That’s where health and nutrition experts come in. Nutritionists, dietitians and health coaches can help you sort through and make sense of all the health information out there and, more importantly, make it relevant to you and your needs. The reasons for seeing one of these experts can also be the same, such as a desire to lose weight, reduce stress and stress-related ailments, get through a phase of life smoothly, and improve energy, mood and concentration. Nutritionists focus on the dietary aspect of the client’s wellbeing, so that desired health goals can be achieved through diet and possible supplements, such as weight loss, improved biomarkers and even reversal of chronic disease.
Nutritionists help their clients understand how foods and supplements are digested and assimilated in the body, which helps explain why they recommend certain foods and supplements. I and most lawyers in this industry strongly believe that, without proper licensure in the state in which the patient is located, trainers should not order, diagnose or interpret laboratory tests. This would likely be in violation of the licensed practice of medicine and is the job of licensed medical professionals, not health coaches.
As a health coach, you should not prescribe (or recommend) any nutrition plans, exercise plans, supplements or medications. You, as a health coach, should not act as a medical expert, as you are not serving as a licensed medical professional – even if you are licensed in another area. A genetic consultation is a one-hour appointment where we dig into your genetics and identify the right diet and supplements that can help your body be healthier. By using ancestry DNA or 23andMe raw data, we can identify around 50-60 SNPs that may be affecting your energy levels, gut, mood and more.
I can recommend dietary modifications and supplements that can help bring the body back into balance. This can be a very positive process. Most clients are relieved to discover that there is nothing wrong with them, but that this is simply how their body works. Nutritionists have specialised training in nutrition and are experts in all aspects of diet, food and nutritional needs, including nutrition throughout the life cycle (such as in pregnancy or children) and for specific ailments and conditions.
Nutritionists are also qualified to prescribe nutritional supplements, whereas health coaches are not. Another difference is the approach taken by each modality. Health coaches focus on goal setting; they create strategies and accountability measures for clients to achieve their health goals. Nutritionists, on the other hand, develop nutrition guidelines and plans for the client to work from.
Nutritionists help clients get to the root of their health problems by taking a detailed medical history, evaluating blood tests and performing functional pathology tests. Clients often ask if they can offer meal plans, suggest supplements or advise someone on an elimination diet. As you can see, they are not diagnosing health problems or prescribing nutritional interventions to treat diseases or their symptoms. While there is no specific certification needed to talk about nutrition as a health or fitness professional, it is best to seek out a rigorous and respected programme that covers the science of nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy and other related topics.
Cathy talks to Lisa Fraley about how to legally and safely offer supplements to elevate your coaching business. Health coaches should act as a support, as a kind of cheerleader, or a trusted person who has some expertise but is not technically a licensed medical professional. A health coach is a supportive mentor who helps clients make healthy diet and lifestyle choices to improve their overall well-being. Because understanding the science of nutrition won’t get you very far if you lack the basic coaching skills needed to communicate and guide your clients towards change behaviours that actually stick.
Health coaches address a wide range of lifestyle factors, guiding people to choose the right diet and fitness regime for their needs. Maybe you want to be a health coach because you’ve seen someone selling an online course and they make it look super easy. However, generally, as a personal trainer, health coach or strength coach, if you have a background in nutrition you can talk to otherwise healthy clients about how to eat, move and live better, so, yes, you can talk about what foods to eat. A recent court case has highlighted the scope of health and wellness coaching practice nationally.
Coaches may provide information on different types of diets and supplement options to explore, but they do not prescribe these types of protocols to clients. The Zyto Scan is not a crystal ball that will tell you all the answers, but it IS an incredible tool coupled with the guidance of a trained and knowledgeable health professional.
