Why I Don't Give Out "Do-Not-Eat" Lists

As a Dietitian, my job is to teach you how to eat in a way that works with your body. If I'm giving you a "Do-Not-Eat" list, then I haven't taught you anything.

I understand that your Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician Assistant may have given you lists of "Good" and "Bad" foods or they may have said something like "Stop eating white foods".

For a provider who only has 15 minutes to discuss your labs, medications, lifestyle, and any changes that you may need to make to stay healthy, those lists may work. Especially if they only get to see you every 6 months or so. And chances are good that your provider spent very little time in school learning about nutrition because they had to learn about medications, labs, counseling techniques, and other various aspects of your care.

So, even if they have more than 15 minutes to spend with you every 6 months, they may not know how to counsel you on diet anyway because they already have so many other things to educate you on.

This is why Dietitians exist. I have spent years learning and practicing nutrition and how to make your diet work with your body. I can work with you to fine tune your diet so that we don't have to cut out all of the things that you love.

I have rarely seen a situation where we had to completely cut out certain foods. Nearly every person that I've worked with has been able to keep foods that they love in their diet by limiting or preparing these foods in a different way.

So, while I appreciate that your doctor gave you a "Do-Not-Eat" list, that's really more of a band-aid until you can get to a dietitian who has the time and the resources to deep-dive with you and figure out what works for your body.

So, the reason that I don't give out the "Do-Not-Eat" list is this: if you're working with me, you shouldn't need one. We can almost certainly make all of the foods that you love work in a way that will keep you healthy and happy.