California law does not place any restrictions on the practice of holistic nutrition. Only those that wish to use the exclusive title “certified dietitian” must first obtain state certification. However only a Registered Dietitian may be granted the Certified title.
There is a law that requires disclosure, and posting of a sign. The sign “shall not be smaller than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and shall be legibly printed with lettering no smaller than 1/2 inch in length, except the lettering of the word “NOTICE” shall not be smaller than 1 inch in length.” An example of this sign that can be printed for your use can be found here. (Depending on your browser, this link will download a PDF or open in another window)
While you may practice nutrition consultation as it pertains to food, nutrition intake, meal planning, grocery list and recipe creation and nutritional assessment, you may not:
“…practice medicine or to undertake the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure of any disease, pain, deformity, injury, or physical or mental condition and specifically does not authorize any person other than one who is a licensed health practitioner to state that any product might cure any disease, disorder, or condition.” – California Code, Business and Professions Code – BPC § 2068
California’s nutrition law can be found in the California Business and Professions Code, sections 2585, 2586, 2586.2, 2586.4, 2586.6, 2586.8, 2053.6, and 2068.
Laboratory Testing
California allows for Direct Access Testing, which means anyone may order a select number of “nondiagnostic general health” tests. The law states:
“The tests that may be conducted pursuant to this section are: pregnancy, glucose level, cholesterol, occult blood, and any other test for which there is a test for a particular analyte approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for sale to the public without a prescription in the form of an over-the-counter test kit. A test approved only as an over-the-counter collection device may not be conducted pursuant to this section.” (BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE – BPC, 1246.5.)