What happens during a visit to a clinical nutritionist?
Your first visit to a clinical nutritionist may last from 11/2 to 3 hours. During the initial part of the visit, the clinical nutritionist will ask you questions about your medical history, family history, and personal lifestyle. Some clinical nutritionists will ask you to bring to your first meeting a 3-day food diary and any herbs, supplements, or medicines that you take regularly. This way, he or she will get a full picture of your nutritional lifestyle. During the second part of the visit, the nutritionist will recommend ways that you can fill the gaps and reduce the nutritional “overloads” in your diet. For example, he or she may suggest that you schedule your meals at different times or cut down on the amount of carbohydrates that you eat. He or she will also offer advice on specific nutritional supplements (see below). The nutritionist will then schedule follow-up visits to monitor the progression of your health.
