Nutritionists have to listen to patients to understand their concerns and their goals. Your medical expertise aside, you will also function as a cheerleader and empathetic listener. Some of your patients may struggle with the program you have outlined; you should be prepared to help them overcome any hurdles they encounter. They're depending on you for their health, after all. Part of a nutritionist’s job is to assess a patient’s energy level through personal interviews and tests, and give the patient nutritional advice. As such, you will be spending a lot of face-to-face time with your patients.  An in-depth assessment using a holistic approach will mean you’ll have to know more about your patient than his or her eating habits; you’ll need to learn about your patient’s lifestyle and goals, their personal problems and fears, their childhood eating habits, and their cultural and taste preferences. You will have to keep up with the latest developments in nutrition research and be able to interpret scientific studies. Not everyone has the background you do, so you'll need to translate the statistical data into practical applications for your patients. There are new research studies every week about the effects, good and bad, of various foods. These studies are often contradictory. As a trained nutritionist, you will be expected to interpret conflicting health research studies to develop a healthy, sound plan of action for your patients. As a nutritionist, you will have many patients, each with different backgrounds and needs. You will need to keep your files organized and easily accessible. And you'll need to remember their names, their families, and their personalities!  Even though this job is very science-oriented, it's very people oriented, too. In order to keep your clients on, they'll need to feel as if they are your only client. If you can't remember them from Joe, you're outta luck (and money!). If you are self-employed, this goes double. You'll be handling your own taxes, licenses, and be working as a "company." When April 15th rolls around, you'll be glad you're as organized as you are. You will often have to explain complicated topics in a way that your patients will understand. Simply telling patients that certain foods are good for them is not enough; you should be able to explain the technical aspects of your prescribed nutritional programs. Think of yourself as the bridge between science and your patients -- you need to be able to people-speak and science-speak! After all, the Internet can tell them what to eat and not eat, what to do and what to avoid -- it's you who has to put the personal, doable twist on what can be a very daunting subject.
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One-sentence summary -- Develop a bedside manner. Work on your analytical skills. Get organized. Learn how to effectively communicate.


Rip off pieces of foil and scrunch them into a ball. Continue to add foil to the ball until it is about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wide and high. Screw the aluminium foil up nice and tight so that the balls don’t come unravelled while the tamales are steaming. Try to make the 3 balls a similar size and shape so that the plate can easily balance on the balls. Choose a pot that is large enough to fit a plate inside it. Put the aluminium balls around the edges of the pot to form a triangle shape. This will give the plate an even stand to rest on. Make sure that the pot has a lid as this is essential for the steaming process. Pick a plate that fits in the pot with at least a 1 inch (2.5 cm) gap from the edge of the pot. This will give you room to pour water into the bottom of the pot. Adjust the position of the plate until it sits evenly over the 3 aluminium balls. Choose a plate that is heat-proof so that it doesn’t crack or melt when the water starts to boil. Look at the bottom of the plate for a heat-proof sign to indicate that it is safe to use. If the plate is ceramic or made from thick glass, it safe to use. Use a jug to pour cold tap water under the plate. Continue to fill the pot until the water is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the plate. Avoid pouring water up to the line of the plate as this can cause the tamales to get wet when the water begins to boil. Place the tamales onto the plate with the open side facing up. Spread the tamales out across the plate so that they steam evenly. If you are cooking a lot of tamales, layer them on top of each other.  Make sure that the plate is nice and balanced before placing the tamales onto it. This avoids the tamales accidentally tipping into the water. If necessary, rearrange the placement of the aluminium balls to make the plate more stable. This method can be used for fresh and frozen tamales. Place the pot onto the stove top, turn the heat up to medium, and wait for the water to boil. Put a lid on the pot to help speed up the boiling process. Be careful when moving the pot not to shake the tamales into the water. Turn the heat down to low and put the lid on the pot if it isn’t on already. The lid traps the moisture and heat inside the pot which helps to steam the tamales.  Set a timer for 1 hour to help remind you to check the tamales. Check the pot occasionally to make sure that there is still water under the plate. If required, add more water to the bottom of the pot. Use a pair of metal tongs to transfer the tamales from the pot to a plate. The tamales will be piping hot so it best to leave them to cool for 5 minutes before eating them. Enjoy the tamales warm with your favourite side salad. Leave the plate inside the pot for an hour to cool. This makes it much safer and easier to remove for cleaning.
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One-sentence summary -- Scrunch aluminium foil into 2 inches (5.1 cm) balls. Place the balls into the pot and arrange them into a triangle shape. Balance a heat-proof plate on top of the aluminium balls. Pour water under the plate. Spread the tamales across the plate. Bring the water to a boil. Turn down the heat and leave the tamales to steam for 1 hour. Remove the tamales from the pot and leave them to cool for 5 minutes.


Safety gloves keep your fingers covered, minimizing the risk of cutting them when slicing the marble. Select a pair of gloves made from thick, durable canvas material, for example. Put on a pair of protective earmuffs before you use the saw to avoid any hearing strain or damage. You'll notice a loud, piercing noise when the blade pierces through the marble. Since you are standing very close to the saw, this noise may damage your hearing. These earmuffs are also worn when using a jackhammer or lawn mower, for instance. Small fragments of marble may fly up while using the wet saw, and one of the flyaways could wind up in your eye. When you put on the goggles, make sure your entire eye is protected. If you wear baggy shirts or pants, the extra fabric could get caught in the saw and cause serious injury. To prevent this, wear clothing that fits well. Additionally, keep your toes covered to prevent cuts from flyaway pieces of marble. Wear boots or sneakers, for example. Similarly to loose clothing, long hair can easily get caught in the blade. Use an elastic hair tie or scrunchy to tie up long hair, or use a headband to secure medium-length hair.
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One-sentence summary --
Put on protective gloves to avoid cutting or slicing your hands. Cover your ears with safety earmuffs to protect from the noise. Wear safety goggles so flyaway pieces do not injure you. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing or open-toed shoes. Tie up long hair to prevent any injuries.