What RDs Do: Mary Purdy MS, RDN

MARY PURDY
ARIVALE & MARY'S NUTRITION SHOW

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Mary is doing a variety of interesting things. She came to dietetics later in life and now works with both individuals and reaches a large audience via her show and podcasts. She's a great example of how dietitians turn research into practical advice. Like Mary, I jumped right into the private practice world, having never had a traditional job. I love the thought that went into her responses and am excited to read her book (since she kindly sent me a copy)!

Why did you become a RD? 

I have always been interested in food, health and nutrition since I was a little girl. I originally chose to become an actor but never lost my passion and zeal for broccoli and pomegranates. I started questioning this career choice in my early 30’s just as my dad was diagnosed with a very serious disease that wound him in a hospital where he received some very questionable advice from the dietitian there. When I began to realize that food actually had the power to help prevent and address disease I knew that I had to switch gears and do whatever I could to help people who may be in need of nutritional guidance. I was determined to heal the world one meal at a time!

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work at the start up scientific wellness company called Arivale in Seattle, as a Registered Dietitian Coach and Clinical Education Lead. I also host a web series and podcast called “Mary’s Nutrition Show” with my husband, who is a videographer and lead producer, all around great guy and fellow broccoli enthusiast.

How would you explain what you do? 

I work with clients/patients over the phone providing diet and lifestyle counseling utilizing a personalized medicine approach which takes into account nutritional genetics, blood analyte biomarkers, microbiome and salivary cortisol. We take a long-term, integrative approach where we address diet, physical activity, stress, sleep, and supplementation. What is incredible is that we work with folks long enough to gather data that helps us to see how our intervention strategies have made a difference in their lives. I also act as an educator at the company, training our new hires and helping to build new trainings on a variety of topics for our current dietitians. For “Mary’s Nutrition Show”, we produce weekly shows either on Facebook Live or recorded for a podcast that provide easy to understand information on a myriad of food and nutrition topics that are usually sprinkled with a lot of humor to keep it fun and interesting for both listener and for me.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

Because Arivale is a start up culture, every day is incredibly different. I spend a lot of time reaching out to and speaking to, texting or emailing my clients keeping them accountable as well as inspired and encouraged, and fielding questions from them on a regular basis. I hold clinical office hours where other RDN’s can pick my brain about tough cases. I attend trainings about new data, go to meetings about company updates, group gatherings around both clinical or personal topics, drink copious amounts of tea and have brief chats with other RDN’s in our kitchen area, and read a lot of research. For Mary’s Nutrition Show, I brainstorm show ideas, stay current on social media, practice talking points, respond to comments and queries and go to the grocery store often where I can try new products that I can be confident recommending to my listeners.

What has been your career path? 

After attaining my graduate degree in nutrition and finishing my internship at Bastyr University, I decided it would be a good idea to hang my shingle and go into private practice, even with no real business experience. (I don’t recommend this!) I had never had a normal job, so the thought of a 9-5 gig was very unappealing. The internship schedule almost killed me. I wanted autonomy. I started off in what might be thought of as a utility closet at a gym and gradually worked my way to an office with windows and a couch. I also got a part time job for two years as an outpatient dietitian at a hospital in Seattle which filled in the gaps very nicely. I also started providing wellness presentations at local businesses and community centers and began to build my brand as a private practice dietitian.

While keeping my business going, I took on another wonderful role as a Clinical Supervisor at Bastyr University’s Teaching clinic for 5 years and became adjunct faculty teaching in both the natural medicine and nutrition departments for 3 years. When the opportunity came up to work at Arivale with a team of amazing clinicians and founded by one of the founding fathers of systems biology, Lee Hood, I decided to close my private practice and take a chance on this amazing-sounding start up. I have never looked back and look forward to every day that I get to practice integrative medicine and learn from other health professionals, and drink copious amounts of tea while chatting with other RDN’s in the kitchen. Over the past few years, I have been writing humorous personal essays about becoming and being a dietitian and finally compiled them all into a book called “Serving the Broccoli Gods”

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I am definitely a life long learner who for the past 10 years has listened to dozens of professional webinars and attended several different major conferences and symposiums every year that mostly focus on functional and integrative approaches to health. I took the Functional Nutrition Course through the Institute for Functional Medicine, and the Food as Medicine professional training courses through the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Being on the executive committee and now the Chair of Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine has also afforded me numerous opportunities to build my knowledge base. I will never stop pursuing learning opportunities especially when the field is so incredibly dynamic. I just hope my brain can hold all the info!

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

I hope the world of dietetics will be more aligned and less divided on a variety of topics. Or if the division still exists, I hope there is a cordial agreement to respect the others’ opinions. I also hope food policy won’t be so driven by food industry. I fear that decisions around our food – both access and quality – are often being made by organizations that may not always have the consumer’s health in mind. I would love for RDN’s to have greater respect overall in the medical community as an integral part of the health care picture. I also hope that more RDN’s feel empowered to take an integrative approach to nutritional counseling, incorporating other aspects of what constitutes “health” and come to understand the value of personalizing the strategies, and that not all research may apply to every single person in the same way. And I hope that this is taught and incorporated into nutrition school curriculums and in medical schools. Filling out the conversation with our patients to include sleep, stress, GI (gastrointestinal) issues, environment, genetics, physical activity, and the benefits or lack thereof of supplementation will inevitably make our ability to guide and improve health outcomes all the stronger.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

I don’t think people, my friends and acquaintances included, or other medical professionals always understand the depth of our knowledge and training around food and disease and how strong our understanding is of how to prevent, treat and in some cases possibly even reverse chronic health issues.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

I think some believe that I sit there and tell people to stop eating fast food and eat more vegetables so they can lose weight. I don’t think they understand that food is information for our genes and helps to support our bodies’ biochemical functions, and that decisions around meals go way beyond calories in and calories out.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

I am extraordinarily passionate about the potential that a food as medicine approach has in stopping chronic disease. I love the idea of thinking outside the box with strategies, with trialing options with patients and considering n=1 experiments as a way to determine if the intervention is right for that individual. When we start focusing on the root cause of disease and begin our guidance from that perspective, we have the ability to dig deep and understand how to get us out of the health crisis in which we have found ourselves.

What is your favourite meal? 

Do I have to have a favorite? It depends on the season, on my mood, where I am, but I do love a good Spicy Indian or Thai veggie curry over brown rice, or vegetarian chili bursting with veggies and a side of corn bread. But then I also go nuts for a massaged kale salad with avocado and walnuts and beets! Give me flavor, richness, spice and color. Can I have that many favorites??

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

Don’t NOT do something because you are scared or worried that you won’t be successful. Don’t stay too long doing something in the field that doesn’t fill your soul. Stay open minded about the possibilities of this field and keep up the dialogue with those who may have different philosophies from yours. This is a great way to learn.

More about Mary:

Website: Mary Purdy

Podcast: Mary's Nutrition show on iTunes

YouTube channel: Mary Purdy

Facebook: Mary Purdy RD

Twitter: @marypurdyhere

Instagram: @marypurdyrd

Thanks Mary! 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: Samina Qureshi RDN, LD

SAMINA QURESHI

CORPORATE WELLNESS &

WHOLESOME START

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The theme of individualized, personalized, and not one-size-fits all really shines through Samina's responses. Like other dietitians in the series, she also focuses on her client's relationship with food as well as having a holistic approach. Yes, we as dietitians know the importance of nutrition for health, but we also know health is multifaceted and we understand scope of practice as well as referring to the appropriate experts (especially with all the misinformation we encounter). Samina has a great philosophy and valuable insights that influence the way she practices. 

Why did you become a RD?

One of the main reasons I became a dietitian was to help people learn how they can make food work for them instead of against them in restoring their health. During undergrad, I was a research assistant for a mindful eating based binge-eating study and quickly learned how your relationship with food can impact your overall quality of life and health. One of the participants of the study was a veteran and had never cooked a meal before, let alone been to a grocery store to shop for food, and had difficulty managing their health conditions. Basic nutrition education and mindful eating practices empowered them to manage their health. It was at that moment when I realized I can create a career providing people with the tools they need to achieve their best health through personalized nutrition counseling and positive lifestyle changes.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I work in corporate wellness and run my Integrative & Functional Nutrition private practice Wholesome Start, LLC in Houston, Texas.

How would you explain what you do?

For my corporate wellness position, I help our participants prevent, reverse, and/or manage chronic health conditions through health coaching in nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and other lifestyle techniques.

At Wholesome Start, I provide in-person, phone and virtual nutrition counseling sessions to help people discover the root cause of their health concerns, develop a healthier relationship with food, and unlock their healthiest self. I believe wellness is not a one-size-fits all approach and I celebrate body and cultural diversity. Through my integrative and functional nutrition counseling sessions, my clients honor their relationship with food and restore their health to live a happy and wholesome life.


What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

A typical day for my corporate wellness job includes assessing and reducing the participant's’ health risks through biometric screenings, health risk assessment questionnaires, and ongoing health coaching conversations. I am the head health coach so I also manage and train a team of health coaches, create content for our wellness blog, social media posts, and monthly handouts and challenges.

A typical day working on my private practice includes counseling my clients and providing them with nutrition recommendations to help them achieve their best health, networking in the Houston area, and connecting with my community via social media and the Wholesome Start blog.

What has been your career path?

I began my career in dietetics in the field of corporate wellness and health risk management. I have always practiced with a holistic mindset, encompassing not only nutrition but physical activity, stress management, sleep hygiene, and other areas of wellness to restore balance back into my clients’ lives. I help people discover the root cause of their health concerns instead of only treating or masking symptoms. Recently I opened up my own practice, Wholesome Start, to reach more people within my community.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Recently I completed training in Integrative & Functional Nutrition and am studying for the Integrative & Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner exam to receive the IFNCP credential.

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

In an ideal world, Registered Dietitians will be the go-to food and nutrition expert that all health care professionals will refer their patients to help prevent, reverse, and manage health conditions.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

I am not the food police. I will not judge the way you nourish your body. As an intuitive eater, I am very flexible, I don’t set rigid food rules or restrictions, and I honor my hunger and satiety cues. I believe that all foods fit within a healthy diet. Food is much more than fuel, it’s a way for you to connect with and meet your physical, emotional, and social needs. There is no one size fits all approach to providing your body with optimal nutrition and working with a registered dietitian is essential to find an individualized approach that will work for you!

What would you like people to know about RDs?

You don’t have to be sick or want to lose weight to visit a RD! You can seek guidance from a RD if you have a simple question, would like to receive credible science based nutrition information, or would like to set up a fun group event for your family, friends, or coworkers. You can work with a RD at any time for any reason! At my private practice I am available to see clients on their schedule from anywhere through virtual consulting. With my services, you have the opportunity to have an RD in the palm of your hands!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

One of the biggest challenges I encounter as a dietitian is busting nutrition and weight loss myths from the media. Clients come in with nutrition information from celebrities, fad diets, quack “doctors” and think that there is a magic pill that can cure all. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill to help you unlock your healthiest self. It takes time to change health behaviors and adopt new habits. The most important lesson I’ve learned about living a balanced lifestyle is to be gentle with yourself, respect the process, and never compare yourself to other people’s journeys. Afterall, comparison is the thief of joy! Every body is unique and your individuality should be celebrated while restoring your health.

What do people think that you do for a living?

People think I make meal plans and tell people what to eat to lose weight. I help people learn how to nourish their bodies in a way that fits with their lifestyle and health concerns.

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

Registered Dietitians (RDs) are the food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for wellbeing. So all dietitians are nutritionists but not all nutritionists are dietitians. The term “nutritionist” isn’t protected so anyone, anywhere can be a self proclaimed “health or nutrition expert.” To become a RD, you are required to get your B.S. in dietetics from an accredited university, complete 1200+ hours of supervised practice from an accredited dietetic internship that is often linked with a master's degree program, pass a national board exam, and maintain licensure with continuing education. With all of this education and experience under our belt, you can trust Registered Dietitians to help you make unique, positive lifestyle changes to improve your overall health.

What is your favourite meal?

One of my favorite meals is my mother’s homemade daal (lentils) with rice and curried beef. I encourage my clients to stay true to their culture and love making new recipes from all types of cuisines.

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

For too many people, food is commonly seen as the enemy. Mainstream media influences the masses to believe that you must eat “clean” and look a certain way to be healthy. Some people see food in a very dichotomous way, either good or bad and may associate their behaviors as such. I’m sure you’ve heard people say, “I am such a bad person because I ate dessert today.” But your food choices have nothing to do with your morality. I’ll say that again, what you eat does not define whether or not you are a good or bad person. I mean, come on, you didn’t just rob a bank! You provided your body with some food that you enjoyed eating!

More about Samina:

Visit www.wholesomestart.com to learn more about how Samina can help you feel your best!
Email: wholesomestartrd@gmail.com
Blog: Wholesome Start
Twitter: @WholesomeStart
Instagram: @wholesomestartrd
Facebook: Wholesome Start

Thanks Samina! 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: Sally Twellman, RDN

SALLY TWELLMAN

LIFE & WELLNESS COACH

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Like many dietitians, Sally focuses on health and happiness. This reminds me that we're not aiming for restrictive, but sustainable ways of eating and as Sally brings up, our relationship with food. Once again, she wants to clear up that we're not the food police! Where does that come from anyway? With experience in nutrition and coaching, it seems fitting that her blog looks at the 'pursuit of wholeness'. Her private practice came about due to changes in life circumstances (aka kids), which I can relate to.

Why did you become a RD?

To be honest, because I was obsessed with food; Eating it, controlling it and restricting it. But during my journey towards becoming a dietitian and after in my career, I healed my relationship with food and my body and now help others do the same.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Private Practice: Health and Wellness

How would you explain what you do?

I help people change their relationship with food, love their body and create a healthy, happy life.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

My days changes, but typically I see about 2-5 clients in a day, create content for my blog and social media channels or do other administrative work.

What has been your career path?

I worked as a clinical dietitian for 5 years before deciding to stay home full time with my children. I stayed home for about 3 years, then decided to start my private practice, which is primarily online or phone consults.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

Besides getting my RD, I became a life coach to give me extra habit modification skills.

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

I want to see more RDs killing it in the online space. We are the experts in food and health and we should be leading the nutrition and wellness conversation.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That we are the food police.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

That we are the most qualified nutrition and wellness experts.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Not having a flexible mindset about helping people make real changes in their lives. When I first started my practice, I was stuck in the old expert mindset of change, aka telling my clients what to do. Then I found that my clients really started making more fundamental changes when I asked them questions, met them where they were and helped them make small incremental changes in their lives.

What do people think that you do for a living?

Help people lose weight.

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

We have a scientific knowledge and background.

What is your favourite meal?

I love having Pizza on friday nights with my family!

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

Start where you are now and focus on making small changes and build on your success. Whatever your goal is, become aware of one small thing you can change, and change that consistently for 1-2 weeks and then add to it. Also, every change must happen from a place of self love and self-respect, when you start there, the actions that will get you to your goal will fall into place.

More about Sally:

Website: www.sallytwellman.com
Facebook: Sally Twellman - Coach
Instagram: @sallytwellmanrdn
Pinterest: Sally Twellman

Thanks Sally! 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

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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: Kim Hoban, RD, CPT

KIM HOBAN

CORPORATE DIETITIAN, BLOGGER

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I also 'know' Kim from instagram, which I have to admit is a pretty cool way to get to see what other RDs around the globe are up to, passionate about, etc. Many of us get hooked on nutrition because of a love of food and/or active living, and sport is still a large part of her life. I totally relate with her passion about working in health and wellness, as well as mindful eating. I hope Kim and I can sit down to breakfast (also my favourite) one day soon!

Why did you become a RD? 

I was always interested in food and learning about how eating fuels our daily lives and activities. In high school, I rowed on the crew team and started to realize that what I ate (and when) impacted my performance. It was at this time that I also saw how competitive sports could also lead to disordered eating and I became interested in the struggles, stigma and psychology surrounding food.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

As a corporate dietitian for CulinArt Group, a dining services company, I touch on many areas of dietetics, including food service, corporate wellness and nutrition education. I also blog at KHNutrition.com where I share information on nutrition topics and trends, recipes, fitness and more.

How would you explain what you do? 

I help provide health and wellness strategies and solutions to our corporate, higher education, private school and healthcare clients.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

Each day varies, but my responsibilities range from developing cycle menus to leading wellness training for corporate chefs to providing nutritional analysis on corporate recipes. I write and help design our wellness newsletters, health fair information and promotional materials. I’m also tasked with managing social media for the Wellness Department at CulinArt and occasionally participate in recipe development and testing.

What has been your career path? 

I graduated with a B.S. in Dietetics but did not match with a dietetic internship (DI) program immediately, so I began working as an administrative assistant at a private nutrition counseling practice. Looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened for my career and I gained so much experience and exposure to the field of nutrition in that position. I eventually applied again and was accepted to the DI program at North Shore LIJ Health System in Long Island, NY, which had a clinical nutrition emphasis. After completing the internship program, I began working as a clinical dietitian in a long-term care facility. I sat for and passed the RD exam three months later. Realizing that clinical nutrition was not my passion, I began blogging and becoming active in social media in my free time. At the same time, I came across my current position as an RD who focuses more on health and wellness as opposed to disease and treatment.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

My passion for sports nutrition and fitness continues to grow, so I recently became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. My goal is to become Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD - *Canadians can do this too!) within the next few years.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

I would love to clear up the whole misconception about dietitians being the “food police”. I wish people knew that we don’t judge anyone for what or how they eat. People often fear that I’m constantly criticizing their food choices, when more often than not, I’m focused on enjoying my own food instead!

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

We are humans. We are not perfect and we often struggle with our own food choices. We don’t all cook perfectly healthy meals every night and we can enjoy pizza and ice cream too!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

Probably one of the biggest challenges is competing with the misinformation and sensationalism that exists in the media surrounding food and nutrition. People are so easily persuaded by big food marketing or the advice of some doctor on television and it can be difficult to sift through that misguided or incorrect information.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

Make “meal plans”. Truth be told, that’s what I thought I would be doing when I became an RD also, but now I have a more holistic approach to nutrition and encourage mindful eating rather than offering one-size-fits-all meal plans.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

Reconnecting people with real foods. Many of us have lost touch with where our food comes from and what it should taste like. Most diets and weight loss plans take the fun out of food and people find themselves eating “food-like products” rather than enjoying whole, real foods.

What is your favourite meal? 

I’ll take this literally and say breakfast. I especially love pancakes, yogurt, oatmeal and veggie omelettes. I could eat breakfast foods any meal of the day!

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

Learn about your food and try new things! Find out where your food comes from, what nutrients it provides and how to properly prepare it. I’m constantly learning about new foods and recipes, which keeps things fun! Would you believe that just this year I learned how asparagus grows?

More about Kim:

Website: www.khnutrition.com
Twitter: @KimHobanRD
Instagram: @KimHobanRD
Pinterest: KHoban
Facebook: KH Nutrition
LinkedIn: Kimberly Hoban, RD
Google+: Kimberly Hoban, RD

Thanks Kim! 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: Cara Harbstreet, RD, MS, LD

CARA HARBSTREET

COMMUNITY NUTRITION, WELLNESS DIETITIAN

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I 'know' Cara from instagram and am so excited to share her responses with you. Her job keeps her busy, but also involves a wide variety of tasks/skills that not only involve nutrition knowledge, but also hands-on food skills. Like many (or all) of the dietitians in the series, I would love to sit down to a meal or attend a potluck with Cara - we love food!

Why did you become a RD? 

Because food is my love language, and food is medicine. There is no field that is more interesting and fulfilling to me.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work in Community Nutrition as a Wellness Dietitian.

How would you explain what you do? 

My primary role is to create and lead programs for health and nutrition education for both the employees (caregivers) in my organization and the surrounding community. Our wellness team is dedicated to preventing and managing chronic disease and metabolic syndrome so we design classes to address diabetes, cardiovascular health, obesity, and general healthy lifestyle. Our approach is called “Life Care” instead of “Health Care” because we also offer holistic approaches to whole-body well-being, including classes and services that touch all seven dimensions of wellness.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

Each week, I teach anywhere from three to eight classes. They could be anything from 30- to 60-minute lectures, hands-on culinary classes, series classes for caregivers or the community, or even yoga. I also see clients for individual nutrition consults and partner with others on our team to coordinate and plan new wellness services (i.e. lots of meetings!). Being that I am in a community setting, there is also a lot of driving involved! I cover a fairly wide region and we are able to bring any of our classes to other businesses in the area. I also spend a portion of my week developing new marketing materials, writing blogs and newsletters, coming up with recipes, and prepping ingredients for any culinary classes for that week.

What has been your career path? 

I worked a number of jobs throughout college, some food related and some less so. I even worked at a brewery for a short time before returning to school for my Master’s program! During my last semester an opportunity opened, and although I knew things would be hectic, I pounced on the chance to land my dream job. It was a perfect fit and I’ve been there ever since!

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I completed a Master’s degree (MS) in Clinical Nutrition at the University of Kansas Medical Center. This program included coursework in advanced MNT (Medical Nutrition Therapy), physiology, biochemistry, and integrative/functional nutrition. I also attended several trainings for culinary nutrition to better empower clients to start cooking to take control of their health.

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

I would love to see:

• Better awareness of the dietetics profession and a clearer understanding of our unique roles
• More dietitian presence in social media, the blogosphere, and media in general
• An increased need for more dietitians and higher demand for services
• A better way to include dietitian services under insurance and become more accessible to everyone with coverage

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

That any nutrition course or certification lends the same credentials and expertise. I’ve been asked, “Did you have to go to school for that?” and “Well, didn’t you already learn everything in health class?”…nutrition is a complex field; it took years of education to get to this level!

What would you like people to know about RDs? 

Most of us love food as much, if not more, than the average person. My dietitian friends and I are always the first ones in line at a potluck event!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

It has been somewhat challenging to avoid bringing my personal views and bias into conversations with clients. As a professional, I have an ethical obligation to present factual information regardless of my personal opinions or beliefs.

What do people think that you do for a living?

People think I’m the Food Police, constantly monitoring and judging what others eat. Suffice it to say, that’s far from the truth!

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

In my experience, RDs are lifelong learners. Part of that is required (CEUs - continuing education units), yes, but the ones I’ve encountered simply LOVE to learn new things and then pass that knowledge on to others. I also think RDs do a great job of staying within their scope of practice by recognizing when their expertise has reached the limit and it’s time to bring in another team member (physician, therapist, personal trainer, etc.)

What is your favourite meal?

A steaming hot bowl of pasta with pesto sauce, wilted spinach or greens + crusty French bread, olive oil, and extra garlic!

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

By definition, a “diet” is the pattern of food you normally eat. So technically, everyone who eats is on a diet. Ditch the restrictive mindset, make it a lifestyle, and strive for a balanced relationship with food.

More about Cara:

Twitter: @StreetSmartRD
Instagram: @streetsmart.rd
Facebook: Street Smart Nutrition
Pinterest: Street Smart Nutrition 

Thanks Cara! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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

Day 31: The End

My goal this month was to post a blog every day, and here we are, the last day of October! I am slowly trying to finish my 101 in 1001 goals as the end date approaches, so this is one more to mark off. I have never created so many blog posts in so few days (31/31). It took some time and planning, but I do love the sense of accomplishment. I just hope you don't expect it to continue (or that I bored/lost you).

I am grateful for: goal setting

I like to have direction and of course, my desire to accomplish things is easily met with goal setting. Years ago I was told to set challenging goals, not just make checklists. I also know that goals need to be realistic and achievable. Goals can change and evolve as we do. We're all working towards something different, and I'm not even sure what my end target is, but these little goals help me each day and bring focus to my actions.

 

I am of course also grateful that people read my words. This blog is an outlet for me, but also hits on my goal/passion to inspire others. It is just me on a keyboard. I am a registered dietitian, but I'm also a wife, mother, daughter, sister, dog owner, traveller, lover of books, baker, entrepreneur, etc. So here, I get to share those things with you. My work goals currently keep me focused on moderation, mindfulness, and minimalism. As my husband says, they may not be sexy terms, because people know they should eat balanced, but prefer to seek superfoods or extreme diets/cleanses/detoxes. However, I do think they can be a pathway to a healthy life and wellness. You may prefer other terms, conscious indulgence, sustainable eating, etc. but they are all subjective and basically mean the same thing. Many dietitians also talk about the 80/20 rule as a form or balanced, healthy eating.

Today I celebrate this goal, and of course Halloween. Since I live a balanced life, that likely means I'll enjoy a bit of chocolate today too.

I hope you're challenging yourself, meeting goals, or setting new ones.

I'm going to have to look at November and see what I have in store for myself (and you).

Cheers!

Steph Langdon, RD

www.nutrishus.com

Day 30: Pampering

I try to take care of myself. I am able to afford to take care of myself and I prioritize it so that I have the time. I know not everyone can afford such luxuries. Sometimes it is even our environment or our genetics that make it more difficult to be 'healthy'. I've seen a quote "don't find time to exercise, make time to exercise", of course, I feel the same way about healthy eating. We can often find excuses or reasons to rationalize why we're not being active or eating well. We put it off, we put others or other things first.

I aim to inspire wellness in others so that they can keep doing the things they love to do. We all have different goals, we all define health differently. I have mentioned various aspects of health on this blog over the years. Of course, I always remember that poverty and food insecurity exist, disease can be beyond what we can 'control' and a so-called 'healthy lifestyle' may not be affordable/achievable/attainable for everyone.

If you're able to, I suggest you take care of yourself though. For me, that includes occasional pampering, which could be a nice bath, a pedicure, even coffee with a friend can be a treat, and I know they all make me feel better. I actually scheduled time this week to get some work done in my office, to go for a run, and to go to the spa (kid-free). I haven't done that in 11.5 months since becoming a mom. I took a whole day for me, to get things done, but also to pamper myself.

I am grateful for: the ability to take care of myself (and treat myself every once in awhile)

I try to take care of myself each day, and some days are easier than others. Some days I don't succeed. However, if I'm not taking care of myself, who is?!

Sometimes you have to put yourself first, and I know that can be hard.
Cheers to you!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com