Today’s Dietitian
Vol. 27 No. 9 P. 4
Most dietitians, although committed to optimizing the powerful tool of dietary and lifestyle intervention as a first-line method for improving health outcomes, understand the important role that pharmacologic agents have in treating and managing certain conditions. This balanced perspective may unfortunately be increasingly uncommon in public arenas such as social media, where certain influencers may demonize medication use of any kind, or alternatively, fail to appreciate the profound contribution of nutrition in minimizing—or outright preventing—a need for certain medications.
In treating everything from diabetes to high cholesterol, headaches to insomnia, many individuals have rebelled against what they view as the “drug obsessed” cultural atmosphere saturated with pharmaceutical ads, by eschewing all medication use in favor of herbal cocktails of questionable safety and efficacy or a purist insistence that diet can cure most ailments, at any stage of illness. Whether minimizing the impact of nutrition or swinging the pendulum into overstating its scope, abandoning a balanced perspective can have dangerous consequences.
Wrapping up an eventful year in 2025, Today’s Dietitian (TD) turns a critical eye to bone health and asks what role pharmacology plays in effectively treating osteoporosis and fracture risk, including how nutrition realistically fits into prevention vs active treatment of high-risk individuals. We look at what the research suggests in terms of outcomes with different approaches, asking RDs to consider what balanced recommendations could look like in everyday practice.
Also in this issue, “RDs Shaping AI in the Field of Nutrition” looks at real-world examples of how four RDs are using AI in their work, sharing insights for readers eager to understand how to apply this technology in their own professional settings. Our third feature, “Cognitive Performance Nutrition,” ushers in a refreshing pivot in the conversation about nutrition and brain health, exploring what this means for high-performing students and young professionals who may not be motivated to consider brain health from the more commonly discussed healthy aging perspective, but are instead driven by an immediate desire to improve focus, mental stamina, recall, and other cognitive assets needed for academic success, early career-building, and even gaming.
Lastly, are you traveling this holiday season and hoping to avoid excess stress, fatigue, and catching the latest bug going around? TD has put together some healthy travel tips for those planning to be on the road (or in the air) that are sure to help.
Please enjoy the issue and Happy Holidays!
— Heather Davis, MS, RDN, LDN, editor