Does your doctor think your sugar addiction or carb addiction are all “in your head”?
Are you feeling frustrated because your physician doesn’t understand the power of being sugar-free and eating wholesome, natural foods?
Do you wonder if there are any good doctors out there who are well-versed in nutrition?
I bring you good news. Yes, plenty of open-minded, nutritionally savvy medical practitioners are available to help you if you’re hooked on sugar or if you have hypoglycemia, diabetes, pre-diabetes, gluten intolerance, and other health issues.
In the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, you can choose from among hundreds of thousands of mainstream and alternative, knowledgeable, open-minded practitioners, many of whom have additional education in nutrition.
Of course, before you pick your doctor or medical professional, do your homework. Make sure that your physician is well trained, competent, caring, sensitive to your needs, and educated about blood sugar-related issues such as hypoglycemia and diabetes.
And, as late humorist Erma Bombeck quipped, “Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.”
Here, then, is a list of organizations that can help you find names of doctors or other medical practitioners.
American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)
717 Kreutzberg Rd
Boerne, TX 78006
Phone (316) 684-5500
https://www.aaemonline.org
Formed in 1965, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine is an organization of physicians trained to recognize environmentally triggered illnesses. Doctors examine outside factors that can have adverse effects on health, including diet, inhalants, chemicals, radiation, heat, cold, humidity, and more. The organization maintains an online “Find a Practitioner” database. Referred doctors are AAEM members who’ve completed additional training and passed the Academy’s board examination.
American Academy of Osteopathy
3500 DePauw Boulevard, Suite 1100
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Phone (317) 879-1881
https://www.academyofosteopathy.org
The American Academy of Osteopathy is dedicated to advancing osteopathic medicine, which focuses on “emphasizing the integration of osteopathic principles, practice and manipulative treatment in patient care.” Members are either osteopathic physicians (Doctors of Osteopathy, or D.O.s) or M.D.s with an interest in osteopathy, including the art and science of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT). Maintains an online searchable database.
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP)
300 New Jersey Avenue NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20001
Phone (202) 237-8150
https://www.naturopathic.org
Founded in 1985, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is a national society that promotes treatment strategies that combine traditional medical science with therapeutic nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, classical Chinese medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy. The group offers an online “Find an ND” database.
American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM)
380 Ice Center Lane, Suite C
Bozeman, MT 59718
Phone (800) 532-3688
https://www.acam.org
The non-profit ACAM is an alternative healthcare medical society, with nearly 1,000 physicians (M.D.s and D.O.s) from 30 nations. Founded in 1973, it is dedicated to educating physicians about complementary and alternative medicine. Provides online “Find a Practitioner Near You” database.
American Holistic Health Association (AHHA)
P.O. Box 17400
Anaheim, CA 92817
Phone (714) 779-6152
https://ahha.org
Founded in 1989, the American Holistic Health Association (AHHA) is a respected online resource dedicated to “empowering individuals to enhance their health and quality of life.” AHHA offers extensive online referral databases that include information about holistic doctors and how to locate treatment options.
The Institute for Functional Medicine
505 S. 336th Street, Suite 600
Federal Way, WA 98003
Phone (800) 228-0622 or 253.661.3010
https://www.ifm.org
The Institute for Functional Medicine seeks to improve patients’ health through prevention, early assessment, and comprehensive management of complex, chronic disease. Functional medicine is a science-based field of health care that emphasizes “patient care” rather than “disease care.” Functional medicine specialists examine core clinical imbalances that underlie various disease conditions, which could arise from diet, exercise, and trauma. The group maintains the largest referral network in functional medicine.
How to Choose & Approach Your New Doctor
Although you can get helpful guidance from the above organizations, make sure to find the right doctor for you – one who has the qualities you need. Here are some tips excerpted and condensed from The Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia: An Everyday Guide to Low Blood Sugar Too Often Misunderstood and Misdiagnosed by Roberta Ruggiero, founder and president of the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation. (Thank you, Roberta!)
- Choose your physician carefully – preferably not during an emergency situation.
- When you call the doctor’s office, ask the person answering the phone, “Do you treat hypoglycemia, pre-diabetes or diabetes? How do you test for it?” (A 5-hour Glucose Tolerance Test could be helpful.)
- Find out if your potential doctor offers nutritional counseling or can refer you to someone who does.
- Learn the fee for your medical consultation and ask if the physician or practitioner accepts insurance.
- Research your potential new doctor by asking people or doing research online.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask, and don’t hesitate to ask them.
- When you show up to see your new doctor, come prepared. Bring a diet/symptoms diary, which includes a list of everything you’ve eaten and medication(s) you’ve taken in the past 5 to 7 days. Make sure to jot down times you ate and any symptoms or reactions you had afterwards (within minutes, hours, or even the the next day.)
- Write down any instructions you receive.
- Discuss a complete prevention program.
- Don’t let your doctor intimidate you. He or she is there to help you.
- Share your concerns, and be specific and to the point.
- If you’re not satisfied with your first physician, get a second opinion.
- Don’t forget that many trustworthy physicians are out there.
How to Find a Nutritionist
When searching for a knowledgeable nutritionist, make sure to ask questions ahead of time to find out if the nutritionist or dietitian has experience working with sugar addicts, hypoglycemics, and diabetics. Before meeting or talking via phone with that person, make sure that he or she agrees that it’s best to avoid sweets or simple carbs as much as possible. In addition to checking the organizations listed below, you may be able to find a good nutritionist by getting a referral from your local health food store. Again, always first verify the person’s references and point of view.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190
Chicago, Illinois 60606-6995
Phone (312) 899-0040
https://www.eatright.org
Maintains a searchable database of dieticians by zip code.
International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN)
400 Chisholm Place, Ste. 303
Plano, TX 75075
Phone (972) 407-9089
https://iaacn.org
Founded in 1983 as a Florida state organization, the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN) is a professional association of practicing clinical nutritionists in many healthcare professions.Call for a nutritionist referral.
National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP)
P.O. Box 348028
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone (209) 224-0003
https://nanp.org
NANP is a non-profit business league of nutrition professionals originally founded in 1985 as the Society of Certified Nutritionists. NANP represents holistically trained nutrition professionals. Its mission is to enhance the integrity of the holistic nutrition profession through self-governance, educational standards, a rigorous code of ethics and professional registration of holistic nutritionists. Maintains an online “Find a Practitioner” database.
Connie Bennett is a former sugar-and-carbs-addicted journalist, certified health coach, DreamBuilder coach, life coach, and author of the books, Sugar Shock!, Beyond Sugar Shock, and I Blew My Diet! Now What? People refer to as as the Bounce Back Boldly Guide™, who helps people worldwide stomp out their sugar and carb addiction and other counter-productive patterns so they can lead a life that rocks.
Feel free to publish this article, but make sure to include the link of this post and credit Connie Bennett, Copyright © 2025, BBBI, www.connieb.com
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