What RDs Do: Deanna Denny, RDN

DEANNA DENNY

HOME MODALITY DIALYSIS

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We continue to see similarities in the personality types that are drawn to dietetics. Like many/most, Deanna is passionate about helping others and has a variety of skills to offer. It's also unique to continue to see the dietitians that are entering private practice. I don't think there are many other professions where individuals spend their 'off' hours working in their area of expertise - we really must love what we do! From dialysis to counselling, teaching classes and working in the grocery store, Deanna is making her impact to help slow disease progression.

Why did you become a RD?

I became a registered dietitian because I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives. I quickly realized at a young age that what you eat is really a reflection of what you are and what problems you will encounter in your lifetime. My dad is a type II diabetic who has had a minor heart attack in the past. I helped with the influence from other members of my family to make sure that his disease progression slows down through the use of good foods. I was so happy to have graduated from an esteemed RD program and be able to have this knowledge of what healthy eating really entails to better my lifestyle and many others including my dad.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I currently work by day at a dialysis clinic that focuses on home modalities. It's one of the few stand alone home programs within the state of Michigan. I love my job and being able to develop close relationships with the patients and be able to impact their diet in meaningful ways. By night I help counsel clients 1:1 at a holistic gym that values all the key components to wellness. I also help teach Cooking Matters classes to areas of need. On the weekends I help out at a local grocery store with another RD with the support from the Wellness Foundation of that town.

How would you explain what you do?

As a registered dietitian I impact what people eat on a daily basis. I help them make more informed choices of what is actually good for their body. This is so key in this world where educational resources about diet by the media can be so skewed so I am able to help people decipher what is really right for them.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

I would say my week is never typical. I am always keeping my schedule full as most other RDs do, so for me it is always an adventure. I am always meeting new patients and clients. It is exciting for me to be able to immerse myself in their world and figure out an approach that will work for them to get them to that best healthy self they envision.

What has been your career path?

I started off working in foodservice management, even before I graduated and passed my RD exam. After that point I was still working in foodservice management. I helped manage a hospital kitchen, cafe and coffee shop. While doing this I was being trained on how to be a clinical dietitian in a hospital. Then I transitioned into an opening at a nursing home where I practiced over 2 years. I wanted a change from that so I took an opportunity at an incenter dialysis clinic. In that opportunity, I helped out over 13 clinics, which gave me experience in every single modality of dialysis. Then a brand new clinic opened up that specialized in home modalities and I have been there for the last three years. I have now started dabbling in more private practice consultant work on the side and probably will continue to do this for as long as I can.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

The dialysis company I work for really focuses on creating more leaders within its community so I have recently completed their 6 month leadership program.

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

In 5 years I see the industry continuing to grow as more individuals continue to make poor lifestyle choices and have more complex chronic diseases. The demand for RDs will continue to grow and they will be more valued as experts in nutrition that help others make better lifestyles for themselves, while slowing disease progression down.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

Registered Dietitians are the true nutrition experts within the community. They spend years learning and studying nutrition. They then have to obtain practice clinical hours and pass a certification exam. They have rigorous requirements so if you are thinking of seeing someone about altering your diet and food intake make sure that person is a registered dietitian.

What is your favourite meal?

There is nothing better than eggplant parmesan, my absolute favorite.

More about Deanna:

Twitter: @DeannaDennyRD
Instagram: @ddennyRD

Thanks Deanna! 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: Rebecca Lewis, MS, RDN

REBECCA LEWIS

HELLO FRESH

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Rebecca saw the series and was eager to be a part of it, to showcase the many talents and areas dietitians work in. She is very passionate about health promotion, disease prevention, and kitchen skills so we can cook more at home. It's great to hear about a RD working for a meal-kit company, a job that came out of her internship. I love that Rebecca aims to 'change the world through food' and that she feels she has the best job ever!

Why did you become a RD?

My interest in food started when I was just a little girl. Both sets of my grandparents were farmers - everything they ate came from their gardens, they raised their own animals, and baked the most delicious fresh breads. Growing up, I can remember my mom setting me on the counter to watch her as she whipped up one of her traditional Serbian dishes. Moreover, it was customary in my family for us all to eat together at the dinner table every night. My family placed great value on preparation of our meals and the way it brought us together. To this day one of my favorite things to do for the people I care about, is to cook for them.

What has been your career path?

I earned an undergraduate degree in psychology, traveled near and far to other cultures, explored many ways of living, and also watched my mother pass away far too early from the food related diseases that plague this country. My mother’s passing was the catalyst to change my diet and lifestyle. I read and devoured every Michael Pollan book I could get my hands on. I made a move from California to Colorado - where I helped build a huge front-yard garden, raised chickens, and got involved in our local food networks. I also decided to go back to school to learn more.

I obtained a Master’s degree in nutrition, and I focused my passion and energy for food towards health promotion and disease prevention. My thesis work focused on demystifying cooking; breaking the barriers to get adults back into the kitchen.

I stumbled upon HelloFresh and was intrigued by how a meal-kit company could solve the issue of work-life balance. I reached out to the CEO and interviewed him for my thesis. Then, what started as an interview with the CEO, ended up becoming my opportunity to intern with an extremely forward-thinking company! After graduating and becoming fully licensed as a Dietitian, I came aboard full-time with HelloFresh as their Dietitian/Nutritionist.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Food Service, Counseling

How would you explain what you do? What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

I love what I do and I couldn’t image a better job that would provide the exposure and influence that working as the Head Dietitian at HelloFresh allows me. I am passionate about health, relish great food, love having a platform to talk about nutrition, and feel incredibly lucky to be able to do what I do every day! In fact, here are the Top 5 Reasons that I have the BEST job ever!

1. I help drive and support the HelloFresh mission of getting people back in the kitchen and enjoying cooking again! 

2. I have the opportunity to engage and enrich our customers on wellness & food-related topics via email, online resources, print, TV, and social media.

3. I work closely with an extremely talented and creative team of chefs; I get to taste and collaborate on innovative recipe ideas and contribute nutritionally needed feedback for any areas of redesign.

4. I enjoy conducting regular analysis of trends in the food industry and needs of our specific HelloFresh customers.

5. I flex my professional Dietitian skills every day in ensuring our recipes meet health goals - every recipe is subject to a nutritional analysis to ensure that it fits into our target nutritional goal ranges.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have an Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Nutrition. I am fully licensed as RDN.

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

In an ideal world, nutrition education including home economics will be required learning in school. While we emphasize the importance of learning to read and perform math – how we feed ourselves will be viewed as equally important to general health.

Moreover, Dietitians will be viewed as respected experts that help address food issues preventatively instead of just after the fact. They will be on advisory boards for any and all food companies to ensure that a triple bottom line is enforced so that the best interests of their customers are protected.

Lastly, as customers become more and more fed up with the lack of control the current food industry gives them – they will collectively raise their voices (and their votes) to demand transparency for what is in their foods. Of course, I hope to see that more people will embrace the art of cooking at home!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

I am genuinely surprised by how little nutrition knowledge people have and how few actually feel confident in the kitchen. I empathize with people though - if you didn’t learn from a family member, and you never took home economics, where would this type of knowledge come from?! Cooking is like any sport or hobby, you have to do it frequently to get faster and better at it.

What do people think that you do for a living?

People think I am a walking encyclopedia of nutrition knowledge! They think my job is to tell them all the foods they shouldn’t be eating.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

RD’s struggle with the same food issues that everyone else does! The difference is that we use a background of knowledge to acknowledge those problems, believe that we can change them, and then take action to do so. It’s hard to make bad choices when you are well informed – ignorance is not bliss!

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

In the short term - I have a strong desire to put food and at-home cooking knowledge back in people’s hands, while teaching the skills necessary to execute that action. I want to help our customers feel self-empowered to take better care of their health and make better lifestyle choices instead of relying on fast food and restaurants.

My long-term goals are taken from a bigger picture perspective - it is my dream to change the world through food. Nutrition is more than just calories – it is our small everyday choices that eventually lead to an accumulated lifetime of good nutrition. I am extremely passionate about food and nutrition and am determined to be a part of a solution that can really make a difference. Accomplishing these goals is an achievement dedicated to my mother – the one who believed in me and taught me about the nourishing power of food.

What is your favourite meal?

I love roasting a whole chicken with lemons and herbs! My guilty pleasure is peanut butter – I LOVE it and have a spoonful (or two) just about every day!

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

Cook at home MORE – it empowers you to take control of your health and it’s a FUN creative expression we rarely get as adults anymore.

More about Rebecca:

Twitter: @rebeccalewisrd 

Instagram: @rebeccalewisrd
Website: www.hellofresh.com

Thanks Rebecca! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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