Career in Nutrition, Dietetics and Holistic Well-being

You can find the most secure jobs or build your own business based on your interests and capabilities. All it takes is a drive to learn and stay updated on the latest trends in the health and wellness space, and the possibilities will be endless.

Health is wealth – an adage used so frequently that it is almost a cliché. However, nothing rings more accurate than this when a health ailment crops up. Everything good in life – like money, relationships, food – can only be enjoyed to the fullest when one is in good health.

Unfortunately, lifestyle disorders are becoming rampant due to several factors like rising stress and sedentary jobs. The age when people begin grappling with issues like diabetes and high blood pressure is receding fast. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2014, 8.5 per cent of adults aged 18 years and older had diabetes. And in 2019, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths, and 48 per cent of all deaths due to diabetes occurred before the age of 70 years.

The first and foremost method of getting respite from lifestyle ailments is good nutrition. A well-balanced diet can minimize doctor visits to a great extent, and this is precisely where dietetics and nutrition professionals come into the picture.

Making a career in bestowing good health

As the demand for skilled nutritionists and dietitians increases rapidly, it is also becoming a lucrative career option for many. Professionals in the integrative and holistic health and nutrition space tackle many issues ranging from obesity, cardiovascular diseases, PCOS, metabolic syndromes, and much more. By working closely with a client and changing their lifestyle from the ground up, nutritionists often positively impact their whole families by sowing the seed of healthy living in one member.

For these reasons, this is an inspiring career path for individuals looking forward to restoring peak health in people by relying on food science. Not only is it a high-value career in terms of remuneration but also a practical choice since you are uplifting lives and turning people into the best versions of themselves.

How to become a nutritionist/dietitian

Educating yourself in diet and nutrition is the first step to building a successful career. With the proper education, one can take on roles such as personal nutritionist, health coach, or integrative nutritionist and help people change how they look at daily nutrition. Gaining the required knowledge and skills in this connected era is easy.

For selecting this as a career option, one can opt for a diploma or certificate course in dietetics and nutrition through new-age online learning platforms specializing in unconventional courses to begin with. Such courses cover everything from basic knowledge in human health to nutrition management, meal planning, food safety, and much more while also offering placement opportunities in many cases.

Knowledge in life sciences is an added benefit for those looking to carve a career in this space, along with a compassionate attitude and persuasion skills to understand their clients' challenges and motivate them to change their longstanding habits.

Individuals who complete courses that focus on theory and hands-on learning with real-world projects will have infinite opportunities on their hands. They can even take up nutrition education as a career to inspire many others to dedicate their lives to helping other people live their best lives.

Diet and nutrition is a booming career choice, and people passionate about it must go for it. You can find the most secure jobs or build your own business based on your interests and capabilities. All it takes is a drive to learn and stay updated on the latest trends in the health and wellness space, and the possibilities will be endless.

(The author is the co-founder and co-CEO, AAFT online)