This kind of client statement is the best way for a nutritional consultant to tell the client very firmly that there are boundaries to the nutritional consultant's work (2011). While it is important to have a client statement written down in writing, it is also important to make sure that what is directly related to the client through words is kept within the professional and legal boundaries of the nutritional consultant's job. Because of the fact that a nutritional consultant is not a doctor, he or she cannot diagnose any kind of disease or illness and cannot even try to guess what they might think it is. The fact of the matter is, according to Wilson, is that a nutritional consultant should not even really engage in conversation with a client who is discussing his or her doctor's diagnosis; it is too easy to say something that may be crossing the boundaries. A nutritional consultant can listen, but he or she must never talk about the doctor's diagnose or method of treatment. To do the opposite is to go against the very strict laws and could invite a lawsuit. It should be noted that agreeing or disagreeing with a doctor's diagnosis while in conversation with a client is out of boundaries because it can also be considered diagnosing (2011).

The laws protect nutritional consultants from being sued. Without the laws, there would be malpractice lawsuits brought against nutritional consultants and nutritionists as well as doctors. We must believe...

Nutritional consultants are not doctors, after all, no matter how extensive their training is. The bottom line is that they have not gone to medical school and therefore in the eyes of the state of California, they must not say anything that is or can be construed as diagnosing. Knowing the law as it pertains to nutritional consultants and the boundaries that it sets for them is important to staying out of the line of lawsuit fire.
As mentioned, language that cannot be used based on the legal boundaries set forth by federal and state laws is any language that can be construed as diagnosing. For example, agreeing or disagreeing with a doctor's diagnosis, stating what one guesses is the illness or disease, or giving examples of different diseases or illnesses it could potentially be are all boundaries that should not be crossed because it can be construed as diagnosing.

References

Harrison, Ryan N. (2011). "Protecting yourself as a nutritional consultant." Be whole be well.

Accessed on January 18, 2011:

http://www.bewholebewell.com/articles/ProtectingYourselfasaNutritionalConsultant.pdf

Robinson, Theodore W. (2006). How to open or improve a successful alternative health care practice. Inner Healing Press; 1st edition.

Wilson, Lawrence. (2005). Legal guidelines for unlicensed practitioners. L.D. Wilson

Consultants, Inc.