A while back I sat at lunch with some family members and of all things, the topic of Dr. Oz came up. I’ll be going into a little more detail, but in a nutshell – this is what I think of when I hear someone in my office bring up Dr. Oz:
Disclaimer: I would never actually hit a client, but it illustrates the frustration many dietitians have providing sound nutrition advice when there is so much nutrition misinformation out there…even from some doctors. I guess my point is that doctors and dietitians have been trained in very different things. I do not pretend to know how to fix a broken arm so why would a doctor pretend to be an expert in nutrition? Most doctors have had very few, if any, nutrition courses during medical school. I’ll leave the broken arm mending to you doctor, leave the nutrition education and recommendations up to the nutrition experts. Thanks.
Now don’t get me wrong, Dr. Oz has had registered dietitians appear on his show and provide some sound nutrition advice. But for the majority of his shows, he is often pushing some supplement or product that promises a quick fix to weight loss or other health problems (and makes him $$$). Let me burst your bubble and tell you right now…there is no magic pill that will fix all your health problems or make you lose weight overnight and keep it off. Once you stop taking that supposedly magic pill, you will most likely gain the weight back, and possibly even more. What Dr. Oz often fails to overly promote is real lifestyle changes, re: diet and exercise. Those are boring, right? Why would you watch an afternoon talk show where someone just told you it may take a little bit longer, but with a healthy, wholesome diet and exercise you CAN lose weight and keep it off. Ratings would probably go down. But without those lifestyle changes, don’t expect much of a long-term change.
My Beef with Dr. Oz...and others alike Share on XNow I’m not just picking on Dr. Oz, but more of what he represents: all ‘doctors’ and others alike who promote quick fixes to health and weight loss (see my post on how to spot a fad diet), as well as others who use fearmongering and scare tactics into making you think the ONLY way to eat right is to eat organic, non-GMO, raw, paleo, gluten-free, vegan, etc. Fad diets are called a fad for a reason: they are often widely shared and popular, but most are short-lived and without basis in the object’s (or in this case diet’s) qualities. Yes, for some people those diets work and are needed (i.e.- gluten free for celiac disease), but for most a more holistic and realistic approach works best.
What does a holistic and realistic approach look like? It could be a variety of things, depending on the person. Everyone has unique needs and may require a different approach to a healthy lifestyle. Yes, there are some overarching themes, but getting down to the day-to-day lifestyle choices is where the individualization comes in. A doctor does not have the time to sit with a patient to go over their meal patterns and help them figure how they can make diet changes to improve their health. They might have time to say, “lose weight, exercise and eat healthy – oh, and here’s a pamphlet.” They are busy, I get that. That’s where registered dietitian nutritionists come into play. We DO have the time to sit with you and figure out what changes can be made, according to your likes, dislikes and needs. We have had years of training and experience to help you with this – it’s what we do every day! So next time you are thinking about trying out a new diet or want some sound nutrition advice, seek out a registered dietitian nutritionist. You can use this tool from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to help find one in your area. You also CAN find credible nutrition advice online by following other registered dietitian bloggers. For a HUGE list of links, check out this post on Registered Dietitians Who Blog by Lindsay of The Lean Green Bean.
Tell Me: What is one of your pet peeves related to health and nutrition?
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