What to look for in a gut health nutritionist

Looking after your gut is all the rage at the moment, so getting booked in with one that aligns with your goals now is essential to avoid waiting times! But it’s not as simple as finding the first nutritionist you see – most use wildly different practices and therefore some might not be best for you. If you’re trying to find the right gut health nutritionist for you, there are some things you need to consider looking for to find the perfect match. Keep reading before seeing a dietitian for gut health to avoid wasting your time! 

Qualities to look for in a gut health nutritionist

When shopping around for the right professional for you, there are a few things you can look for to make sure you’re looking in the right place. Here are a few to check off as you compare nutritionists before getting in touch: 

1. Always check their credentials

Any good nutritionist should have an endless list of terms and credentials for you to look at. It can take a while to sift through all of them, but we think it’s well worth the effort as you can hone in on their certification, education, and experience level! If you find a nutritionist with the letters ‘RD’ or ‘RDN’ next to their name, this usually means that they’ve completed a bachelor’s degree, a dietetic internship, and a national exam set by the Australian Dietetic Skills Recognition (DSR) – which are three impressive credentials already! These letters basically tell you that they’ve been through three levels of training.

But what about the nutritionists who don’t have these credentials next to their name? Some people use the term ‘nutritionist’ even when they have different levels of professional experience and expertise – it’s up to you whether you’re happy with the credentials they offer or not. Nutrition is considered unregulated in Australia, so some people might not have any qualifications at all. 

2. What are previous customers saying about them? 

While a nutritionist can have amazing qualifications and a really impressive résumé, if the customer testimonials are telling you to avoid them, then you may want to look elsewhere. While you know best and can follow your own mind, the last thing you want to do is work with someone who is inconsistent and difficult to reach out to. If there are loads of bad reviews online, you might need to take the hint and keep looking. 

3. Look for their specific approaches and methods

Before you even consider working with the nutritionist, we highly recommend you asking yourself what your goals and intentions are – along with what you want to get out of each session. Many nutritionists have their own approaches and methods that you might simply not get along with. For example, if you know you need a firm instructor who will keep on top of you to make sure you achieve your goals, working with a nutritionist who’s renowned for being gentle and nurturing may not get you where you want to be. 

One of the best ways to get a feel for your nutritionist’s methods is to give them a call. During a quick phone conversation, you should be able to get a feel of a personality approach and methods, and hopefully let you know if you’re compatible with each other. Some nutritionists offer an introductory phone call, so definitely take advantage of this if you’re offered it! 

4. Do they have any specialties listed? 

Most nutritionists will have an area of expertise They are best educated in, whether that be health, diabetes, eating disorders, or more. If you know of a specific area you want to work on your gut, such as food sensitivities or stomach pain, then you can look for a nutritionist who specialises in these areas. Otherwise, if you’re looking for more generalised treatment, there are many nutritionists who simply specialise in all things gut related. 

It might take you a while to find the best fit when looking specifically at their specialties, but it’s an important step that we highly recommend so you don’t end up wasting your time with someone who’s not trained in the goals and intentions you’re hoping to achieve. 

Final thoughts

No one said finding the perfect gut health nutritionist for you was going to be easy – in fact, it can be quite a long slog if we’re honest! But making sure you find the best professional for you, who’s actually going to make a difference in your gut health, can make all the difference. Do lots of research beforehand and never miss a complimentary introductory call, as these can help you get a vibe of the nutritionist and see if you’ll be a good fit for the future.