What RDs Do: Lyndsay Hall, RD, CLC

LYNDSAY HALL

WIC, PUBLIC HEALTH

for something nutrishus

Working for a federal program, Lyndsay has a mix of hands-on counseling and management duties. Since obtaining her degree she has been moving up the ranks at the WIC Program and continues to pursue educational opportunities in her field. I too enjoy working with children/teens as we strive to support the development of lifelong healthy habits. 

Why did you become an RD?

I became an RD because I love food. I love the way it can create a sense of togetherness and happiness as well as the importance of it in every aspect of human life.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Public Health

How would you explain what you do?

I help families grow stronger and healthier together. I supervise and practice as an RD and
lactation consultant in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Program that focuses on educating low to middle income families on small changes they can make to help their children or themselves thrive. The WIC program is a supplemental food program that provides nutritious foods such as whole grains, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and fresh fruits and vegetables to qualifying participants. We act as an expert resource in the community for both nutrition and lactation support.

What are your 'typical' daily/weekly tasks?

I work in clinic 2-3 days/wk providing high risk nutrition counseling to clients on various topics related to maternal, infant or child nutrition. In-between appointments and the remainder of the week, I manage staff scheduling, budget, ongoing QA/QI (quality assurance/quality improvement) projects, assign staff monthly duties (and monitor), practice as liaison between our clinic and the state WIC office, manage compliance investigations, outreach, and offer staff guidance as needed.

What has been your career path?

I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2011 with my BSc in Dietetics and was hired in as an hourly Community Nutrition Specialist at Public Health Muskegon County WIC in October of 2011. I was accepted to the part time WIC/Michigan State University Dietetic Internship where Public Health Muskegon County sponsored me to complete it while still able to work part time.

I completed the internship in Nov of 2013 and sat for my registration exam in Dec 2013. After passing, I was hired in full time as a Community Nutrition Specialist at the same employer. Nov 2014 I was promoted to WIC Quality Coordinator and most recently promoted in June 2016 as WIC Supervisor. I've been a practicing dietitian since Nov 2014 since the Community Nutrition Specialist title did not allow me to perform nutrition counseling at that time.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I am a Certified Lactation Counselor and will be taking the registration examination to become certified in pediatric nutrition (CSP) in November 2016. I will also begin graduate school pursuing a Masters degree in Health Administration beginning August 2016.

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

Dietitians will be licensed as the nutrition expert in all 50 states. Their input will be highly valued as a part of every multidisciplinary team in any health setting. More dietitians will be employed by larger companies to help promote workplace wellness.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

RDs do not believe that any specific diet is superior, it is very individualized based on situation. We are humans, too! We will not eat super healthy 100% of the time. We love food and want to help others enjoy it too. We are the nutrition experts - not 'nutritionists', not self proclaimed 'nutritionists', not doctor Oz.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

Infant and child nutrition. Infants and children depend on the proper nutrition to grow and heal. It is crucial for their development and good habits start young.

What do people think you do for a living?

Make meal plans, eat healthy 100% of the time.

What makes RDs different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

We know the science behind everything nutrition related. We know biochemistry, organic chemistry and are realistic when applying the knowledge. We won't make you partake in a restrictive diets and do not believe in short term fixes. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO!

What is your favorite meal?

Anything Mexican.

Thanks Lyndsay! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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

Memorable Meals {Recipe ReDux}

Food plays an important role in our culture and is part of all kinds of celebrations and gatherings. In Canada we've already celebrated Thanksgiving, a holiday which often involves lots of food and food traditions. With that in mind, this month's Recipe ReDux theme is  A Food Memory For Which You Are Thankful: In the US, November marks the Thanksgiving holiday. But many of us are especially thankful for food memories we have shared with friends or relatives throughout our lives. Was it a special meal you ate as a child? Or, maybe it was a food you grew and harvested with your own children. Please share one of your favorite food memories and the healthier “redo” of the recipe.

 

Considering that I am awaiting the arrival of my first born (while I write this, she arrived before posting it), this was a very timely theme. It made me think back to my childhood, but also inspired me to think about keeping things simple and convenient in the kitchen - things my clients often mention as important in their busy lives. I had many ideas, but settled on a "redo" of hamburger helper - something that can be done in one pot and uses ingredients many people have around already. It's a convenience item that is still available on grocery shelves, but is also simple to make from scratch and thus avoid the excess sodium and other preservatives.

Just like many meals people currently consume, often our childhood favourites are lacking in vegetables. I added a few for flavour, but also served this with raw veggies and dip (as another childhood throwback!).

Homemade Hamburger Helper

Makes approximately 6 servings (depending on side dishes and size of appetite)

Ingredients

1 lb extra lean ground beef (I used sirloin)

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium (about 1 cup) white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups whole grain macaroni

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 cup shredded marble cheese

salt and pepper

1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Heat skillet. Add beef and brown over medium heat.

2. Wash and chop veggies. Drain any residual fat from the beef, then add bell pepper, onion, garlic and tomato paste - cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add water, milk, pasta, and spices. Stir, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 10 minutes (or until pasta cooked to your liking).

4. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper to taste, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Check out other dietitian's recipes below for more inspiration for your kitchen!

Happy cooking,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com


   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Grown-up Gourmet

Every month (time permitting) I get together with a group of women to enjoy great food and company.  Most of us work in the nutrition and health industry, but that doesn't mean we get together and eat salad. We all take the time to choose, prepare, and bring a dish to share with the group. In my eyes, it is a great way to be mindful of the time and thought that went into the food, but also to savour the flavours and at times decadent ingredients. It's true, I'm one of those dietitians that was partially interested in nutrition because of my love of food. Some people have even coined the term 'fooditarian' which I think is quite applicable to the way I eat.

For our gatherings, we always pick a theme, and this month it was 'gourmet versions of childhood favourites'. With my husband's help I came up with about 10 ideas on my own, but had to narrow it down to one item. Knowing that we have a creative group, I was very excited to see what everyone else came up with, and of course, they were unique and delicious dishes. I was inspired by Blissful Basil and created a grown-up sandwich. I reflected on foods from my childhood in a previous post, but this was a different form of reflection and I always get new recipes from my group to keep things interesting in my kitchen.

We were mindful by enjoying small portions, pacing ourselves throughout the evening, and discussing why we chose the dish we did (sharing all kinds of childhood memories). One member who has a 2.5 year old at home was inspired by our bite sized renditions and stated that even though they were gourmet, she thought they would be great to share at home. It's amazing the inspiration you can find by sharing food and recipes with others.

Perhaps you can bring in mindfulness by tweaking an old favourite, changing an ingredient, or serving it in a new way. We enjoyed bite sized tacos, pizzas, pb & j sandwiches, and meatballs, as well as lobster macaroni, sloppy joe's, and hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. Obviously it takes some planning and time to cook from scratch, but it's an important step to bring us back to enjoyment and a positive relationship with food. Next time you're planning a meal, stop and think about the package you're about to open and whether you can attempt it from scratch instead. Convenience items (canned beans, chopped vegetables, shredded cheese) can still help us put together a healthy meal in a hurry, but be aware of what you're cooking, have an intention behind it, and then slow down to enjoy what you've created.

What would you make as a gourmet (or grown-up) version of a childhood favourite?

"Keep fit and have fun!" ~BodyBreak

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Acquired Tastes

With Hallowe'en and some recent work with young athletes, I started thinking about foods from my childhood.  I didn't know then what I know now about nutrition and health, but our lives were also different (and it wasn't that long ago!).  Here are a few things I reflected on:

• Eating out was a special (and rare) occasion, not a weekly or daily event
• Pop/soda might have been around for holidays and camping trips (again, not a daily or weekly item; not something constantly on the grocery list)
• Sweet cereal was only purchased when we had cousins coming to stay with us (not a daily or weekly item)
• We did have Campbell's soup on chicken and pork chops; but boneless, skinless chicken wasn't the 'norm'
• I had never heard of (or eaten) an avocado, sushi, or various other ethnic cuisines
• We sometimes had pancakes for supper (I do love breakfast foods)
• We typically had apples, orange, and bananas available; grapes on occasion
• You couldn't get as much fresh produce variety during the winter as you can get now
• I remember stating my favourite food was hamburger helper in grade 3
• We were sometimes treated to slurpees after a softball tournament or game
• I loved water and not so much milk (which is still true for me)
• I loved helping unpack the groceries (I could now spend a day in the grocery store no problem)
• There weren't Tim Horton's locations on every corner, or restaurants in every neighbourhood
• People used cookbooks and recipe cards rather than Pinterest to plan their meals
• etc.

Some things are still the same and some things change (for me and society).  Children (and adults) can be picky and new flavours can be scary, but now I love to experiment in the kitchen.  Convenience food doesn't really happen in my household and vegetables/fruit are always on my mind when I'm planning a meal.  A common theme, from above, was the frequency of these so called 'treats' - items that have become staples in some routines.  For many people, childhood foods include sidekicks, ramen noodles, and kd - and if you haven't heard already, kraft dinner is removing artificial dyes from 3 of their kid-friendly varieties (fun shapes).

I talk with young athletes about developing healthy habits now and early on, so that it's one less thing to think about when they make the playoffs or have a big game - it just becomes part of the routine.  I think it's so important to start early and I am very passionate about preventative health, especially because I know and see how hard it is for adults to change their habits.  I also talk with parents about the foods they purchase or have stocked for their hungry youngsters and teenagers.

Food and memories are closely connected, what do you think of when you reflect back on the foods of your past?

Here's to a healthy future,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

6 Tips for Summer Snacking

I wanted to share some of the tips I discussed with Jeremy Dodge on Saskatoon's CTV Morning Live this morning.  We discussed summer snacking since school is out and perhaps structure is gone.  Your children may be used to recess snacks and a packed lunch at noon, but now they're home and could end up nibbling all day and consuming potentially unnecessary calories.  Create a routine so that they know when snacks and meals will happen. 

Snacking can be done in a healthful way and can help children (and adults) meet their daily requirements.

1. Stock the kitchen with a variety of containers (ziploc bags, skewers, tackle box/craft kits, popsicle molds, etc.), slicers (mandolin, cookie cutters, etc.) and of course, food!

2. Portion out their snacks (and even their lunch) so that they can grab something quickly when they get hungry.  They'll eat whatever is easy, so make that a healthy choice.

3. Involve them in the process (grocery shopping, washing produce, portioning snacks, etc.) to peak their interest and perhaps increase their consumption.  Give them a drawer in the fridge and/or shelf in the pantry for their snacks.

Tackle box snack

4. Choose wisely so that snacks hit on the items your child (or you) tend to be low in (typically this is vegetables, fruit, and calcium containing proteins).  Include a variety of items and aim to have carbohydrate, lean protein, and healthy fats.

5.Hydrate with water instead of sugary beverages.  Fluids should be part of a snack as children may not notice their thirst and if they're outdoors on a hot/humid day and/or very active, hydration is even more important.  Let them choose the water flavour by adding orange slices, lemon slices, lime slices, mint leaves, or frozen berries.

6. Have fun and get creative with snacks such as celery canoes or ziploc butterflies.  Check out my Pinterest board: Fun with Food for more ideas and feel free to share your tips/suggestions.

Whether snacks are for home, camp, or a roadtrip, it can help to give your child a few healthy items to pick from and a fun container to store them.  That also makes your life easier when you're trying to focus on the road and they're hungry.

Happy snacking!
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

So Many Reasons...

I wanted to share a recent news release from Dietitians of Canada regarding the OMA's call to action for food taxes, different labelling, etc.  Remember, as a parent you are a role model and there is not just one factor causing today's obesity issues, there are so many reasons....

Dietitians agree that action is needed now to support more children to have a healthy weight

Toronto, ON – October 24, 2012.  Dietitians of Canada, the professional association representing dietitians from coast to coast calls for policies and programs that make healthy foods more accessible to children where they live, learn and play. “We all need to eat healthy food to achieve and maintain good health, including a healthy body weight,” says Janice Macdonald, Director of Communications. “We want children to enjoy healthy food most of the time,” she adds. The Association is responding to the recent call for action by the Ontario Medical Association, for aggressive new measures, including taxes on junk food, restricting marketing of fatty and sugary foods to children and policies that would dictate changes in food labelling.

There is no one way to make healthy eating the norm. School nutrition policies make a difference by limiting the availability of low nutrient foods and those high in fat, sugar and salt while kids are at school. Expanding nutrition policies to include recreation centres and children’s sports events furthers the impact. Dietitians have called for stricter controls on the advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. The current system of self-regulation, although a step in the right direction, does not go far enough. This system needs to apply consistent, science-based standards to determine what and how food and beverages are advertised. The Dietitians of Canada position on advertising of food to children and its views on other food and nutrition issues, are available at www.dietitians.ca under ‘Dietitians Views’.

Parents are powerful role models and dietitians encourage parents and caregivers to get the whole family involved in meal planning, shopping and cooking. Eating together as a family as often as possible can result in healthier food choices and eating habits. For resources, tips and recipes to make the job of parents a little easier, visit ‘Your Health’ at www.dietitians.ca To find a dietitian, visit www.dietitians.ca/find

Dietitians of Canada (DC) is the national professional association for dietitians, representing more than 6000 members at the local, provincial and national levels.

For trusted information on nutrition and healthy eating, visit the Dietitians of Canada website at www.dietitians.ca

Additional Information:

Media Contacts:

Janice Macdonald
Director, Communications
250 590 2429
Janice.macdonald@dietitians.ca

or

Pat Vanderkooy
Public Affairs Manager
519-823-7725
pat.vanderkooy@dietitians.ca

Memory Lane

Quite often we get too busy with work and other commitments that we forget to have fun.  Think about the simple pleasures in life (a sunset, a walk on the beach, good company, a bike ride) and what you used to enjoy doing - or perhaps you're still finding that fun in your adult life!

I grew up near the Forestry Farm and so we would go for picnics, play in the park, or walk around checking out the animals.  I also remember field trips to Wanuskewin Heritage Park and Beaver Creek Conservation Area with my classmates.  We have such great parks and river trails in Saskatoon, but we sometimes forget to use them.  We almost need to think of ourselves as a tourist in our own city to remember all the great sites and activities.

We went for a walk/hike at Beaver Creek last weekend with a couple of friends and it inspired today's Q's Day:

What was your favourite childhood activity?

We used to think of things as activities rather than exercise - even just the term affects the level of fun.  Why aren't you still doing that activity?   

Share your activities, comments, questions, answers, etc.
I'd love to hear from you,

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com