Ahh yes, this question is a good one.

I am in a few Gastroparesis support groups on Facebook and between that and my emails, this is a POPULAR question with a lot of varying answers.

Why is this so popular? Well, doctors often suggest change in diet for help with Gastroparesis, but they have either zero suggestions or they give you those sheets that are created by someone who has never experienced Gastroparesis and must think eating garbage is good for you… I digress.

And then along with that, they refer you to a dietician or tell you to seek out help from a nutritionist.

My doctor did the same…. and I think we can guess how that went.

Let’s start from the beginning, though.

What is a Nutritionist or Dietician?

A simple Wikipedia search gives us the definition of each.

“A nutritionist is a person who advises others on matters of food and nutrition and their impacts on health. Some people specialize in particular areas, such as sports nutrition, public health, or animal nutrition, among other disciplines.”

Typically, nutritionists have certifications, not degrees. They also cannot diagnose or technically “treat” any disease or condition. Unfortunately, this leaves a lot of gray areas, and for those who do go through rigorous certification programs, it can be frustrating when people call themselves nutritionists and all they did is just decide they wanted to be one.

To contrast this,

“A dietician is an expert in identifying and treating disease-related malnutrition and in conducting medical nutrition therapy. Many dietitians work in hospitals and usually see specific patients where a nutritional assessment and intervention has been requested by a doctor or nurse, for example if a patient has lost their ability to swallow or requires artificial nutrition due to intestinal failure. Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat such problems.”

Dieticians can be wonderful resources in the medical setting and can diagnose and treat different situations.

There are pros and cons to both.

So, can they help with Gastroparesis?

Yes. If they know what they are doing.

There are a few things you need to ask your nutritionist or dietician before working with them:

1. Are they familiar with Gastroparesis?

2. How many clients/patients have they had with Gastroparesis?

3. What is their success rate with those clients/patients?

4. Are they open to trying non-traditional methods to help with Gastropareis?

If they can answer all of those with a yes or a good success rate, then I think they are 100% worth it and can be incredibily helpful. If not, then they won’t be much more help than the internet searches that tell you the same things over and over.

When I saw the dietician, she had only heard about Gastroparesis, but had never worked with a patient with it. Not her fault.

I stayed open to what she was advising, but unfortunately, it was just more printouts of what I had already seen from top clinics and what my doctor had mentioned.

It didn’t work, and she didn’t have enough familiarity with the condition to try new approaches. I don’t fault her at all, but for me, it wasn’t worth it.

Hence why I went through a few years of training to become a nutritionist and go through my own journey of healing to help those of you suffering with Gastroparesis.

So, I will answer those questions myself:

1. Are they familiar with Gastroparesis? Well, ummm, yes. lol

2. How many clients/patients have they had with Gastroparesis? I have clients, not patients since I am not licensed. I have helped 15 clients in the last 3 years. I took a break during 2022 and didn’t take on any client during the year.

3. What is their success rate with those clients/patients? Currently, my success rate is a 93%. I can give clients my absolute all, but if they don’t/can’t put in the work, then it won’t be successful.

4. Are they open to trying non-traditional methods to help with Gastropareis? Let’s try whatever it takes! I am all about trying different methods. I am open to medical options, natural options, etc. I think we can all work together to find different methods to help you with your Gastroparesis. And that’s how it should be. If you come to me with something you’ve heard, we will discuss it and see if it’s worth trying, because in the end, it’s not about me, it’s about you and your life and your health.

I hope this has been helpful for you if you have been wondering about seeing a nutritionist or dietician. Maybe your doctor referred you, but you are skeptical, and that’s 100% understandable. Take those questions I metioned above and ask them. Once you have their answers, you can make an informed decision if they will be the best help for you or not.

If you are interested in learning more about working with me, I would love the opportunity to chat.

Learn more about the 1-on-1 program I offer to help you with your Gastroparesis here.

Until next time,

Keep it Fresh. Keep it Simple. Keep it Real.

Aubrey