Hello, welcome to Dietitian-Nutritionist.com! My name is Katherine Harmer and I’m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I am a food and nutrition expert and I love to inspire others to be healthier and live better. I have worked in many nutrition settings such as hospitals, foodservice systems, teaching facilities, counseling services, and community agencies.
I love food and I love thinking about anything food-related. All. Day. Long! Food is something we can all relate to. Our lives practically revolve around food, we plan our schedules based around meals, and we’re all just trying to try to eat a little more vegetables and a little less sugar.
No one is perfect, but we’re all striving to be a little better today than we were yesterday.
I want this to be a place where you can go for trusted nutrition information. Here you won’t find any nutrition advice that is based on fad diets, popular trends, or scams to get your money. I share topics that are research-based, healthy, and realistic to meet your lifestyle. I like to reference the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and other credible nutrition resources so you know where I’m getting my information and so you can learn more as you do your own research.
What is a dietitian? Dietitians are the experts in nutrition, accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. See also: Qualifications of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
How do you become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist? A dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met the academic and professional requirements. In order to become a dietitian (not dietician- please don’t spell it with a “c”), I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in dietetics with rigorous coursework in food and nutrition sciences, foodservice systems management, business, finance, biochemistry, physiology, chemistry, you name it!
I also completed an extensive, accredited, supervised internship at health care facilities, community agencies, and foodservice corporations and passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
Now I work in the nutrition field and I regularly complete continuing professional educational requirements to maintain my registration and to keep up to date on nutrition research.
Dietitian versus Nutritionist: Please note, anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist“, that is not a protected title. There is no special education or requirements to be a nutritionist. Some dietitians call themselves nutritionists, but we have the education, knowledge, and expertise that other “nutritionists” do not have. If you are looking for nutrition information, make sure it comes from a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist! We are the qualified professionals when it comes to nutrition and food.
What does a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) do? A dietitian is your trusted source for credible food and nutrition information. We counsel individuals on nutrition issues to promote health and manage disease. We can help you build a healthy lifestyle with an easy-to-follow plan to improve your health that is realistic for your lifestyle and tailored to your individual needs.
We help manage chronic disease (high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, etc.), food allergies and sensitivities, genetic disorders, lifestyle changes, obesity and weight loss, etc. We advise people on what to eat to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve health-related outcomes.
If you meet with a dietitian, we will ask about your current eating habits, food trends, and typical patterns. We will teach you how to change your diet to achieve your goals. We can make a personalized eating plan for you and set you on the best path to reach your goals. Many insurances will also cover visits with an RD with a doctor’s referral.
I also do online consultations. Reach out to me by email to schedule.
Contact Me
katherine@fuelingteens.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Katherine Harmer, RDN
Contributing Writers for Dietitian-Nutritionist.com:
Hannah Cook
Jessica Ashton, RD
Mariah Barlow, RDN