Dietitian in Philadelphia, PA
I am not a rule follower if I cannot see why the rule exists.
As a child, I struggled to follow the rules unless my parent’s told me WHY. Understanding the concept behind the rule is what I learned to value most. Many people see eating healthy as a set of rules made for their own torture. I see eating healthy as a way to work with nature and achieve my life’s goals.
I am new to the area. Prior to moving to Philadelphia, I worked as a diabetes educator in Missouri for three years. My co-workers taught me so much about how to help patients understand their blood sugar and WHY we do the things we do. I’m very excited to keep learning as I work with the excellent health professionals at NSIM – a practice where prevention and health education is taken seriously. In my free time, I love to cook healthy meals, write, lift weights (I was a former hammer and discus thrower), ride my bike to work, visit farmers markets, and try new things.
Not all dietitians are the same. I do not teach people to starve. And, I do not give the same plan to everyone. I love showing people how they can make changes inside their own unique circumstance to be healthier.
My favorite patient to work with is a patient who is honest about areas where they could improve, willing to set goals, and willing to learn new things. But I also really like the grumpy patients that I can get to smile at some point during their appointment with me.
We are not invincible. Sooner or later your habits become you. I would argue that I don’t teach people what to eat. I teach people how to respect themselves and start working WITH their body instead of working AGAINST it. Part of being an adult is learning to parent yourself.
Do it for “future you.”