Food Is Medicine Program

Nutrition Services

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN WORKING WITH A REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Why See A Registered Dietitian?

  • Personally Tailored Advice:
    • After learning about your health history, favorite foods, eating and exercise habits, a Registered Dietitian will help you set and prioritize your health goals.
    • Follow-up visits will help maintain and monitor your progress.
  • Help Manage Chronic Diseases:
    • A dietitian will review your blood work and lab results to help you understand your health condition and provide education about the nutrients that affect it.
  • A Healthy Eating Plan That Works For You:
    • A Registered Dietitian can work with you to create a healthy, sustainable eating plan that you can stick with long-term without developing negative thought patterns about food.
  • Guidance for Food Allergies, Sensitivities and Intolerances:
    • A Registered Dietitian can teach you how to read food labels so you will know which ingredients to avoid, and help you find substitutions to keep your diet balanced and tasty too!

Did you Know?

Many insurance providers pay for the cost of an appointment with a Registered Dietitian for a variety of health conditions, such as diabetes, weight loss, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, high cholesterol, food allergies, heart disease and more.

Although Family Health Services accepts all insurance plans, not all insurance providers may cover your visit with a Registered Dietitian. For example, if you have Medicare insurance, then you will likely be covered for diabetes or stage 3- or 5-chronic kidney disease. For Medicaid plans, most health diagnoses will be covered. Private insurances will vary by the carrier plans.

Family Health Services offers a Sliding Fee Scale for insurances that do not cover visits with a Registered Dietitian.

Meet Leslie Johnson, MS, RD, LD, Food is Medicine Program Director!

Picture of Leslie Johnson, Licensed and Registered Dietitian

Leslie is passionate about the spread of sound nutrition and health information and seeks to explain both the “what” and the “how” behind key concepts to help individuals make empowered and personalized health decisions.

Education and Experience

Leslie Johnson graduated from Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, with her Bachelor of Arts in Nutrition and Sustainability. She continued her education at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, graduating with her Master of Science in Nutrition Communications, Intervention, and Behavior Change. Leslie then went on to complete the requirements to become a Registered Dietitian and completed a year of supervised practice at Duke University Hospital. She is passionate about all people having access to fresh, nutritious food that can help keep their bodies healthy and is excited to provide nutrition counseling for patients at FHS.

What Does a Registered Dietitian (RD) Do?

  • Uses evidence-based science to help provide the most accurate, up-to-date information regarding food, nutrition and health.
  • Delivers credible and reliable nutritional education.
  • Develops a tailored and personalized approach to help you achieve your health goals.
  • Provides you with support, motivation and reassurance.

DeBunking Dietitian Myths

  • Myth: A dietitian is strict! They will give me harsh rules to follow regarding my diet and lifestyle.
  • Fact: RDs work with you to help you understand your lifestyle and needs. We provide information, encouragement, and resources to help you make changes that will allow you to meet your personal health goals. It is important for us to meet you where you are and make recommendations or suggestions to help you improve your health and wellbeing.
  • Myth: A RD will judge the way I am currently feeding myself and/or my family.
  • Fact: As RDs, we aim to help people gain knowledge and confidence when caring for themselves, their children, and loved ones. RDs provide information on self-care, family meals, infant feeding and much more! If you feel your routines could use some improvement or are unsure of where to begin, this is where a dietitian can offer you guidance. No matter what you are currently doing, RDs are never here to judge or be negative; we are here to help you improve you and your family’s health.
  • Myth: Why should I pay a RD when I can find all the information I need online.
  • Fact: Information found online can be difficult to navigate and often misleading which can be problematic to achieving your health goals. As a RD, we rely on evidence-based information to provide you with accurate, safe recommendations for you and your family. Many people also report that they “know what to do” but may struggle to follow through. A RD helps you break down barriers and obstacles, provide support and guidance, and help you to navigate your way towards reaching your health goals – whether that is understanding a new diabetes diagnosis, planning family meals, or understanding food allergies. It can be helpful to have someone who you can share questions with, express concerns to and get real feedback!
  • Myth: I already know how to manage my health, I don’t need someone to tell me what I already know.
  • Fact: Sometimes knowing what do to is the easy part, and the difficulty is applying the knowledge in a way that makes sense for you and your lifestyle. RDs will help you apply the knowledge learned while settings achievable and realistic goals to work towards long-term success over time.

To schedule with our Registered Dietitian, please call us at 419-502-2800!