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December2016

December 29, 2016

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December 24, 2016

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December 9, 2016

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✨ YOUR FEELINGS ARE VALID ✨ As our new set of

✨ YOUR FEELINGS ARE VALID ✨

As our new set of students are starting placement next week (and I know many of you are currently on or starting one soon), I thought I’d just throw out a few reminders to help you along the way.

First of all, KUDOS TO YOU 👏🏼 Working, let alone studying in a pandemic is bloody hard and you guys are smashing it. Yep, there’s been adaptions to placements what other students probably won’t ever face, BUT our teams are working hard to give you the best and most rewarding experience you can get. But it’s okay if you’re feeling upset or overwhelmed about it all. It’s understandable, it’s normal and ITS OKAY. Find someone who you can chat to in confidence, whether it’s your flat mate, a supervisor or even a call to your Mum... talking about things is cool ✌🏼

Another thing is PLEASE DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS. Yep, I know it’s hard and sometimes you really can’t help yourself but remember, everyone’s journeys are different. You may be having a really shit time and not enjoy your placement, whilst a fellow pupil may be loving it. Let me tell you, it’s not a reflection on you and ITS OKAY to have different opinions and feelings about the experience. Trust me, I’ve been in that position and was made to feel awful about it, I don’t want other people to feel that way. I get lots of DMs about this so please feel free to message me if you just wanna chat things over 💓

And yep, you don’t deserve to “just keep quiet, keep your head down and get on with it” - you’re part of the team, however short you’re with us. You should feel empowered and educated, not inferior so please speak out if you’re feeling like you can’t be yourself, ask questions or learn. It shouldn’t be that way and it’s not what you deserve. Please talk to someone, whether it’s your supervisor or uni tutor if you feel that way. 3/4 months is a long time so make people are giving you the best experience they can! ✨

I’m a big advocate for making student education the best it can be. And remember, you’re not alone in this. Placements can be the hardest but most eye opening and wonderful experiences, you’ve got this 🤍

⚡️ MY BMI CATEGORISES ME AS AN OVERWEIGHT DIET

⚡️ MY BMI CATEGORISES ME AS AN OVERWEIGHT DIETITIAN, HERE’S WHY IT DOESN’T F***ING MATTER ⚡️

Being in a bigger body has allowed me to find peace with food. And it doesn’t define me as a dietitian.

Not to say that you HAVE to be in a bigger body to find acceptance. Weight doesn’t correlate with that, which is exactly what I’m saying.

I’ve studied hard, I put in extra graft and I’m always learning. I’m now a specialist in tube feeding, helping people who can’t meet their needs orally.

But my weight doesn’t define my knowledge, does it? How is my brain represented by my body?

I know I’m not the only dietitian to receive stigma or comments that “you’re too fat to be a dietitian” or “that’s not what a dietitian should eat”. I remember on a placement when one of the nurses commented that one of the dietitians was a hypocrite for being overweight, despite the fact she has one of the most intellectual beings I’d ever shadowed.

Do I need to say again, NUTRITION ISN’T ABOUT WEIGHT!!!

It’s not all about aesthetics, it’s not all about losing weight. Health is so much more than that. And food? It’s a bloody beautiful thing, if ya into it of course.

I eat a balanced diet, full of pleasure and nutrition. I work out 3-4x a week and walk daily. I have a chronic illness which is to do with an autoimmune condition I was born with, rather than developed as a co-morbidity.

Let me say it. Dietitians aren’t robots. We come in all shapes and sizes, with all fountains of knowledge. We’re here to help. There may be a few with outdated and disordered approaches but let me tell you, we’re working on it. Our profession needs more and I for one am here for it.

🍝 OLDIE BUT GOLDIE 🍝 It’s one we’re all

🍝 OLDIE BUT GOLDIE 🍝

It’s one we’re all probably getting to grips with, but surprisingly, I’m always coming across patients who aren’t aware what counts towards your five a day!

For my diabetes and weight management patients, I’m always encouraging extra fruit and veg to increase volume, add fibre and vits and mins to their diet - they’re often surprised where they can find them! Likewise my nutrition support patients, who are often worried they’re not getting enough in because of a poor appetite - they’re also pleasantly surprised that they can get more in they think!

The big win, yep, TINNED AND FROZEN COUNT TOO! This is perfect for anyone low on storage, worried about waste or want a cheaper alternative 😇

MEAL IDEAS:

Weight management: 🍝 75g of wholewheat spaghetti, homemade tomato sauce (1/2 tin chopped tomatoes, oregano, pepper), 1 chopped bell pepper, 1 diced onion, fresh basil to finish (3 portions)

Nutrition support: 🍹 1/2 tin baked beans on buttered toast, topped with 30g grated cheese and glass of fresh orange juice (2 portions)

(Of course, anyone can eat both these meals listed above!!)

THINGS I MISS ABOUT NON-COVID LIFE ☁️ 100% ea

THINGS I MISS ABOUT NON-COVID LIFE ☁️

100% eating out and travelling - here’s a pic of it both: adventuring out to The Hague back in 2019 where Davey’s parents lived at the time, to get the best eveeeer pancakes. I went for caramelised apple and cinnamon and it was 🤤🤤

We’re getting compared to ‘the war children’ and often slated because we’re finding it hard to adapt to this weird way of living. Of course, the war generation had it awfully hard, but it’s important to remember, CULTURE IS DIFFERENT NOW. They didn’t have eating out, partying, holidays abroad, which we’re so used to in our current society. This is SO different for our generation and is not what we’ve grown up used to, so it’s okay to find it hard. It’s okay if your mental health is shitty and nearly a year later, you’re still finding it hard to adapt.

Your feelings are valid. Even if it is getting upset that you can’t go and eat big ass pancakes.

Cut yourself some slack. One day soon we’ll be eating out, going on holiday and partying together again 🤍

🧡 WE NEED TO DO BETTER 🧡 Yes, as a nation w

🧡 WE NEED TO DO BETTER 🧡

Yes, as a nation we need to be healthier, eat more fruits and veg and help with the obesity crisis.. but:

You’re not gonna get there by promoting eating salads and smoothie bowls.

Yep, they’re great, but is that an inclusive message to portray to individuals who use social media? IS THIS REAL LIFE?

Even Dietitians and Nutritionists are guilty of this. I’ve seen (and also chatted to lots of you who have too) SO MANY PROFESSIONALS dish out restricted, often fat phobic, middle class advice to their followers. This is wrong. This is another place for disordered eating to spiral. We need better regulation of this. We say ‘Trust a Dietitian’, but if this is the way some are going to use their qualification and platform, can we really rely on people to trust us as a profession?

Just because an individual has 100k+ of followers, doesn’t mean they’re always your go to either. A feed full of rainbow dishes isn’t representative of the ‘balance’ people often say they promote.

Where’s the beige? Where’s the realism? Where’s the inclusivity. Let me tell you know, a family of 4 living on minimum wage can’t afford to make fruit salads and poached egg and avocado on toast every day (and don’t use the “but fruit and veg isn’t expensive” argument on me). A bowl of cereal (most of which are fortified with vitamins and minerals), with some milk and a slice of toast is affordable, accessible and yep, nutritious. Still yet, this doesn’t fit in some people’s picture of ‘health’

We really do need to see balance. Even that beige bowl of shredded wheat.

I know this is a very controversial topic and unpopular opinion to many, but for those of us who believe that we need better, I hope this gives you that bit of reassurance and a voice to speak out 🤍

HEY, HEY YOU! You’re allowed to eat bread more t

HEY, HEY YOU! You’re allowed to eat bread more than once a day!!!

Diet culture demonises carbs, I’m here to tell you that carbs, especially bread, are bloody brilliant 🤩

“iTs JuSt PrOcEsSeD rEfInED GRAINZZZ” nope nope nope. Bread is one of the most affordable, accessible and stable foods in our diets. For one, demonising bread for those of poorer economic background will just often lead to deprivation, stigma and often malnutrition. Just stop.

People selling “this is not a diet, this is a lifestyle” fitness plans will tell you bread isn’t nutritionally dense enough and you should avoid it where you can... yet you can eat anything on their diet? Oh.... You enjoy your plain, boiled rice and chicken then hun

Your doctor has diagnosed you with diabetes and said you need to follow a low carb diet? No bread for you then?.... NO! Individuals living with diabetes ARE ALLOWED CARBS!!! It’s all about balance, portion control.. ya know. Love from a non-diet Dietitian who works almost daily with patients with diabetes.. you can eat the bloody bread!!

In all, bread is incredible. Tasty, delicious, soft, filling, versatile. Bread, we love you.

Crumpets for breakfast?... yep, you can still have a sandwich for lunch!

Toast midday?.... yep, you can still eat the burger bun at dinner!

Someone telling you to “ditch the carbs” and “cut out bread”? Throw something at them... something particularly heavy. You didn’t hear that from me 🙃

🌸 MY ROLE AS A HETF DIETITIAN 🌸 You guys ar

🌸 MY ROLE AS A HETF DIETITIAN 🌸

You guys are always interested in what each individual role gets up to as a dietitian, so I thought I’d summarise on an infographic for those of you that are interested in HETF!

Hope you enjoy, as always drop me a question down below if you want to know more 🙌🏼

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