03/11/2026
For Registered Dietitian Day, I want to highlight the importance of collaborating with medical professionals to provide the highest quality care to patients. Here are examples of cases where referring a patient to a Sports dietitian is recommended…
• athletes with a bone muscle ligament or tendon injury,
• athletes that are pre or post surgery, ideally within two weeks post surgery
• athletes with a history of concussion or a current concussion
• female athletes with a missed menstrual cycle more than three consecutive months
• athletes who have UNINTENTIONALLY lost or gained more than 10 pounds or more than 5% of their body weight within 6 to 12 months
• athletes with abnormal blood work, specifically low iron and low vitamin D
• athletes with any medical history of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, or heart disease
• athletes with gut health issues, such as runners diarrhea, Crohn’s or colitis
• athletes with disordered eating behavior
I fully support providing basic nutrition education for medical professionals, but in no way will 40 hrs of education compare to the YEARS of training and education of a Registered Dietitian. Not to mention, in reality, how much time does a Dr. really have to sit down and talk nutrition with a patient (I’m lucky with I get 5 min a year with my Dr. after her NP does my entire physical), whereas I spend an HOUR every WEEK with my athletes educating them on sleep, supplements, portion sizes, nutrient timing, gut health, performance fueling, hydration…and accountability for behavior change.
Happy RD day, my hope for this profession is that we continue to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, because I see firsthand how beneficial an interdisciplinary approach can be 🙌
