Our health is top of mind these days – all the more reason that your wellness should not be someone’s side hustle. Social media can be a brilliantly valuable tool for inspiring wellness content, but unfortunately, social can also connect us with less-than-expert “experts” who can lead us down a path that may be well-intentioned but can be detrimental to our whole-body wellness. In today’s Get FUELED with Molly segment, we’re covering the do’s and don’ts of navigating wellness on social media.
Learn more about how to make the most of social media and wellness in Molly’s interview with registered dietitian and social media expert Maria Sylvester Terry in Molly’s FUELED Wellness + Nutrition Podcast, including insights and strategies self-protection and self-preservation, how to spot non-experts claiming expertise on social media and how to find the right nutrition and wellness expert for you.
3 STEPS TO AVOID WELLNESS MISINFORMATION
ASK ABOUT CREDENTIALS // Your wellness should not be someone’s side hustle. When evaluating the wellness experts you’re following – both on social & in real life – start by looking at their credentials. Do they have any credentials? And if so, are they legitimate credentials or are they a self-proclaimed ‘expert’?
HOW MUCH THEY HAVE INVESTED IN THEIR EDUCATION // Regardless of the type of wellness information you’re looking for – e.g. nutrition, mental health, acupuncture, yoga or more – find out just how much an individual has invested in their education.
NON-EXPERTS CLAIMING EXPERTISE // Personal experience does not make an expert. Do not equate someone’s inspiring story with expertise. What works for them personally doesn’t necessarily work for you or me. A red flag for non-experts claiming expertise: It’s all about them, not you. Their posts and their focus are centered on their worlds.
FINDING THE RIGHT NUTRITION + WELLNESS EXPERT FOR YOU
A true expert will help you to navigate the grey area, the expertise to give sustainable tools and guide you toward progress, not perfection.
RD or RDN | Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
- Completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree at a US regionally accredited university or college and course work accredited or approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
- Completed an ACEND-accredited supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency, or a foodservice corporation or combined with undergraduate or graduate studies. Typically, a practice program will run six to 12 months in length.
- Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). For more information regarding the examination, refer to CDR’s website at www.cdrnet.org.
- Completed continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration.
NDCHES® | Certified Health Education Specialist. The CHES® (pronounced chez) designation signifies that an individual who has met required academic eligibility with courses in health education and has met experience requirements in the health education field, has successfully passed a comprehensive written examination and maintains an ongoing commitment to advanced-level continuing education and professional development.
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