What RDs Do: Justine Horne, MSc, RD, PhD student

JUSTINE HORNE

JUSTINE THE RD & ASSOCIATES

for something nutrishus

As a fellow dietitian advocate, Justine was happy to share her unique experiences in the series. She works in a variety of area, as we've seen many dietitians do. As someone that has offered Nutrigenomix testing to past clients, it is interesting for me to hear about the PhD work Justine is doing and I look forward to seeing the future of that area. It's also no surprise that she's a lifelong learner, something very important in a science-based industry.

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve always been interested in nutrition and I remember learning about what dietitians do in Grade 6. I thought it was so cool that there was a job where you get to learn, and teach people about nutrition – I still think it’s really cool! My original interest in nutrition probably stemmed from my involvement in competitive sports as a child, which continued into my adult years. I now recognize a wider variety of reasons as to why nutrition is so important. 

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I have a variety of nutrition-related interests so I work in a few different areas including: private practice at Justine the RD and Associates, community nutrition at The East Elgin Family Health Team, education at Brescia University College, research at Western University and research/education at Nutrigenomix Inc. 

How would you explain what you do?

I own an online nutrition consulting business, Justine the RD and Associates, where we mainly provide personalized nutrition recommendations to clients via secure online video chat, but also do other nutrition-related tasks such as group presentations when requested. I also work at the East Elgin Family Health Team where I lead group programs for the community aimed to optimize health and well-being. At Western University I am a lecturer for a clinical nutrition course at Brescia University College and am also a PhD candidate in Health and Aging. I’ve done a lot of consulting work for a company, Nutrigenomix Inc, which provides personalized DNA-based dietary advice to consumers exclusively through healthcare professionals. 

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

My work life usually consists of a variety of daily/weekly tasks including: 

• Liaising with the associate RDs I work with at Justine the RD and Associates to ensure we are providing the best nutrition plans for our clients
• Conducting my research (The Nutrigenomics, Overweight/Obesity and Weight Management Trial) which consists of several tasks including: providing education to clients about weight management, explaining the results of genetic reports, assessing body composition and dietary intake, and analyzing the study’s results
• Planning, delivering, and evaluating health and wellness programs at The East Elgin Family Health Team 
• Teaching healthcare providers and university students about the science and clinical application of nutrigenomics 
• Attending PhD-level university courses and completing course work
• Keeping up on the latest and greatest scientific advancements in nutrition!

What has been your career path?

I started my career in diabetes education at a community health centre in Kitchener. I then began working for Nutrigenomix Inc, started my private practice and started lecturing at Brescia University College. Recognizing my passion for research and education, I decided to enroll in a PhD program and ended up accepting a job at a family health team where I am currently conducting my research (“The NOW Trial”). I hope that this experience will one day lead me to obtain a tenure-tracked professor position at a prestigious university. 

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I love learning and am a self-proclaimed research geek, so naturally I’ve been in school forever. I have a Bachelor of Science degree, Certificate in Practical French, Master of Science degree, and am currently in the process of completing my PhD. I currently have 400 hours towards my Certified Diabetes Education designation and aim to have the letters “CDE” behind my name one day soon. 

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

My greatest hope for the next 5 years relates to genetic testing. I think this will become common practice for registered dietitians, where the vast majority of clinical RDs will be using this technology to provide personalized nutrition to their clients. In an ideal world, this testing will be covered by insurance companies as insurance companies will begin to realize the value of providing personalized nutrition information based on an individual’s genetics to optimize health outcomes. I also think we are going to start to see more public awareness about what RDs do! 

What is your favourite meal?

I absolutely LOVE enchiladas. I’ve been known to throw a tasty enchilada fiesta on the occasional Friday night. 

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am passionate about providing innovative and personalized nutrition services, and am passionate about completing research in order to advance our knowledge about how to improve health outcomes - especially those pertaining to weight management. 

More about Justine:

Website: www.justinetheRD.com

Twitter: @justinehorneRD

Email: justinetheRD@gmail.com

Clinical Trial Registration (The Nutrigenomics, Overweight/Obesity and Weight Management Trial)

Thanks Justine! 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: Ginger Hultin, MS, RD, CSO

GINGER HULTIN

CHAMPAGNE NUTRITION

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Ginger has had a variety on different roles in her career and has a somewhat non-traditional one now. She specializes in integrative health, oncology nutrition, responsible supplementation, and nutrigenomics. Like a typical entrepreneur (or one I can relate to), she engulfs herself in nutrition, even in her 'spare' time. I am excited to share her interview and I know she's excited to be featured. 

Why did you become a RD?

I got interested in nutrition because of my love of fitness and food but during my schooling and internship, my interest turned towards the clinical and behavior change aspects.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work for a nutrigenomic company in Seattle, I teach students at an integrative medical clinic and I run my blog, Champagne Nutrition.

How would you explain what you do? 

It can be confusing because I do more than one thing! When I tell people that I work for a biotech start-up, they say “oh, so you’re not a dietitian anymore?” I get to explain that dietitians can do a lot of different things; that’s a wonderful aspect about our profession. I also love working with students; I teach and guide graduate dietetic students as they counsel patients. I’m a writer at heart so blogging and writing articles is something I do in my free time. 

I also serve as Immediate Past President for the Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chair-Elect of the national Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group and am a Media Representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

The majority of my time I am either prepping for, following up on or actively seeing clients for nutrition sessions. Other than that, I manage a team of dietitians so I have some training and supporting built into my day. I always take time each morning to set my social media channels since this is a huge priority to me and in the evenings I almost always write articles, blog or am on phone calls for the many nutrition-related volunteer positions I hold. Sometimes in my down-time I read nutrition magazines or books - It's all nutrition all the time with me!

What has been your career path? 

I started out working in a large hospital in Chicago on the cardiac rehabilitation floor. When they started doing bariatric surgery, I helped them open an outpatient bariatric clinic. From there I moved to an integrative oncology clinic and now I work at a nutrigenomic start-up company.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a Masters in Nutrition from Bastyr University, have earned my Weight Management Certifications I and II and I now have my Board Certification as a Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO).

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

I hope that the dietetic field continues to grow and integrate into general medical practice. Dietitians are THE nutrition experts.  Having a great relationship with other medical providers that refer to us for nutritional needs will be key. RDs also play a key role in sustainability and environmental nutrition, the healthy aging of our population as well as school food service and childhood nutrition, obesity and other chronic diseases and in the community regarding access and safety of the food supply. Dietitians are a critical piece to the health of our population.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

That we judge what other people eat. I want people to stop apologizing to me at dinner parties :) Also that we have a magic bullet – behavior change is hard and takes time and commitment so working with a dietitian over a period of time is a key to success. I can’t simply tell you what to eat when I meet you the first time; nutrition is a complicated science.

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

The amount of schooling, credentialing and continuing education that is required for us to achieve our “RDN” status.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

The food aspect and the culture around food. Cooking, recipes, food photography, eating out, food history – that’s the best. I also love talking to people about how to use nutrition to heal themselves; food is powerful medicine.

What is your favourite meal? 

I’m a huge pizza fan. Otherwise, I’m a vegetarian so a spicy tofu noodle dish with lots of broccoli in it would be ideal.

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

Reach out to a dietitian today for your nutrition needs! Most every person could benefit from working with a nutrition professional.

More about Ginger:

Website: Champagne Nutrition

Facebook: Champagne Nutrition

Twitter: @GingerHultinRD

Instagram: @champagnenutrition

Pinterest: Champagne Nutrition

Google+: Ginger Hultin 

LinkedIn: Ginger Hultin MS RD CSO

Thanks Ginger! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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