I realized recently that over all the time I’ve talked about what I do or what I’ve noticed in this profession, I’ve never really talked about what a consultation looks like. Over the past few years I’ve worked at trying to bring the quality of my private consults (the ones done for a family-member, or neighbor, or friend of a friend), up to the same degree as the ones I do within a hospital setting.
In the hospital time is short and the focus is different. Generally if a patient needs extensive education they are offered outpatient education where they have to return at a later date. For private consults I have ample time with customers in terms of both building a diet plan for them and sitting down to explain the details. More importantly, patients in the hospital often feel like you’re there to nag them and will brush nutrition advice to the side. I can’t begin to explain how much I love working with customers when they are really motivated, each time is a pleasant reminder of why I love Nutrition so much.
So, now that I feel confident in my private consults, I wanted to open them up to customers online.
Basic Package – Email Consultation (Phone Optional) $60 for initial Consult, $30 per follow-up
Lab Work Explanation – Many of my customers come to me following a Doctor telling them their blood labs are out of order. This could be a vitamin, or cholesterol, or maybe even just overall weight. Unfortunately all too often I hear “My Doctor said my _____ was high, but didn’t tell me what it meant or what to eat“. I love explaining labs for my customers because you can watch as they gain confidence in taking on the challenge. I’ll explain what each important lab is, what it means if it’s high or low, and how serious your labs are relative to the standard values.
Body Mass Analysis – Many people are unsure of whether they are in a healthy or unhealthy weight range. For this reason I do perform a Body Mass Analysis of each customer and follow with an explanation of where they are in the spectrum. If you’re local and spring for the Home visit this also includes caliper measurements to determine Body Fat Percentage.
Nutritional Needs Estimation – One of the first steps to any nutritional guidance is figuring out what your needs are. Since you know my opinions on the standard calorie estimates this involves combining multiple needs calculations into a more accurate picture of your goals. The basics include calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fluid needs. This usually comes in the form of a range that can be further adjusted with your goals.
Medication and Supplements Review – It’s not uncommon to see customers on a handful of meds and various herbal supplements, the problem is that many of the supplements are never mentioned during a Doctors visit. As part of the consultation process I’ll discuss any interactions that might happen between your supplements and medications, as well as any safety concerns with each one.
Diet Plan – Here’s the part where goals that we’ve discussed will get turned into 4-5 step individualized plans. They vary from very specific like, “Increase soluble fiber with oats, beans, apples, and carrots” to general like “Track fiber intake for 5 days”. Each plan is custom suited to you and includes steps as well as goals to aim for. If you have recently been diagnosed with a condition that requires a controlled diet, this will also include thorough explanation of what to look out for.
Education Materials – I have made hundreds of educational materials over the years all of which are straight forward and useful ways to get on top of your specific needs. If I don’t have anything specific to you, I can without a doubt point you in the right direction.
Additional Options
In-Person Visit – $20 If you live in the Los Angeles to San Bernardino areas I am able for in-person consultations on the weekend. Home visits include additional review of products in your pantry or educational review of your choice. Fees range based on location.
Group Education – $100 If you have a group of 5+ people who would like a 1 hour educational session for a specific nutritional topic feel free to call or email to negotiate.
Follow-Up – $30 If you have previously paid for a consultation you can continue to receive follow-up sessions to review progress, such as with labs or weight loss.
Under my Registered Dietitian License and professional liability insurance I guarantee full confidentiality, the same as any medical setting.
Ready to give it a shot? Reach out to me at starvingdietitian@gmail.com or reach me on my google voice number 408-940-5415
Be Good to Each Other.
– Joshua Iufer, RD
Starving Dietitian 