Dietitian Life

Dietitian  

[dahy-i-tish-uhn]  

noun

1. a person who is in expert in nutrition or dietetics. 

I also saw today, since it's National Registered Dietitian Day, the following explanation by Kristi King:

"We are not just label readers.  We are not the food police.  We don't just make meal plans.  What are we?  We are educators.  We are counselors and communicators.  We are the cheerleaders for you to live your best life.  We help kids grow and sometimes we keep you live when critically ill.  We are in hospitals and private practice, food service and industry.  We are instructors and professors."

We, as Registered Dietitians, are the expert!  I love when people recognize this. 

I don't much enjoy when people confuse me with a nutritionist, because, to me, anyone can be a nutritionist be it your mom, your grandma, or your little kid nephew.  Anyone who has a passion for nutrition (which is a good thing, mind you) can be called a nutritionist.  However, not everyone is a Dietitian.  That Registered Dietitian or RD title goes to the one who earned it with schooling, degrees, internships, and passing the national exam (or as some may say, boards). 

Now that that's out of the way, I will say I love being a Dietitian!  I changed my degree sophomore year of college and never looked back.  It is definitely one of the best choices I've made in life.

A patient literally came in this week asking me if I like being a Dietitian and if I would talk about my profession because they were interested in pursuing a career in health.  I gave the over-arching "yes" answer and then dove into specifics.  All of it.  They took notes :)

I provided background into why I even became an RD.  I explained all the things the Dietitian can do and all the places one can work.  The sky is the limit!  I rattled on about my experiences in pretty much every aspect that dietetics has to offer except higher education, though I'm qualified (and I've thought about it, ha!).  I stated the reality of the route to become an RD -- all. that. science. (Bio, O-chem, Anatomy, Physiology), the medical vocabulary, food management, food lab, etc.  I gave job perks like not being too stressed, being able to help people, and loving what I do.  I also said the not so pretty side of things...

[To be honest, I wrote a lot of this next part in November '16 while I was angry.]

Like any profession or really any thing in life, there is greatness that I can't get enough of and there are annoyances that I am totally over.  

I love those all-star patients, who 1) actually listen to what you say and 2) do it.  I love those all-star people who exclaim that diet/nutrition is actually really important.  Typically, they are the living, breathing example of a life turned around by right eating. 

Can't. Get. Enough.

It's these people and these moments that help being a dietitian be that much greater and the bad days become that much less deflating.

I realize I'm in a profession that people have ample opportunity to get their hands on information.  There is no telling how many websites and books there are on nutrition or the next latest and greatest fad diet.  Yet, it just seems so baffling that because one may have a smidge of information that is correct and that they might actually implement that gives them the air of knowing all and thus dismissing truth, help, or a new idea.

It's like saying to the plumber "Oh no, I got this.  I know what's wrong.  I fixed my drain from a hair clog once, so whatever you just said, can't be right."  AND "Even if it is, I can fix it myself with a YouTube video, despite the fact that I've never seen the pipes in my house."  Yeah, you do that. Personally, I would trust the plumber because he's a plumber, and I am not a plumber. 

People say this all the time, whether explicitly or inadvertently.  And that's sometimes just the beginning. 

Me:  Do you (the patient) do anything special in your diet?" 

Patient:  no.  

Me:  Okay, I'm going to talk to you about the cardiac diet, which is a low fat and low salt diet...

Patient:  Oh no, I don't use the saltshaker!

They just tuned out.  And I'm over there like "That's great.  Just at dinner?  Because you're in the hospital, so ya ain't perfect.  Let's dig a little deeper, shall we?"

As a Dietitian, you're the nutrition expert.  You're the one who went to school for a number of years, took all those hard science classes, maybe even has a masters… or two, has done an internship to acquire the hours and experience necessary to take and pass the national exam.  To become registered.  To get the credentials.  To then turn around and tell people who, in fact, need your expertise and help but who dismiss you because they don't use the saltshaker.  I love my job. 

Don't even get me started about doctor's "God complex"!

As a Dietitian, I am personally not the "food police."  One friend had the fortune of knowing myself and another Dietitian and said along the lines of "Does this mean I'm going to have to eat healthy [around you] or that you guys are going to tell me what to eat?"  Haha!  Heck, no.  That is called a client.  

Besides, this Dietitian likes to eat!  I tell people I have cravings, I gave in, I like desserts, food tastes good, etc.  So, I'm just like you in that regard.  However, I have an arsenal of knowledge on how to eat in a healthy way.  Think proper portion sizes, self-control, moderation, balance, actual healthy, nutrient dense food choices.

I give advice to whomever, if they ask.  I may have the occasional telling facial expression or slip up, though sometimes I don't care and I say what I know, but I try and refrain.  It is my profession but I'm going to try to not push anything on someone, and I know that some people don't want advice or to be helped.  You learn to read those people quick. 

Man, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me "I am doing this (fill in fad diet here) diet" or "It's expensive to eat healthy" or "Well, there's just so much conflicting stuff out there about nutrition" then I would be pretty rich!  

First, let's stop spreading those falsehoods!  The majority of Dietitians sing the same song, staked in good research.  It's the media who does not.  Heaven knows you can't have cake for breakfast every day and be "healthy" or lose desired weight.  My grandfather always did want me to concoct a diet in which chocolate shakes were a staple to enable him to be skinny.  Wouldn't that be rich.  Second, you're the know-it-all so you should know already what's true and what you should be doing, and there shouldn't be any confusion, right?  No?!  Maybe you do need that person who's gone to school just to look at all the research and bodily processes who is able to bring it down to your level of understanding.

Praise God for those who do realize this!  Just the other day a guy said he had lost a lot of weight and people started to ask him what he did.  But you know what?  He decided that he should go to school first to become a Dietitian to get the credentials to tell people what to do and to actually know what the heck to do. 

Then there are the lovely people who are recipients of those Dietitian's brains.  One lady told me she is a Celiac and a Dietitian worked with her when she was 95 pounds with no muscle.  She's now 105 pounds, weightlifting, and feels the best she ever has.  She also looks awesome. She is also at least in her 50s and has had several kids.  You can tell the expertise and that woman's hard work have paid off. 

So, hats off to Dietitians everywhere! I'm grateful to know a lot of them :)

And hats off to those who rightfully take advantage of our services and who have made the necessary changes to lead better, stronger lives!

Even after a year and a half, sometimes those same negative thoughts run through my mind, but, in the end, like I told my patient this week, no matter where I've gone, I've always met at least one patient who stands out and whom I will never forget because of the progress they made or because of the conversation we were able to have.  

I've shared my nutrition knowledge with a lot of people as well as my faith in God, which is the ultimate.  

I know I was there at that time with that individual for a reason.  That.  That makes it all worth it.

A Hard, Messy Road

I was angry and tired (more like exhausted), and out of control.  I suppose it was a slow brew, which culminated to an unpleasant peak this week.  I know the reason, the real reason.  Of course, I also know other contributing factors that just added fuel to the fire.

I can blame my anger on miscommunication, frustrations, differences, hurts, misunderstandings, loneliness, rejection, unmet expectations, and more.  They're all valid.  But is that healthy and right?  The answer is no.

The answer as to why I'm angry is me.  I'm the problem.  I allow things to fester and grow and not in a righteous anger kinda way.  For instance, sometimes I just want what I want.  I want to do what I've always done, and occasionally I drag another person along for a so pretty drive.  That's bad.  I'm aware. 

I once felt someone was saying that I talk too much and it's exhausting.  All my questions, all my "let's do this!," all the work was just exhausting.  That's hard to hear.  Because, yep, not gonna lie, I am all about trying to give 100%, trying to figure it all out, and trying to alleviate potential problems or problems that already exists.  It is exhausting.  So, you know what?  I decided to be quiet and, consequently, stir the anger pot until I could cool it (i.e. process everything said and the feelings that went with it).  Man, it was hard.  

It was more of a frustrated and angry quiet, obviously.  It's not in my nature to be that noticeably angry or, rather, I'm not trained well to keep things in or wait for a possible better time to bring things up.  Anytime is a good time to me, ha!  So, learning timing and to "pick my battles" better are life lessons going down.

Honestly, I probably do need to just be quiet more often.  Bring things to God and take time to personally reflect and process.  Yet, for example, when dealing with issues involving a [significant] other, I want them to be more like me.  I think it'd be easier to understand them and whatnot.  It's not going to happen but I want it.  With this desire, though, I'm not acknowledging the other's differences as a good thing and how they could make me better, just that the other person is different and I don't want them to be.  Ha! 

It's funny, I thought of the time all five of us reversed roles one family dinner.  It was pretty revealing.  It's actually probably one of the most memorable family meals because I got to see how I looked and acted to someone else ...and that I was not always the most pleasant, to put it nicely.  

Differences are hard but good.  They can be irritating and glaring in those closest to you, though stretch you to love, to extend grace and mercy, and to even put yourself in the other's shoes.  They can broaden your perspective, thus enhancing it.  They make us who we are and help us be less boring.  

I've let differences bog me down, lately.  I don't know what's wrong with me.  I used to be so confident and sure and in control and not as emotional and I knew myself ...and, and, and.  

And I was beginning to just not care and it was easier.  

Sounds terrible but it's true, because it takes more work to talk fully about your day or ask questions to instigate conversation.  It takes more work to go out of your way to show someone that you do care with kisses, cleaning the house, sweet cards, a smile, or whatever.  It takes more work to stop and truly listen.  It takes more work to not complain and to see a positive.  It takes more work to turn in a good, solid finished product or to do your job to the best of your ability despite no foreseeable reward.  It takes more work to contact a family member or friend far away.  It takes more work to be patient with kids, whether yours or  not.  It takes more work to plan a meal, shop, and cook to be healthier instead of having someone else do all that for you.  It takes more work to trust God in all things and read His Word to renew and guide than to let thoughts fly or go on your own.  It takes more work to be okay with the uncomfortable and, as the case may go, overcome that discomfort when you really don't want to change or really just don't want to be out of your known comfort zone.  It takes more work to talk with those you love and spend time with them or even take the time to take care of yourself with exercise for example, especially if you are not coming being filled up, you feel drained or worn down, or you don't see the point.  It takes more work to own your faults and ask for forgiveness. 

Life is messy and it takes a lot of work.

I want to be more selfish, which is a bad idea.  I want to be more assertive, likely good.  I don't want to be as angry and want to display grace, love, and mercy, obviously good. 

I want a lot of things, good and bad.  But really, I need Jesus. 

Only He can mold me into a better person after trials and suffering, bringing me through to the other side in a positive way.  Only He can provide the ultimate motivation, which is to bring him glory in all that I say and do and to give him ALL the glory.  Only He can give hope to keep going and to extend that hope to others hurting.  

"And when each of us looks back at the turns and folds God has allowed in our lives, I don't think it looks like a series of folded-over mistakes and do-overs that have shaped our lives. Instead, I think we'll conclude in the end that maybe we're all a little like human origami and the more creases we have, the better."  ---Bob Goff

"We won't break...  After Jesus affirms that the greatest treasures are not earthly are temporary, he encourages us to release our anxious thoughts.  The creator and sustainer of the universe loves and provides for his children, so we don't have to waste our precious time worrying.  God knows our needs and will care for us. (Matthew 6:19-32).  He also knows we'll be tempted to succumb to worry.  He tells us to come to him first, trust his presence and provision in the present, and live by faith one day at a time.  When we trust God, we won't break.  We never have to worry, Lord, because You never fail to meet our deepest needs."

"What is staggering about this passage [Exodus 1:1-22] is amidst the trauma, murder, hurt, neglect, and systemic injustice the people of God were experiencing, God was still hearing their cries and remembering His covenant.  He had not forgotten and was not deaf to their cries for help, rescue, relief, or home.  “God heard their groaning; and God remembered his covenant” (Exodus 2:24).  Even as the earthly and wicked leader grew old, frail, and died, God was still on His throne hearing, preparing, remembering, and moving on behalf of His people. 

None of us are immune to pain this side of heaven; Christ assured us we would know sorrow in this world (John 16:33).  We can probably all readily recall some recent and very real struggle in our own lives.  Today, as we operate in our selective hearing of our Father or delayed disobedience to the Holy Spirit or constant forgetfulness of the work of Christ on the cross for us, let’s remember afresh that God never ignores us or forgets us.  Our Father is a perfect parent and His Son is a perfect Son.  He keeps His promises.  He is always active, always attentive, always remembering, and always moving on behalf of His children."

All of this has been coming together and coming to life through my study of God's Word and in the personal struggles I've had.  I recently was given a glimpse as to the "why" I went through some of the hardships.  I was with a patient and able to talk about what I had gone through and was doing to get through and offer advice and hope with God.  I would not of been able to do that if I hadn't gone through that short (praise God!) but angry phrase along with some other life experiences.  I probably would have been sitting in my chair across from the patient with a blank stare and the panicky thought of "Oh man, how much longer is this session?" but that was not the case at all.  I really felt I was able to help.

Despite my sin and unbelief, God still chooses me. To Him be all the glory.