or start a diet before your first appointment. In fact, Dr. Ha needs to understand what your normal routine looks like first.

During your consultation, you talk about your current eating habits, lifestyle, weight concerns, and health and wellness goals. This gives Dr. Ha a clearer picture of what’s working, what may be missing, and where realistic changes could happen.

She may ask about things like:

What you typically eat and drink in a day
Your meal and snack patterns
Foods you enjoy or avoid
Your activity level
Vitamins and supplements you take
Your weight and body composition concerns
Your short- and long-term health goals

Your first conversation is all about you and Dr. Ha establishing a starting point so you can figure out where to go next.

Review your health and lab results

What you eat is only one part of the picture. When available, Dr. Ha reviews your lab work to identify any vitamin or mineral deficiencies.

For example, fatigue could stem from a vitamin B or vitamin D deficiency. Even vitamin B levels in the low end of normal can contribute to fatigue.

Looking at these factors together helps Dr. Ha make recommendations based on you, rather than the latest nutrition trend.

Build a nutrition plan you can actually follow

There isn’t one perfect diet for everyone, and nutrition counseling shouldn’t leave you feeling like you’re following a long list of someone else’s rules.

Dr. Ha discusses different evidence-based eating patterns, including plant-based and Mediterranean-style diets, and helps you identify an approach that fits your health needs.

For example, if you’re concerned about hypertension, she may talk about the benefits of a plant-based diet for you. Research shows that plant-based diets can lower your risk of ischemic heart disease and can also optimize your blood pressure.

From there, you can work on practical changes you can use at home.

Determine whether supplements belong in your plan

If you’re already taking vitamins or nutritional supplements, Dr. Ha can review your current regimen as part of your consultation. Based on your diet, available lab results, and individual needs, she may recommend changes or nutritional supplementation.

When appropriate, Dr. Ha may recommend nutraMetrix® nutraceuticals as part of your wellness plan.

Talk about movement and the rest of your lifestyle

Good nutrition is just one pillar of good health. As part of your consultation, Dr. Ha can help you identify ways to incorporate more movement into your routine based on your current abilities and lifestyle.

She also considers other aspects of your life and health that may make it more challenging to reach your goals.

That whole-person approach is especially important if weight management is one of your goals. Rather than treating your weight as a problem to be solved with a restrictive diet, nutrition counseling helps you develop habits designed to support your overall health.

Adjust your plan as your needs change

Your nutritional needs and goals can change with age, health conditions, and even your activity levels. For example, women need 1,200 milligrams of calcium starting at age 51.

Sometimes, a recommendation that sounds great on paper simply doesn’t work once you try fitting it into your actual routine.

Ongoing nutritional counseling with Dr. Ha gives you an opportunity to discuss what’s working, troubleshoot what isn’t, and adjust your plan as your needs change.

That can be particularly helpful if you’re working toward a long-term goal such as improving your eating habits, managing your weight, or addressing a nutritional deficiency.

Make nutrition work for your life

You shouldn’t have to spend your life jumping from one restrictive diet to another.

Call us at 914-332-1124 or request an appointment online today to schedule your nutrition and weight-management consultation at our White Plains, New York, office.