What RDs Do: Paula Wesson, RDN, LDN

PAULA WESSON
GERIATRICS - CATHOLIC SISTERS &

THE JUNK FOOD NUTRITIONIST

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It fascinates me to learn why people were drawn to the dietetics field and of course the diverse and varied things we do and people we work with. We often go above and beyond nourishment and nutrition education to best serve our patients/residents/clients. Paula also bring up some of my favourite terms: moderation (although a controversial/subjective term) and prevention. 

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve always loved food, but I also really liked medicine and I loved playing “school” with my friends. I realized that being a dietitian was a combination of these things. I’m around food all the time, I’m around medicine all the time, and I teach!

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Geriatrics. I work mainly with Catholic Sisters. (They prefer not to be called “nuns.”)

How would you explain what you do?

I’m a jill-of-all-trades. I do anything I can for the Sisters, including many things that aren’t nutrition-related, such as pushing their wheelchairs and helping them find the numbers called in Bingo.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

One of my main clinical duties is to perform a full nutrition assessment on new residents to the skilled nursing floors (there are also floors for Sisters who are aging but don’t need skilled care). I then have to fill out Medicare paperwork for residents on a regular basis, regardless of their nutrition status. I also attend care conferences twice a week to discuss the residents’ health conditions and care. Sometimes I provide nutrition education. Sometimes I recommend supplements or snacks. Sometimes I even spoon-feed them or go to the grocery store to look for a particular item for them to eat.

What has been your career path?

After college, I held nutrition-related jobs prior to working as a dietitian. After earning my degree, I worked as a summer camp counselor teaching cooking classes. While this was enjoyable, it was obviously temporary. Then, I started my unpaid dietetic internship, during which I worked part-time as a biology lab assistant and later as a dietary aide in a convent nursing home.

Another convent nursing home, operated by the same foodservice company, needed a new dietitian. I had a job offer to be their dietitian before I’d even completed the internship. Literally, the day after I finished my internship, I moved and 3 days later I started working as their dietitian.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Not much. I have taken 4 graduate-level courses. I am planning to take the Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC) exam by the end of the year, which is a certification in tube feedings and parenteral nutrition.

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

Nutrition services are still inaccessible for many people. Ideally, more insurance companies would cover our services and would cover them for more conditions than they currently do. I’d like to see one dietitian visit a year being a covered part of preventative care. Teaching people nutrition earlier in the disease process or before it even begins could help prevent complications.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

People often think my job is to make strict meal plans. My facility has “liberal” diets. For example, we don’t force residents with diabetes to eat only 45 carbs per meal. Even when I was interning in inpatient and outpatient settings none of the dietitians provided patients or clients with a strict meal plan.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

It’s hard to change people’s habits. I think this is especially true in the older adult population because they want to enjoy what’s left of their life and are concerned they won’t enjoy it as much if they change their diet.

What do people think that you do for a living?

Ha. I had one coworker who used to tell me all the time that my job was to play Solitaire because he often saw me on the computer. Other people tell me they think I’m the stock person or the “runner” who brings food from the kitchen to the serving area.

What is your favourite meal?

I have always loved rice and beans. It’s very versatile, because it’s not really just rice and beans. For example, Puerto Rican-style rice and beans includes recaito, a cilantro-based mixture, but Nicaraguan “gallo pinto” rice and beans doesn’t.

Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

Why do you call yourself “The Junk Food Nutritionist”?

I came up with this name years before I officially became a Registered Dietitian. My family would tease me about the fact that I ate junk food even though I was studying nutrition and wanted to work in dietetics. I still do. I believe in everything in moderation.

More about Paula:

Website: www.JunkFoodNutrition.com
Twitter: @JunkFoodNutr

Thanks Paula! 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: Angela Birnie MEd, RD, RCC

ANGELA BIRNIE
PRIVATE PRACTICE & 
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR

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Angela has been following the series and came up as a great candidate for an interview due to her RCC designation, among other things. Private practice has allowed her to combine her specialties to better serve her clients, and the two fields pair so well together. She is definitely caring and compassionate and spends time with upcoming dietitians which is very valuable. Perhaps someday I'll get to attend a dietitian potluck with Angela!

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve wanted to be a RD since I was relatively young. I had the opportunity to see one as a kid, and she pulled food models out of her desk as part of her assessment. I was immediately hooked! I thought that anyone who got to keep plastic “toys” in their desk must have a fun job.

As I got older and started more formal career exploration, the RD role continued to seem like a good fit. It allowed me to blend my desire to help people with my interest in health and wellness.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I focus on helping clients with eating disorders and disordered eating, though I also work with clients with chronic illnesses. Most of my clients know what they “should” be doing to improve their mental and physical health, and come to me because they feel stuck in trying to make those changes.

How would you explain what you do?

I work in private practice full-time, as both a Registered Clinical Counsellor and as a Registered Dietitian. Clients have the option of coming for nutrition counselling, therapy/psychological counselling, or integrating both.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Most of my time is spent in individual appointments with clients. I also spend time liaising with other health care providers about the care of the clients we have in common, preparing for sessions by reviewing client files and the care plan, writing session notes, and reading/researching various things for professional development. And, when I can’t schedule an appointment with a new client because my practice is full at times, I spend time referring them to other providers who can offer them support right away.

I also agree to meet with students on a fairly regular basis, when they have questions about the field or various career paths.

What has been your career path?

I worked as a casual dietitian or in temporary positions in a hospital for a few years. I got a job in an eating disorder clinic as a dietitian and worked there for about 7 years, in various programs.

To develop my counselling experience, I worked as a counsellor in a residential eating disorder program. After finding the shift work difficult and ultimately not wanting to choose between working as a dietitian or a counsellor, I made the move to private practice.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

In addition to my B.A.Sc. in Nutrition, I completed a M.Ed. degree in Counselling Psychology, and am a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

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

I hope that psychology and counselling continues to blend with dietetics. I wasn’t exposed to very much psychology when I completed my dietetics degree. Early in my career, I focused too much on educating clients on what needs changing instead of how to change.

Stigma and fear of judgement from health care providers inhibits lots of clients from accessing health care as much as they need to, or at all. As dietitians and other health care providers are trained more in motivational interviewing, behaviour change strategies, and exploring our own biases and lenses (which we all have, even when we try hard not to), we will be even better at creating an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and support for our clients. And this will allow us to be even more curious about their barriers, and to be even more creative in facilitating change.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That we’re here to be the “food police”, and that we only eat “perfectly” (whatever that is.) Dietitians understand and live the balance between wanting good health and wanting a good quality of life (including treats). We want to help clients with that balance too. People can be healthy in all shapes and sizes and with different lifestyles. We don’t treat everyone with the same recommendations.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

That we love food, and host the best potluck events around. The food is beyond amazing. If you’re ever invited to a dietitian potluck, accept immediately! :)

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Like lots of RDs, I really value professional development – reading, researching, learning from colleagues and attending workshops. Trying to keep up to date in two fields (nutrition & psychology) is definitely a challenge sometimes!

What do people think that you do for a living?

Sometimes people think that I only teach about Canada’s Food Guide. Food, nutrition, and the factors that impact why we eat (or don’t) or exercise (or don’t) are so much more complicated than that.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I’m passionate about helping clients re-learn how to listen to their bodies and identify their own needs. I also love helping people re-connect to the joy of eating, and to learn to be kinder to themselves when things don’t go as they planned or hoped.

What is your favourite meal?

I could never pick just one! Cheese is my favourite – it takes most things from “good” to “amazing”. And during the summer, I love barbecued vegetables drizzled with reduced balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with a bit of chive-flavoured salt.

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

Self-compassion is crucial to change. Believing that we need to have “more willpower” or be harder on ourselves to meet our goals often sets us up to fail. Self-compassion isn’t about letting ourselves off the hook and rationalizing any behaviour. It’s about accepting that we aren’t perfect, being curious about why we might act in ways that aren’t aligned with our goals, and creating a kind and realistic plan to move in the direction of living the way we want to live. When my clients incorporate true self-compassion, they are better at making the changes they want to make.

And, if you’ve been “stuck” for a long time, consider incorporating some counselling into your life. You might benefit from just a few sessions to work through some stress, or may need longer-term support to work through some tough things that have happened. Often, if we’re trying something over and over and not getting to where we want to be, there’s a good and complicated reason for it.

More about Angela:

Website: www.angelabirnie.com

Thanks Angela! 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: Michelle Jaelin, BFA, BASc, RD

MICHELLE JAELIN

MEDIA DIETITIAN, ARTIST 

& CREATIVE NUTRITION COMMUNICATOR

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Michelle's use of artist in her title has always intrigued me and now I know the back story. I remember professors teaching us that nutrition is both a science and an art, which makes sense as we often have to translate research into practical advice, although Michelle is an artist in the true sense of the word. Her creative background contributes to her non-traditional approach to dietetics. She is kind and special and I appreciate her thoughts about our profession - where it's headed and where we should direct it. 

Why did you become a RD?

My path into dietetics was definitely an unconventional one. I was a Visual Arts student at York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design in Toronto.

I discovered yoga and fitness to help manage the stress of university in my second year and wanted to learn more about health and nutrition. However, I was a grade A art nerd. I had no understanding of physiology, science or math at the university level whatsoever.

I found Health Education and Promotion and decided to apply for the Nutrition Team Lead position. I applied, thinking that the worse that can happen is I wouldn’t get the job!

I was lucky and got the job. And during that year, I decided to create a photo exhibition about “What Students Eat” inspired by photojournalists Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio who created Hungry Planet: What the World Eats – featured in Time Magazine. It was a successful event, generating dialogue about food, nutrition and health behaviours of students across campus.

Figure 1 Michelle's first nutrition & art project: "What Students Eat" in 2008

After that, I knew I wanted to help people with food and eating through art. I interviewed a few practicing dietitians, went back to school to get some science credits and enrolled at Ryerson University to become a RD!

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Media (writing, speaking, TV) and private practice.

How would you explain what you do?

I communicate nutrition information in a fun and creative way, and help clients reach their health goals.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

As an entrepreneur, every day is different. There is often a lot of writing, emails, planning, time spent in my studio (food styling) and making stuff (food/recipes and displays). I also aim to visit locations across Ontario to better understand where our food comes from.

I hold another position as an Art & Cooking Instructor at a private art school. I teach children to be creative and exercise the right sides of their brains. I also teach cooking and basic food skills. Everyone is creative, but the skill needs to be nurtured.

What has been your career path?

In 2013, I auditioned and was chosen as a TEDx Speaker at TEDxRyersonU. My talk was about using art to help people understand their health and science better.

Figure 2 Michelle at TEDxRyersonU in 2013.

As a creative person, I never fit into the traditional roles of a dietitian. I started my own communications business because it catered to my strengths. I won the OHEA Media Release Competition 2 years in a row as a nutrition student and I have always loved communication, whether it be through written, verbal or visual art. I also have my own private practice.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I hold a 4-year BFA Honours in Visual Arts Studio, and a certificate in Food Security from Ryerson University on top of my BASc Nutrition & Food degree from Ryerson and dietetic internship at Aramark Canada.

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

I would like to see more diversity in the field; men and women of different ethnicities, sizes, abilities, religions, sexual orientations and classes. Past Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics President Dr. Evelyn Crayton published a paper about the lack of diversity in dietetics in the 2015 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and also presented this evidence at the 4th International Critical Dietetics Conference in Chicago. I would like to see a more inclusive and diverse profession.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Dietitians are human. We are not perfect, nor are we perfect eaters – there is no such thing. We are flawed, just like everyone else. We have good and bad days, and everything in between.

We are here to help with your own goals; not judge based on your food choices.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

Dietitians wear many different “hats” and work in all kinds of areas; therefore, a statement like “dietitians count calories” is not very accurate.

But if I could sum us up in one word, I would say collectively, we all care about nourishment.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

When others judge me based on my food choices. Hey, I’m human too!

What do people think that you do for a living?

Help people lose weight and make meal plans.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am passionate about making a difference and finding non-traditional and creative ways to advance the profession.

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

Dietitians are smart. Seriously. I’ve never met a group of nutrition professionals as intelligent as registered dietitians! Our knowledge of nutrition is vast, we stay on top of literature and constantly undergo vigorous training by our respective regulatory bodies to maintain our credentials. I do not know any other nutrition/wellness professionals as smart as RDs!

What is your favourite meal?

Pizza, egg tarts, pretzels with mustard and chocolate cake. Not all together.

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

I share one of my favourite quotes by singer Jill Scott that resonated with me:

“We all have our own thing — that’s the magic – and everybody comes with their own sense of strength, and their own queendom. Mine could never compare to hers, and hers could never compare to mine.”

On a personal note, the only times I ever felt insecure or competitive was when I forgot what had made me special. And when I remembered what that was, that feeling went away.

Each and every single one of us is unique, even if collectively we are dietitians. When you find what makes you wonderful, you begin to see what’s wonderful in all other dietitians.

In the words of Jill Scott: find your own queendom.

It’s up to you to figure out what that is, and share your gift with the world.

More about Michelle:

Website: www.nutritionartist.com
Twitter: @NutritionArtist
Instagram: @NutritionArtist
YouTube: Michelle Jaelin
Facebook: NutritionArtistRD

Thanks Michelle! 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: Mark McGill, RD, CSG (soon)

MARK MCGILL 

LONG TERM CARE & HOME CARE

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Mark was recommended as a great male to include in the series, and as you'll see below, there are many reasons for that! You'll find Mark active on twitter as he enjoys helping people sort through the quackery and sees the need for dietitians to be in on social media conversations. He is also going to add a new and unique credential to his name soon.

Why did you become a RD?

I developed a passion for nutrition after stumbling upon it, really. I was studying Environmental Science at the University of Waterloo and I took a health elective that nicely fit my schedule. There was a nutrition component and soon, I found myself studying more about nutrition than my major. That Fall, I was enrolled in Nutrition and Food at Ryerson University in Toronto.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I currently work in long term care (geriatrics) and home care.

How would you explain what you do?

I help people be at their best through food and a healthy lifestyle.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Meeting with residents and their families at the long term care homes and going into clients’ homes for my home care job. Developing and implementing care plans based on individual needs. Meeting with other health care professionals with the common goal of improving the health of those we care for.

What has been your career path?

After completing my internship at the Ottawa Hospital in 2008, I worked in long term care and home care. I’ve come full-circle with positions in hospitals, family health teams and private clinics along the way.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I am going to be Board Certified in Gerontological Nutrition (CSG) by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (*I wrote it but failed and will take the exam again. It's a tough exam. It was a good experience and I get another shot at it, so I’m not broken up about it.)

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

Less influence, lobbying by the food industry e.g. at conferences.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

Men can be RDs too! (I have had contracts where I am referred to as “she”; “her”)

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We are not judging what you have for lunch last Tuesday at work in the staff room.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

People often feel the need to explain themselves if they are eating something unhealthy in front of me. I try and reassure them that a healthy diet includes all foods, even unhealthy ones!

What do people think that you do for a living?

People often assume I am a chef because of my nutrition expertise. Nope.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

The use of social media to brand ourselves as the trusted nutrition experts.

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

We have standards that we adhere to/are regulated by a professional college.

What is your favourite meal?

Ham, scalloped potatoes and corn is one of my favourites. Bacon, eggs and toast is also wonderful on a Sunday morning. I could go on…I love a lot of different foods/meal combinations.

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

Keep an open mind in terms of what area of dietetics you may end up working in. Gerontology was not an area I thought I would be in back in university and during my internship.

More about Mark:

Twitter: @markjmcgill
Instagram (just started with this): @markmcgillrd

Thanks Mark! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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