Answer to #1A certified diabetes educator is a health professional who has obtained additional training in nutrition and other lifestyle factors related to the management of diabetes and earned a certification on diabetes education through work experience and successful completion of an examination. Many certified diabetes educators are also either registered dietitians or registered nurses. The National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators has a website (
www.ncbde.org) with information about the certification requirements.
A physician does receive extensive schooling (4 years beyond college for the medical doctor degree) and completes a 2- to 4-year residency. Most medical school programs only devote a small amount of time to the study of nutritionoften, they spend less time on this topic than students who take nutrition at the undergraduate level In fact, very few medical schools teach 25 hours of instruction in the field of nutrition. There are some physicians who are trained in clinical nutrition and are highly qualified to give nutritional advice on diabetes management and other health issues. Unless a physician specializes in clinical nutrition, she or he will have spent much LESS time learning about nutrition than a certified diabetes educator.
Answer to #2b
Answer to #3Anecdotal evidence comes in the form of patient testimonies as to how well the product works. There may only be testimonies from a few people who make the product sound wonderful. There is often a disclaimer that says that the results are not typical in small print. There is usually no cited study from a credible research center. This type of anecdotal evidence would be seen on TV or would be published in a popular magazine as a story.
Scientific evidence would actually describe a study that is done at an accredited research or clinical center. There would be results from a large number of people and the study would employ the suitable controls such as a group of patients who get the weight-loss supplement versus patients who get a placebo. The results of this study would be reviewed by and then published in a journal that is read by experts in the fields of nutrition and medicine.
Most people would trust information from a well-designed and published scientific study, since large numbers of people have participated in the study and the results are more easily repeatable by other researchers.
Answer to #4b
Answer to #5You could suggest that she check out the website of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (
www.eatright.org) or the American Society for Clinical Nutrition for information. If she does not want to use the Internet, she could look in her phone book for registered dietitians in her area. If she cannot find this information on her own, she could ask her doctor for a referral to a registered dietitian. She may also be able to find reliable information online from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Answer to #6d
Answer to #7No time to cook: You could try cooking a few meals on the weekend and then freezing them into smaller portions for easy reheating during the week. There are also many healthy options for meals that serve one person. Just check the labels to make sure that the meal does not supply too many calories, sugar, salt, or fat.
Not a high priority: You could ask any healthcare provider what chronic diseases could be caused by a poor diet. You could also talk with people who have these conditions to see how their quality of life has been impacted.
Crave fast food and sweets: It may work well to allow yourself a small serving of fast food or sweets each day. If you eliminate these foods all together, you will crave them. You can also make small, simple substitutions of a piece of fruit for sweets or pretzels or some other lower-fat food for potato chips.
Too little money: You should go to the grocery store and compare the price of produce (fruits and vegetables) with processed or snack foods. You may only want to buy a couple of pieces of fruit at a time so that you will eat them before they spoil. You could also try growing fruits or vegetables in your own garden or as part of a community garden.
Take vitamins instead: You could try eating a piece of fruit or a vegetable daily and see how you feel over time as compared with taking a supplement with coffee or some other beverage. Your body will absorb nutrients much more efficiently from foods than from supplements.
Answer to #8c
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