This may be the most thorough health appointment you have ever had! As your nutrition practitioner, I spend much more than just the 90 minutes of our initial consultation assessing your needs. Before we meet, I review all of your intake paperwork, including the Intake Form, 3-Day Food Diary, and Medical Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ), as well as available lab reports, looking for patterns that may be contributing to your symptoms or areas of dysfunction. I review the medication and supplements that you are currently taking to identify potential drug/nutrient interaction and nutrient depletions. I use Cronometer, the most accurate nutrition tracking app available, to determine your macronutrient and micronutrient intake. I also review current research that is relevant to your health concerns. 

During the consultation, I give you time to tell your story and express your concerns. I ask clarifying questions based on the information provided. You will do most of the talking here; however, I will begin the education process and may give a few goals to begin working toward between the initial consultation and the initial follow-up visit.

After the initial consultation, I will create a personalized nutrition plan that targets your unique health concerns, works for your lifestyle, and aligns with your likes and dislikes. Your plan may also include recommendations for supplements and botanicals, physical activity, sleep, stress management, additional lab work, functional testing, or even genetic testing. We will meet for an initial follow-up visit about a week later to review your plan and in which I will provide additional education on why this plan will benefit you.

As the client, you are in the driver’s seat. That means that I come ready to listen to your concerns and your goals, so bring those! I do ask that you complete my intake paperwork, which will help prepare me for our session and make the most of our time together. These forms include some legal disclosures, but most importantly the Intake Form, 3-Day Food Diary, and Medical Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ). For the 3-Day Food Diary, I ask that you record your food and beverage intake for 3 days (not changing any of your current eating habits–no judgement on my part!) to give me a snapshot of how you eat. If you have any recent labwork, I ask that you upload it to the client portal. I realize that this process is time consuming, but I encourage you to think about it as an investment in your health and a chance to tell your story. You will join the appointment at the appropriate time through my telehealth platform, Practice Better.

Unfortunately, no. Due to Louisiana state law, Certified Nutrition Specialists® are unable to accept insurance at this time, and my business operates as cash pay. Beneficially, this structure allows me to practice evidence-based care and not institutionalized care with the freedom to focus on what really matters, your health, and not on meeting the demands of insurance companies!

Possibly. To use a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for nutritional counseling, check with your plan administrator. The plan administrator will likely require a Letter of Medical Necessity provided by your doctor, stating a formal diagnosis of a specific disease (e.g., obesity, diabetes, or heart disease) and that nutritional counseling is required to treat that disease, along with a referral to Erica Osborne Nutrition. I can provide a bill for all nutrition counseling services. If you do not have an HSA or FSA, you may be eligible to deduct nutritional counseling from your taxes using the same criteria. Please note that under IRS guidelines, you can only deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI).

My training allows me to review lab reports and offer nutritional interventions to target biomarkers outside of optimal range. I can work with your doctor to offer recommendations for additional lab testing that might be covered through insurance. In addition, I can provide recommendations for further functional testing as needed. For services such as these, Louisiana clients can self-order tests as Louisiana law does not require a physician's order for direct-to-consumer lab testing. Clients outside of Louisiana should check their state laws.

According to the American Nutrition Association (ANA), a CNS is defined as “...a highly qualified nutritional professional with an advanced degree (graduate or doctorate) from a fully accredited university in nutrition plus 1,000 hours of a supervised internship and must pass the rigorous exam administered by the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists...It is the most widely recognized nutrition certification by federal and state governments. It is the only non-dietetics credential and examination widely named in state nutrition licensure laws." Further information on the CNS scope of practice can be found here: https://www.theana.org/cns-scope-of-practice/

Although some of the science classes and credentialing for a CNS and RD are similar, there are some key differences. A CNS’s training employs a functional medicine approach to determine the root cause of disease and interventions to achieve optimal wellness. The integrative approach for a CNS is different from what is covered in an undergraduate program for an RD.

According to the ANA, an RD is defined as “...a food and dietary professional, usually with a 4-year bachelor's degree and 900-1200 hours in a dietetic internship through an accredited program and passing a dietetics registration exam. Dietitians focus on calories (energy), quality of food in regard to freshness, sanitation and freedom from spoilage and contamination, meal planning, evaluation of standard measurements of foods, specific diets for certain conditions, and eating patterns based primarily on food groups, such as the food pyramid, and other guidelines based on daily food intake strictly outlined by health organizations [10]. Dietitians often work in health institutions as clinical dietitians, management dietitians, but can also work as community or consultant dietitians." As of 2025, RDs are required to complete a master’s degree program as well. However, those without master’s degrees that were previously practicing will be grandfathered in. CNSs, on the other hand, are required to complete a Master’s Degree, complete 1000 supervised clinical hours, and pass a board exam.

There are currently 22 U.S. jurisdictions (including 21 states, as well as Washington, D.C.) that license or certify Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNSs). However, Louisiana is not one of those states. Current Louisiana law only provides a pathway for licensure for RDs.

Louisiana is considered a “green state” in that nutrition counseling can be practiced by anyone who informs clients that he or she is “not licensed, certified, or registered as a health care provider in the state of Louisiana” and that “any food or dietary supplements being recommended are not medically prescribed drugs.” While this disclosure leaves CNSs open to practice, it also allows people with very little nutrition training, who may call themselves “health coaches,” to provide nutrition counseling as well. A CNS is much more than a health coach; he or she is a highly-trained, evidence-based nutrition practitioner.

I only offer sessions virtually at this time. This allows you access from the comfort of your home or convenience of your office.

All appointments are held using HIPAA-compliant applications. Clients have a private portal that can be accessed from anywhere using a phone, computer, or tablet.

Due to state laws I am unable to see clients who reside in the following states:  Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Florida, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, North Dakota, Delaware, and North Carolina.