What RDs Do: Melissa Bailey, MS, RD, CNSC, LDN & Elizabeth Smith MPH, RD, CNSC, LDN

MELISSA BAILEY & ELIZABETH SMITH
TWO HUNGRY WORK WIVES
for something nutrishus

I 'met' these lovely ladies as followers of the series on Instagram. As you continue to see, whether it's a hobby or a business, many dietitians start blogs, create recipes, counsel/coach as they're just so passionate and/or have unique interests and skills they want to share with the world. This truly is much more than a job to most of us!

Why did you become a RD?

Liz- I initially wanted to help with clients struggling with eating disorders; however throughout my internship I realized that overall health and wellness was important to me, leading me to the clinical world.

Melissa- I loved experimenting with recipes and making them healthier throughout high school and college. It wasn’t until friends told me I should consider nutrition that I gave it a thought. Now I am surprisingly working in an acute care setting, but have reignited my love of healthy cooking through our Instagram and blog.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

We both work in the clinical setting in an acute care hospital. We also provide outpatient counseling weekly. On the side we work on our Instagram and blog @twohungryworkwives.

How would you explain what you do?

Our role as dietitians in the clinical setting is to provide medical nutrition therapy to our hospitalized patients. Melissa focuses on providing nutrition support (tube feeds and I.V. nutrition) to adult surgical patients while Liz works mainly in the neonatal ICU helping premature babies to grow. 

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

We see anywhere from 12-15 patients per day, assessing their nutrition needs and creating a plan with the medical team that best suits each patient. We also attend staff meetings, weekly education sessions and daily interdisciplinary rounds. As far as social media, we try to have meetings together a few times a week to discuss what we will post and the different ideas we have. 

What has been your career path?

Liz- studied nutrition undergrad, went on to work in community nutrition for several years while completing grad school. After completion of grad school, I went into my dietetic internship, where I realized that I wanted to eventually work in the clinical setting. 

Melissa- I studied health sciences in undergrad as I was not quite sure what part of the health profession I wanted to be in. I met with a professor who happened to also be a registered dietitian and she sparked my interest in the field. I went on to grad school with a focus in nutrition, then completed my dietetic internship. I also realized then that I wanted to be in the clinical setting, at least for the first few years of my career.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

We both have our master’s degree. Melissa has her Masters of Science in Human Nutrition while Liz has her Masters of Public Health with a focus in Nutrition. We both are Certified Nutrition Support Clinicians.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

We hope that the profession continues to grow as there is a need for nutrition professionals within the community as well as in the medical setting. Since dietitians focus on evidenced-based research, we feel it is important to help build up our profession to get the most accurate nutrition information out to the public. We also hope that as the years go by there is better compensation for Registered Dietitians and the value of our profession is noticed. 

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We go through years of education to become a Registered Dietitian and just like any other health professional, we have to take a board examination to become certified to practice. We also have to hold a state licensure (in most states). Many dietitians have a master’s degree and all of us go through an intense 1200-hour internship before sitting for our board exams.

What is your favourite meal?

Melissa- homemade pasta and braciole 

Liz- her mom’s mac and cheese

More about Melissa & Liz:

Instagram: @twohungryworkwives

Facebook: Twohungryworkwives

Website: Two Hungry Work Wives

Thanks ladies! Find out more about What RDs Do.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Dallas Odgers, RD, CF-L2

DALLAS ODGERS
COMMUNITY - OUTPATIENT & LTC,
GYM OWNER/PRIVATE PRACTICE
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As a fairly new business owner, we will have to keep our eyes on Dallas as I'm sure he'll do amazing things as he gets more into private practice. It seems that he has 'entrepreneur' written all over him. His is another story of a day job and a night job due to passion related to the field of dietetics and helping people with lifestyle changes. I love seeing the passion in our profession and it seems that Dallas has also come across that.

Why did you become a RD?

I grew up thinking Kraft Dinner and Pizza Pops weren’t THAT bad for you. Even though playing sports every day, my body did not reflect how athletic I was. After my first year of cross country and long-distance running, I was able to see the importance of modifying your diet to improve your performance. After having a really successful season (in comparison to the first year), I was hooked on my new healthy lifestyle. I kept the days of pizza pops and mars bars in the past. Later in high school I developed an interest in health care as a potential career choice because I thought it was something that could favour a guy who geeked out on science. I then found out about nutrition/dietetics and thought it was the perfect fit for me, but I was nervous about getting into a program that accepts less than 30 people.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

My ‘daily-grind’ is working as a community dietitian in the rural area around Maidstone, SK. I do mostly Outpatient and long term care (LTC) work in a bunch of communities around North Battleford/Maidstone.

My ‘night-hustle’ is working as a gym owner/private practice dietitian. Two years ago I opened up North Battleford Strength & Conditioning/CrossFit North Battleford, which gives me a great platform to work with people as a dietitian. With a large focus on developing our space, and fitness programs, I am ready to start working a lot more on private practice dietetic work and I am super excited about it.

How would you explain what you do?

I usually try to focus on describing the type of people I help and the value that I can bring them. For example, a common description would be that I help people manage their diabetes through education, goal setting, and accountability—this would be the majority of my clientele.

As my business grows, it will more likely be something like this: I am a private practice dietitian that offers strength and conditioning coaching, community, and nutrition education for long-term lifestyle change.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

It’s crazy.

Hit the road at 6:30-6:45 AM to Maidstone SK, where I could then be traveling to Cut Knife, Turtleford, St. Walburg, Neilburg, Thunderchild, or Edam. I usually see 5-6 clients per day, typically a joint appointment with a Diabetes Nurse Educator. From there I could have a LTC client, on a referral basis. Weekly I will often have meetings with the Health Region dietitian team and often provide education sessions to staff in facilities.

At about 4:30 PM I hit the road again and arrive at my other job at 5:15 PM. Here I will jump in on a class and then coach 1-2 classes an evening. I will book nutrition clients as they come up and touch base frequently through email, phone, or briefly after training sessions. I also do a lot of non-dietitian work on the business end to keep everything running as smoothly as possible.

What has been your career path?

After internship I started working in an Outpatient and LTC maternity leave, where I started my first (unsuccessful) business. I started an organization called Wild Youth Sports Management that hired collegiate level athletes to coordinate sport camps/activities with youth throughout Saskatchewan. Our first summer had me employing over 15 Huskie Athletes and providing sports training for over 2000 kids in Saskatchewan.

I realized I wanted to open a training facility as I had become passionate about Olympic weightlifting and CrossFit in University. When I moved back home I had nowhere to train. I had worked for a couple years in conventional and CrossFit gyms, so thought I would give running a CrossFit affiliate a shot and it has gained traction quickly in North Battleford. Just a year ago having about 20 members has grown into a program with over 120 participants currently.

While opening the gym I also completed a pilot project to incorporate a Primary Care Dietitian into the Prairie North Health region, which now provides dietitian services in 3 medical clinics in the Battlefords Area. Now I hold a full-time community dietitian position, as mentioned before.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

• Precision Nutrition Level 1 Graduate
• Olympic weightlifting coach (NCCP Level 1 In progress)
• CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

Ideally, in my mind, health care overall would start placing more focus/energy and funds towards prevention rather than treatment, by having better access to exercise programs, diet education, and mental health support. I feel like the dietetics industry will start to see more and more private practice dietitians that are developing niches and specialties. I hope that this will continue to build awareness that dietitians have a huge and powerful influence to help people achieve their goals.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That we only provide education on using Canada’s Food Guide (CFG). I have had doctors assume that I would just be giving out CFGs when I started to work in their office—something they apparently did not stand for. I don’t have an extreme hate towards CFG, and it does ultimately incorporate balance that the majority of people trying to improve their diets should work on, but it’s not a tool I regularly use in practice.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

They are relentlessly hard workers. I have met so many RDs with extreme work ethic. I have seen them shutting down the library as nutrition students. Now I see them addicted to learning and finding new online courses, books, and journals when they get into practice. I see them constantly networking and communicating amongst other dietitians and health care professionals. I have seen so many RDs become addicted to the process of working on becoming the best dietitian they can be.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

I find, with most of my clients I may identify a ton of things they could work on, but more than 1-2 actionable items are usually going to overwhelm them. I read a book once, The Compound Effect, which lays out a pretty simple formula: small/simple changes + consistency + time = success in achieving your goals. This is a good approach, where we choose 1-2 actionable items so that they can experience success and want to actually continue to work with me rather than avoid me because I laid out a plan that was very unrealistic for them.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

Lifestyle change. I get just as excited about watching someone do their first pull-up or hitting a PR on their back squat as I do when someone drops their A1C to target from diet changes with my advice. I think that is one thing that keeps me going for my 12-15 hour work days is that I get to continuously see people make positive lifestyle changes that I have some small part in!

What is your favourite meal?

Greek chicken BBQ’d on a small charcoal grill, couscous, and veggies served with an questionable amount of Tzatziki on top.

More about Dallas:

Instagram: @crossfitnb
Website: North Battleford Strength & Conditioning/CrossFit North Battleford

Thanks Dallas! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Romina Barritta de Defranchi, RD

ROMINA BARRITTA DE DEFRANCHI

GLOBAL DIETITIANS

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As the first Argentinian in the series, it seems fitting that Romina is passionate about international dietetics, networking and connecting with dietitians across the globe. As such, she sees the challenges that we share as dietitians and the need for us to support each other and strengthen our brand. She's also actively involved with the American Overseas Dietetic Association, of which I, a Canadian, am a member. Through this series I hope to help share our experiences worldwide, and as always, I'm glad Romina is on our team!

Why did you become a RD?

Because I love helping others and I love everything about food, so being a dietitian is the perfect combination of health, human and food sciences.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

Clinical Dietetics, Communications, Recipe Development.

How would you explain what you do? 

I work in a 100 bed hospital as an inpatient and outpatient dietitian, involved mainly in nutrition support. My other passion is to write and share experiences in my blog GlobalDietitians.com. I’m also Professional Development Chair of the American Overseas Dietetic Association (AODA), the international affiliation of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I work in the hospital 6 hours M-F and I dedicate 8-10 hours/week to my other tasks (my website, AODA, recipe development, etc.).

What has been your career path? 

I graduated as a dietitian in Argentina (Licenciada en Nutricion), where I also did a 3-year Nutrition Residency. Then, life took me to the U.S. where I have the wonderful opportunity to work as a Dietetic Technician Registered at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. I was immensely enriched -not only professionally but also personally- as I learned from the leading experts in the nutrition field with unique teamwork approach and values. It was there when I became interested in international dietetics and networking with dietetic professionals around the globe. I realized that despite our differences all dietitians want the same: to better position our profession with the ultimate goal to improve nutrition and health of the people we serve. Looking for international dietetics communities I came across the American Overseas Dietetic Association, the international affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, where I became Country Representative for Argentina.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

3-Year Residency in Nutrition. Expert in Nutrition Support (Certified by the Argentinean Association of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition).

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now? 

With rising food prices, environmental issues and a growing population, I think food companies will focus more on sustainable ways of feeding the world, decreasing food waste and providing food that is produced, processed, bought, sold and eaten in ways that provide social benefits and contribute to thriving local economies.

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

We are the food and nutrition experts that can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

Professional intrusion from other disciplines (like chefs, journalists, and personal trainers that provide nutrition counseling) is becoming an issue in Argentina and in many countries. That is a global challenge for us, and if we unite in this we can achieve a better image and positioning of our profession worldwide.

What is your favorite meal? 

As an Italian daughter, I love pasta and my favorite dish is Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni, and why not with a glass of Argentinean Malbec.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

“Share our similarities, celebrate our differences” M. Scott Peck

I invite my colleagues to get together and share experiences worldwide to make our profession stronger. We can easily communicate with today’s tools and it’s a great idea to connect with local dietitians if you have the chance to travel to another country. Be always curious, share your passion, & love your food!

More about Romina:

Website: www.globaldietitians.com
Twitter: @globdietitians
Instagram: @romina_globaldietitians
Facebook: Global Dietitians
Linkedin: Romina Barritta de Defranchi

Thanks Romina! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Nadine Fahdi Khoury MHSc RD

NADINE FAHDI KHOURY

PRIVATE OUTPATIENT CARE

CLINIC MANAGER, NUTRITION SERVICES

for something nutrishus

Nadine makes mention of the need for strong branding for Canadian dietitians, and I'm happy to be a part of the leadership team working on that with Dietitians of Canada! Through her role, Nadine helps to advocate for dietitians, which is always great to see in the profession. She also brings up the importance of our relationship with food, which I love.

Why did you become a RD? 

I chose the dietetics field because of my passion for health and cooking. I had a strong science background and always enjoyed helping others. I never knew how stimulating and perfect the role was for my personality and skills until I grew into the profession.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work in a private outpatient health and wellness company and my areas of dietetic practice include managing a team of RDs, advocating for the profession through support for RD services, ongoing training and education, development of nutrition products and services and client counseling and coaching.

How would you explain what you do? 

I am now clinic manager, nutrition services in a private health and wellness company. I also provide one on one outpatient nutrition counseling and coaching to individuals and families within a multitude of health concerns namely metabolic syndrome, digestive conditions, child and youth nutrition and sports nutrition.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I ensure RD coverage is available and suitable for clinic needs by updating schedules and communicating with RDs and clinic teams, I communicate resources that may be helpful for the RD team and clinic multidisciplinary team, I attend leadership meetings to develop strategic positioning for nutrition products, I counsel clients and families on an ongoing basis to help them reach their health goals using evidence and practice based guidelines and recommendations, I ensure team performance metrics and indicators are in line with RD capacity and business objectives.

What has been your career path? 

I started my career as a dietitian in a juvenile diabetes summer camp and then went into private practice, long term and chronic care. From there, I provided coverage in various hospital units namely renal, burns, medicine, mental health and acute care. Following completion of my Master’s, I chose to switch back to private outpatient care where I now manage a team of 12 RDs within a multidisciplinary wellness company.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I completed a Master’s in Nutrition Communications at Ryerson University following 10 years of practice in dietetics. This program helped shape my interest in advocating for the profession, develop partnerships with a multitude of profession related stakeholders and fine tune communication skills targeting different audiences using different media. Through experience in my role as clinic manager nutrition services at Medcan clinic, I learned how to choose the right staff, advocate for RD services and develop thriving nutrition programs. I have certificates in behaviour modification and digestive health strategies and am working on an integrative and functional nutrition certificate.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

The industry will have some struggles to position itself as the leader in nutrition knowledge provision for the next few years due to a multitude of overlap between other professions. I think RDs need to distinguish themselves not only as evidence-based practitioners but also as credible and flexible health and nutrition providers which will have to include lifestyle and fitness coaching, recipe development, meal planning and cooking skills. I foresee the creation of a governing body that will facilitate specializations within chosen fields of practice beyond hospital specialties. I also think that in 5 years RD services will be covered by provincial health insurance plans or at least by most private health insurance plans (wishful thinking…)

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Many confuse RDs with nutritionists and many think RDs only work with people for weight loss or only use Canada’s food guide or support the dairy farmers because of the financial support they provide etc. We need a strong marketing and branding campaign to clear many confusions related to misconceived perceptions.

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

Just like any profession, there are different types of RDs. I think it's important for clients to do their due diligence when looking for an RD to support their health goals. I would like people to avoid generalizing when judging RDs services. Some fits will be better than others.

What is your favourite meal? 

My favourite meal is one that I’ve had time to create myself with local, fresh ingredients while listening to jazz music and sipping a glass of Sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

A relationship with food is a lifelong journey without the option of separation or divorce. Reach out to a professional that you connect with to help you develop a pleasure for nourishing your body and soul with healthy fare.

More about Nadine:

Email: nadnutrition@gmail.com

LinkedIn: Nadine Khoury MHSc RD | LinkedIn
Twitter: @Nadastic

Thanks Nadine! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Brenda Marie Schwerdt RDN, LD, CNSC

W

BRENDA MARIE SCHWERDT

INPATIENT & OUTPATIENT CLINICAL

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Brenda figured out that food science and nutrition were where she wanted to be, but her career choice wasn't what she expected she would fall in love with. She also studied enology, which I just learned is the study of wine and culinary skills remain a passion of hers. She's a fellow advocate for dietetics and dietitians with various media jobs above and beyond her day-to-day tasks.

Why did you become a RD?

In my early teen years I was really involved with sports, particularly dance. I thought I wanted to be a sports nutritionist or sports psychologist. Then at 15 years old I got my first food service job and fell in love with the restaurant industry. I knew I needed to make a career out of both food and nutrition.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work in clinical dietetics at a level II trauma hospital. I see a wide variety of patients in both inpatient hospital and outpatient clinic settings. I am a member of my hospital’s multidisciplinary hospice team and multidisciplinary oncology team. I also do quite a bit of media work on behalf of the hospital I work at and for our local dietetic association.

How would you explain what you do? 

My main focus is ensuring hospitalized patients are getting adequate nutrition. This would include doing a nutritional assessment and then completing any necessary interventions. Inventions could include changing diet orders, providing education to patient and staff, and ordering nutrition support. I work in all departments in the hospital but mainly focus on the ICU and oncology units.

When working in the clinic I am helping people learn about nutrition to help manage their health at home. In the clinic I mostly see oncology patients and patients who require home nutrition support. However, I also see patients for obesity, failure to thrive, GI (gastrointestinal) issues, sport nutrition, allergies, and eating disorders.

I think it is really important to make the public know that registered dietitians are the nutrition experts so I try to be a vocal advocate for registered dietitians in our community. I have a bi-weekly newspaper column and have frequent segments on local TV stations, covering a wide variety of nutrition related topics.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

When I get to the hospital in the morning I get my daily assignment which may include a combination of inpatients, outpatients, media pieces, and meetings.

What has been your career path? 

I did not apply to a dietetic internship when I was in college. I graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities where I took many courses in food science and enology. My first job out of college was working for a wholesale wine broker. I was very excited to be in the restaurant world and thought the wine industry was really exciting. However, I started missing the science of both food science and nutrition. Five years out from college I applied to an internship and was accepted to my first and only choice. At the time I applied for my internship, I thought I would want to work in community health and public policy. I was surprised when I fell in love with clinical dietetics, particularly nutrition support. I really enjoy solving the complex puzzles to make sure people are getting adequate nutrition.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I am a board certified nutrition support clinician.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I would hope that people seek out experts when looking for information. I would like the public to understand that RDs are the experts when it come to nutrition. With such easy access to create and obtain information it is difficult for my patients to know what is accurate. I would like to see RDs have a larger presence in mainstream media, grocery stores, and in community health organizations.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

If you are my patient I am not going to criticize you for you food choices. I think a lot of people are intimidated to see a dietitian because they are embarrassed about what they eat and think a dietitian will restrict all the foods they love. I will not take away your favorite foods.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

As this blog shows, there is a huge variety in dietitians. Different RDs become RDs for different reasons. There are people in my office who are very passionate about heart health, diabetes, food access, culinary arts, pediatrics, and nutrition support; and I work in one clinical dietetic office. I approach dietetics from more of a culinary arts/food science perspective, so my way of working with a patient might be very different than a dietitian who approaches patients from a cardiac aspect. Because food can be a very intimate topic, it is important to work with a RD that you trust and is knowledgeable about your specific medical needs.

What do people think that you do for a living?

I don’t think most people know because I am asked so frequently. When I am working in the hospital and checking in on a patient the patient often thinks I am from the kitchen and in their room to take their meal order.

What is your favourite meal?

This is my most favorite question but also the most difficult to answer. It changes greatly depending on my mood and the weather! A classic is spaghetti and meatballs. I love seafood, especially shellfish, and top it with some pineapple infused melted butter. During the summer, I love grilling lots of vegetables; squash, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers to be served alongside a perfect medium rare steak. I’m a chocoholic, the darker the better.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

Learn to cook! It makes my job much easier when patients have a basic understanding of cooking.

More about Brenda:

LinkedIn: Brenda Schwerdt, RDN, LD, CNSC
Facebook: Brenda Schwerdt, RDN, LD, CNSC

Thanks Brenda! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Robin Arora-Desilet, RD

ROBIN ARORA-DESILET

RADNUT

for something nutrishus

Having worked in BC and Alberta, Robin recently moved back to BC and as an entrepreneur is of course always looking for new opportunities. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at the Dietitians of Canada conference in Winnipeg this year. I agree with Robin that our environment needs to be a focus is we're going to successfully change behaviours and support healthy habits. We're lucky this research-minded dietitian turned her back on microbiology and she's another interviewee that loves breakfast! 

Why did you become a RD?

I was always interested in health and nutrition, what drew me to dietetics was my passion for learning and understanding how we can prevent disease. Genetics does play a role in our health, but it’s what we do, how we live, and our psychological health that can be the “trigger” that prevents, delays, or promotes disease.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I’m the founder of RADNUT, an online company offering support services for those struggling with allergies, weight management, diabetes, digestive and heart health issues. I also create recipes, enjoy food photography, write for Yahoo Canada and other companies, speak at health fairs and conferences, and I love developing specific, interactive, thought-provoking group nutrition workshops.

How would you explain what you do?

Hectic, exciting, challenging, nerve-wracking, messy, creative, and so much fun!

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

I’m often busy developing recipes and writing evidence based articles for RADNUT. I also contract services to write or develop recipes for other blogs or online platforms. Recently I moved back to beautiful British Columbia, and am in the process of developing unique RADNUT client services, so stay tuned because exciting things are coming!

What has been your career path?

In my younger years I thought I wanted to be a researcher and completed a degree in microbiology. After I realized that I didn’t want to be a microbiologist and was passionate about preventing disease through nutrition, so I fled to the Dietetics program at UBC.

When I became a dietitian, I first worked with a remarkable team at the BC Cancer Agency to support patients through their cancer treatment. Our team was also involved in exciting ongoing research looking into how nutrition can support cancer patients. I also enjoyed my time as an inpatient dietitian, especially when I covered the surgical wards. I’ll never forget my glossectomy and colectomy patients. To have parts of your body removed and then slowly regain normal function is an amazing progression to be part of!

Recently I worked with the Edmonton Southside Primary care network where I launched in-clinic diabetes and healthy eating workshops and also supported patients in managing heart disease, allergies, diabetes, gastrointestinal, weight issues and anything else you could think of! 

Additionally, I’m the founder of RADNUT, and now I’m back in Vancouver, B.C. Life is an exciting whirlwind sometimes!

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have a degree in microbiology, which makes a lot of my practice heavily based in research. I’ve also attended allergy training workshops and have been lucky enough to work and train with some of the most highly respected and experienced oncology nutrition, weight management, and outpatient dietitians!

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

No more fad diets, self-love and acceptance, focusing on what benefits our bodies in the long-term. How about magical funding for nutrition research? Tighter restrictions on food advertising, maybe even promoting advertising for healthy food, and creating environments where healthy choices are the easy and normal choice!

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

RDs have been through a rigorous 4-5 year program involving a minimum of 1 year of internship (more about Internship Routes in Canada). We understand how the human body functions and changes over the lifespan. We do not encourage fad diets or unsustainable methods to get where you want to be. We’re realistic, share the evidence-based truth, and will support you on your journey for the long-run.

What is your favourite meal?

Breakfast! Specifically heuvos rancheros! I love beans because that’s all my vegetarian mother fed us, along with home-made salsa, eggs, and cheese...I’m already drooling!

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

If something feels off, wrong, or too difficult and extreme, listen to that feeling. Build a connection with your body to understand what nourishment it needs instead of ignoring it and following an over-restricted diet that makes you 'hangry' and miserable! Work with your healthcare team and family to figure out what is do-able, sustainable, and what makes you healthy and happy for life.

More about Robin:

Website: RADNUT
Twitter: @RADNUT_
Instagram: @radnut_
Facebook: RADNUT

Thanks Robin! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Mandy Willig, PhD, RD

MANDY WILLIG
SCIENTIST, CLINICAL OUTPATIENT DIETITIAN

for something nutrishus

Mandy was interested in the interview series to share her unique experiences and also to contribute to a valuable resource for future dietitians. She is an Assistant Professor and travels around the world for her research and work. She spends about 20% of her time at clinics for patients with HIV and diabetes, and 80% conducting research on health disparities and chronic disease risk. Even other dietitians don't really know what Mandy does, which is one of the main reasons I started this series!

Why did you become a RD?

Vocational education programs led me to dietetics. I always enjoyed cooking and learning about nutrition through 4-H and Family Consumer Science (FCS) classes. I also visited a dietitian when I was a child, so when my FCS teacher introduced me to the idea of dietetics as a career I realized it was the perfect chance to impact other’s lives in the same way that dietitian did for me.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I am a scientist at an academic medical center. I also provide outpatient counselling to patients a few days each month.

How would you explain what you do? 

I develop and conduct research studies to determine the best ways to help people follow nutrition and exercise plans. I am especially interested in which approaches will work best for people living with chronic infections, such as HIV. My research right now is focused mainly in the United States and Zambia. In my clinical time, I work with patients from urban and rural areas who have high cholesterol, diabetes, and poor immune function.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

Every day is different in science! About eight hours weekly are spent with patients. I work on completing research studies and interpreting results from those studies. I also develop manuscripts for journals, and presentations for colleagues and community members to share results from our research and learn how we can adapt clinical care based on the findings. I have to regularly read research articles in my field to stay up-to-date on the science. I serve as a dietetic intern (DI) preceptor in the DI research rotation, and guest lecture on nutrition and health for undergraduate/graduate students. I have also participated in community outreach through education programs and cooking classes. And, of course, in research I spend quite a bit of time writing research grants to move our science to the next level.

What has been your career path?

Following the dietetic internship, I became a corporate dietitian with a long-term care and rehab company, where I worked with the geriatric population providing long-term nursing home care and short-term rehabilitation services. I always thought that I had NO interest in research (seriously – none), but while completing my Master’s degree I fell in love with the area. I also became frustrated with how many younger adults were becoming disabled through diabetes and heart disease, and saw research as a path to address that. I now work as an Assistant Professor.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have a PhD in Nutrition Sciences. I also received additional training in business and biostatistics - business and coding skills open up many opportunities to RDs!

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I would love to see everyone in the United States have access to a dietitian before medical issues become an emergency. We consistently see the best results in our patients who are working with dietitians, and that expertise should not be withheld until people are at their sickest.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

I still hear the old phrase that dietitians are the “food police”, even though in 2016 food bloggers and “nutritionists” with limited/no credentials are more likely to judge and police what you are eating. RDs have invested many years (and dollars) into academic and internship training because they are passionate about helping you be healthy while actually enjoying your life.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

Honestly, even other dietitians don’t always know exactly what I do as a research dietitian. I would love for more RDs to consider research as a career path. We have valuable expertise to offer, and many research institutions will now advertise “RD preferred” for faculty positions because they see the positive benefit to their programs when RDs are educators and researchers.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am VERY invested in teaching other health care/business professionals about how valuable RDs are. If you want results, you can consult anyone. If you want GOOD results, consult the dietitian.

What is your favourite meal? 

My mom’s pot roast with carrots and potatoes always brings back my happiest childhood memories. My mom taught me how to cook, and watching her now share those skills with my child gives me hope that the pot roast recipe will survive for many more generations!

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

Never stop learning! You need to develop the skills to read and interpret research literature and counteract the rampant misinformation about food and nutrition. Plus, we all need to learn how to partner with science journalists and food journalists to get the right information out there.

More about Mandy:

Twitter: @MandyWilligRD
Linkedin: Amanda Willig, PhD, RD

Thanks Mandy! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Suzanne Weldon, RD, LD, CDE

SUZANNE WELDON

ENDOCRINOLOGY & OUTPATIENT 

for something nutrishus

It would seem that Suzanne was always meant to work in diabetes. Like others (myself included), she decided to pursue dietetics based on an introduction to nutrition course.

Why did you become a RD?

My passion for nutrition & diabetes education goes way back. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age three. I had a fantastic diabetes care team and was first introduced to an RD there. My family & I learned early on that proper nutrition was vital for my health. I originally started off as a genetics major in college, with the anticipation of doing diabetes research. I quickly decided I’d rather work with people over … well… rats. I took my first nutrition 101 course & fell in love with the field with the understanding I could also do diabetes education.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Endocrinology & general outpatient nutrition.

How would you explain what you do?

I teach the importance of nutrition & meal planning based on a client’s individual needs. I additionally teach diabetes self-management training to those with pre-diabetes & diabetes.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

I commute three days a week to “the big city” & work in an outpatient endocrinology clinic providing nutrition education for related endocrine disorders & also provide diabetes education. I enjoy the variety of the diabetes education because I also train patients on pumps, continuous glucose monitor, insulin therapy, & blood glucose meters. Additionally, I work once a week in my own “small town” private practice providing the same type of education. I’m also the diabetes resource person for our small town diabetes education support group with meetings held monthly. The rest of my time is spent with my husband & two girls.

What has been your career path?

I went to Texas A&M University for my bachelors of science in nutritional science. I then worked at WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) as a nutritionist/supervisor for a few months & then headed on to my dietetic internship at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. From there I’ve worked in a few different diabetes centers & endocrinology clinics. Now I’m doing private practice, the endocrinology clinic, & am a PRN certified pump trainer for Omnipod.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

• CDE- Certified Diabetes Educator
• CPT – Certified Pump Trainer 

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?
More nutrition services covered by insurance especially for preventative medicine purposes.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We (RDs) are here to help, not harm. Too often do my clients feel as if I’m judging them. And then I tell them I just ate a cookie too. Or I mention that I understand what it’s like to be a human pin cushion having diabetes as well.

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

We have very rigorous training in nutrition & dietetics with a university degree & 1000+hour dietetic internship. Some of us have additional credentials, masters or even PhD’s. We are knowledgeable in weeding out fact from fiction regarding nutrition. We are THE nutrition experts.

More about Suzanne:

Facebook: Weldon Nutrition & Diabetes Centre

Thanks Suzanne! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!