“Νοῦς ὑγιής ἐν σώματι ὑγιεῖ” (“A sound mind in a sound body”). The mind is the totality of mental abilities, such as consciousness, perception, thought, judgment, etc. It is the power of reasoning and thinking of a human being. The mind holds the inexhaustible power of imagination, creativity, resourcefulness, appreciation, and self-esteem, and it is responsible for processing emotions and feelings, resulting in each individual's personalized actions and behavior. For the mind to be healthy, the body must be healthy — and this is a truth that was stated many centuries ago.
Health is a priceless good and must be treated as such. The factors that affect and determine our health are numerous and multidimensional. To some extent, it is written in our genes, and to a significant extent, it is influenced by the social and environmental conditions we are born into or subjected to throughout our lives, whether favorable or adverse. Very often, random factors also have a decisive impact on it — conditions over which we have no control or management. Unfortunately, all these factors mentioned so far are, more or less, beyond our control.
However, just as from Pandora’s box (Πανδώρας) the last but most important thing to emerge was Hope (Ἐλπίδα), so too, regarding the forces that shape our health, there exists a super-powerful decisive factor, whose power lies entirely in our own hands. It is a matter of will, self-discipline, self-esteem, and appreciation of the good of health — how each person manages this catalytic weapon they possess. This weapon is our lifestyle.
If you look up the ancient Greek dictionaries for the meaning of “the way I live,” you will find the word “διαιτῶ” (diaitō). Simply put, diet means way of living. And it is now crystal clear that the term “diet” does not only refer to weight loss but to our entire life and habits, good or bad. It obviously refers to our nutrition but also to work, sleep, the people we choose to associate with, physical activities, creative pursuits, the place we choose to reside, our education, and the level of knowledge we choose to attain.
Regarding education, its meaning must be absolutely clear and unequivocal. When Socrates (Σωκράτης) was asked to define the educated person, he said nothing about the accumulation of knowledge. “Education,” he said, “is a matter of behavior…” According to Socrates, the people considered educated are: those who dynamically control unpleasant situations with reason and courage and are not controlled by them, those who are honest in all kinds of dealings, those who treat others benevolently, those who have the power to control their pleasures, those who are not defeated by misfortunes or failures, and finally, those who have not been corrupted by fame and success.
So, the time has come to also refer to the concept of the “διαιτολόγος” (dietitian). What is a dietitian and what is their role? The evidence presented earlier will guide us in redefining the purpose of this specialty, beyond the very narrow framework of the “weight-loss expert” that we most likely had distorted in our minds. Because the reality is that weight loss is only a small part of the dietitian’s specialty. Their true and essential role in society has much deeper roots. A dietitian, therefore, is a qualified professional who has received thorough and complete higher education, enabling them to effectively guide, encourage, and support each interested individual, and to transfer their academic knowledge and experience in a simple, accessible, persuasive, and effective manner when asked. Part of this process will certainly include modifying the nutritional behavior of the individual, but this is only a piece of the final achievement: for the “διαιτώμενος” (the one being guided in their diet) to rebuild their own personalized “δίαιτα” (lifestyle in its broad, true meaning).
The purpose of the diet is no longer, if you reconsider the facts from this new perspective, to receive a paper with listed meals and try to strictly follow that paper. The purpose of the diet is your education in a completely new and healthier way of life! A way of life that benefits your health and which you will follow devoutly yet with ease, because it is knowledge that you yourself decided to give as a gift to yourself, achieved through persistence and patience, and now you are equipped with all the motivation to adhere to it — without feelings of guilt, deprivation, authoritarianism, or dependence weighing you down. It is all your habits that you have re-examined and re-evaluated, guided scientifically and expertly by the dietitian dedicated to helping you in this task, so that you draw conclusions about which habits to keep because they benefit you, and which to reject because they harm you. This magnificent work is based on the degree of appreciation that both dietitians and those being guided have for the good of health — both physical and mental.
However, for a proper foundation to exist for the positive outcome of this goal, it must be based on strong and capable foundations. Let us therefore now refer to these bases, whose contribution is crucial:
It is inconceivable, using simple common sense, to entrust your Health to a non-specialist who calls themselves a Dietitian, without having undergone the necessary many years of academic scientific training required to be considered a true Dietitian. A graduate Dietitian possesses knowledge of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry of the human body, and thus, as a result of this deep knowledge, also holds the ability to predict. That is, they are capable of diagnosing the unique condition of the person being guided, adapting to their particular needs, to their individualized health status, recording their habits and setting critical goals, supporting them emotionally and psychologically, genuinely encouraging them, identifying risks and pitfalls in the effort, and re-educating them in a new way of life, so that overcoming every difficulty that arises, both dedicated to the goal, they will pursue it together.
If you consider Health a precious and valuable good, then you should not manage it by random and cheap means. Anyone can design a daily or weekly meal plan without deep knowledge of the subject, simply from experience. In that case, it would be a hundred times preferable to try on your own to plan your weekly diet, doing your best to idealize your current habits.
However, it is dangerous to deceive your fellow humans by claiming a specialty for which you lack the scientific background. This is incompatible even with the Socratic definition of the educated person, which we mentioned earlier, regarding honesty in transactions. Furthermore, it excludes from the start the relationship of trust between dietitian and client, which is the third essential foundation of achieving the goal, since from the outset the relationship is based on deception. Moreover, the self-proclaimed dietitian is unable to design a personalized diet plan, often simply distributing photocopies en masse. Finally, when a self-proclaimed dietitian, due to ignorance of the client, is called upon to guide special clinical cases or sensitive population groups, the provision of their services can become extremely dangerous, without even being held accountable afterward. What accountability, after all? Diet plans from self-proclaimed dietitians are almost always handwritten and unsigned photocopies, without records, names, dates, or receipts. The self-proclaimed dietitian has no sense of responsibility. YOU, however, must have it, as you are negotiating your own Health!
It is no shame —quite the opposite— nowadays it is imperative to ask your Dietitian for their Degree, their Master’s, and all other credentials. It is obvious that these official documents are not carried by Dietitians in their bags but kept in offices or clinics, always clearly displayed and accessible. Even during home visits, the client should always ask to see these certificates, at least as photocopies, before entering any other process of history-taking or discussion. The responsibility is in your hands. Do not squander it lightly.
Behavior for health prevention has no gender, no age, no limits. If you are at a turning point in your life where you are flirting with the decision to do something meaningful and long-term for your own good, and these thoughts constantly end with "I need to consult a dietitian...", then YES! You should do it! We are not always equally decisive or strong at every moment in our lives, and if you feel that this moment is such, you must seize this opportunity fully to change your life for the better.
On the other hand, you may be afraid to make the decision, feeling insecure about your readiness to fight this battle. Adversities may always arise —that’s life— and the perfectly right moment might never come. Just try to see it a bit positively and encourage yourself. Many have succeeded and were in the same position; they did not consider themselves determined and firmly clarified that from the very first session with the Dietitian. In the end, however, they surprised themselves with the persistence and patience they showed. Applying a "Diet" or "A New Way of Life" may not be the easiest thing in the world, but it is certainly not the hardest either. Nothing good was ever gained easily. The power lies within you. The power hides in a decision you will make and unfolds with the determination you find along the way to support that decision! Seek that power. Then find the right Dietitian to guide you. With these steps, you have made the start. And "the beginning is half of everything..."
This aspect is crucial. The power of a relationship based on trust is overwhelming and reciprocal. It starts with two and ends with two: the Dietitian and the Client. Without trust, no relationship can be properly built and no meaningful communication can be established. Be selective, meticulous, and thorough in your search for the right Dietitian for you. They must fit you as a scientist, as a person, and as the bearer of the title they represent — basically, they must fit you from every perspective. Your relationship will be built during your sessions but will last a lifetime. This person is dedicated to your purpose and is responsible for your proper guidance and for the progress of your education toward a better lifestyle. They are the one who will responsibly answer your questions about what you are doing right or wrong and will advise you even after your formal cooperation has ended. They want you to achieve the goals you set together just as much as you do. Together, you will feel proud of any accomplishments.
See your Dietitian as your companion on a difficult life journey. With good and bad moments. With pleasant but also emotionally draining sessions. With all the moments you have shared, both you and them, with responsibility, trust, confidentiality, support, scientific knowledge, solidarity, and humanity. See them as your own person throughout your life’s path. Because if they know how to properly apply their science and want to do their job well, that’s exactly how they see you!
Ultimately, since human nutrition is a major topic, you will often encounter it in your life — in your thoughts, discussions, magazines, on the internet, or elsewhere. Set a first goal to filter all the information you receive. Process and evaluate it according to the reliability of the source. Do not accept carelessly any superficial advice from anyone who self-identifies as an expert. And if you finally make the big decision to turn your life around and get educated about diet, do it properly, responsibly, and safely. Appreciate the gift of Health and take personal responsibility for your own Health. Get guided and educated on this. Only then will you achieve correct and permanent changes, with all the beneficial consequences, and ultimately all the knowledge you gain will become an experience, your daily way of life. Everyone has the right to a better lifestyle — claim it too, in the best possible way!
"Use your time to make yourself better.
Learn from the writings of others so that you can easily acquire
what others have worked hard to obtain."
— Socrates
Source: Mednutrition.gr
