By Colin Sobol
When you hear the word
“Dietitian,” what comes to mind? Some of you may have had an encounter with a
Registered Dietitian or RD while in a healthcare setting or someone you know
has seen a Dietitian for health advice. If you were to ask me, “What does a Registered
Dietitian actually do?” I may have an easier time explaining what they don’t
do! You see, RD’s come from a diverse educational background that prepares them
for roles in healthcare to garden beds! Don’t worry, I did the work for you. I
am going to take you on a tour of the amazing RD’s that the St. Louis area has
to offer. All of these professionals are personal mentors of mine, so I will
include ways for you to get involved with them and their amazing organizations
to give back to your community.
It was estimated in
2016 that 48% of all dietitians work in hospitals. Due to the large portion of
RD’s in this setting, this may be the Dietitian role you are more familiar
with. The goal for all clinical RD’s is perfectly described by Deanna Miller of
Missouri Baptist Medical Center. “We want to help people feel better so they
don’t have to come back to the hospital.” The Dietitian plays an integral role
in taking care of you or your loved one’s diet while healing. Everywhere from minor
surgeries to the ICU, your body requires specific nutrients to better your
healing to get you back on your feet. But RD’s are accessible on an outpatient
basis as well. Did you know you or a family member can see a Registered
Dietitian for general nutrition advice, tips on weight loss, and even how to
plan and shop for meals to turn that diet into a lifestyle outside of the hospital?
(Here is a link to Missouri Baptist’s
AMAZING Outpatient RD’s! http://www.missouribaptist.org/MedicalServices/NutritionServices.aspx)
But Dietitians aren’t
only caring for their patients around the clock in the hospital. Skilled
Nursing Facilities and Long-Term Assisted Living locations also utilize the
specific skills of the RD for the aging population. As we age, our metabolism
changes, we see huge changes in our appetite, and our diet may reflect that.
With companies like Unidine, the Dietitians works closely with the food service
to deliver nutritious meals that are adequate in their specific needs to
maintain weight and muscle mass. In addition, many family members are
especially concerned for memory changes and mood drastically affecting the
appetite of their loved one. The great news is that these Dietitians and Chefs
are collaborating to make meal time easier, safer, and not to mention tastier!
Check out their great work here to see how RD’s are innovating for our aging
population as well! http://www.unidine.com/healthcare-health-and-wellness/
So how about the other
52% of Registered Dietitians out in our community? Hang tight as we race
through just some of the great places RD’s are making a difference in your
neighborhood. Let’s start at a place we are all familiar with, Schnucks
Markets. In multiple St. Louis area locations, Schnucks hosts a Culinary
Nutrition Camp for kids ages 5-12 that teaches them not only basic culinary
skills, but how to shop, prepare, and present healthy food for their family
right in the store! I had the pleasure of working with both the Corporate
Dietitian Kara Behlke, who helps with all of the behind-the-scenes action such
as products, magazines, and even our meal-planning program FitPins (https://nourish.schnucks.com/2015/12/28/fit-pins-101-2/),
and the in-store RD Katie Mueller. Katie
is present in the store to answer all of your burning questions and help you
make the best choices, as well as organizes community classes to learn as a
group! Her philosophy is “meeting you where you are at and finding creative
ways to make food and nutrition fun!” Check out some of her classes online or
sign your little chef up for camp with Katie to keep the whole family healthy (https://www.schnuckscooks.com/for_kids.asp).
Speaking of nutrition
for youngsters, you may have not even realized that RD’s can work with your
child’s school district to bring them healthy meals each day. One RD in
particular, Teresa Miller, manages the farm-to-table program for breakfast,
lunch, and snacks for preschool through eighth grade in the Saint Louis schools
with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. What makes her role even
more pivotal to our youth is that she works with the National School Lunch
Program to service students “who qualify for free or reduced lunches that address
food justice issues in the St. Louis community by serving
nutritionally-balanced meals.”
RD’s are also not afraid to get their
gardening tools and teach these kids a thing or two about where their food
comes from; the garden behind their own schools! One pioneer who has made her
impact throughout St. Louis is Dr. Millie Mattfeldt-Beeman who oversees the
North City Food Hub and contributes to the St. Louis Public Schools gardens
with Saint Louis University. While not only providing local produce to a food
dessert, Dr. Mattfeldt-Beeman has started multiple urban gardens in our urban
environment to teach our students about increasing the healthy food supply. 15
years later, schools are growing flourishing gardens all thanks to this local
food hero. Read more about her amazing St. Louis impact here: https://www.stlmag.com/How-SLU-rsquos-Garden-Grew/
Dietitians
are on the forefront of the food insecurity crisis we are seeing in our city,
and two great organizations are bringing food to those in need. First,
Operation Food Search is a food bank with the mission “to nourish and educate
our neighbors in need to heal the hurt of hunger.” Christina Popp brings her 10
years of medical nutrition therapy experience to demonstrate how to eat on a
budget and cook basic meals for the family. The food that Operation Food Search
collects is distributed to over 200,000 people in the St. Louis community each
month, that’s about 3 million dollars’ worth of food! It’s safe to say that
Christina and her team are doing great things. You can join their mission here:
http://www.operationfoodsearch.org/can-heal-hunger/volunteer-now/.
Food banks provide to distribution centers called
food pantries, and Natalie Myers uniquely works at the only St. Louis area organization
dedicated to providing nutritional support for those living with HIV/AIDS and
Cancer. Among illness, hunger, trauma, and isolation, Natalie is able “to
assist under-resourced individuals regain a sense of place, safety, and
empowerment” with monthly groceries, fresh meals, and nutrition educations to
set them on the path for success. This non-profit organization goes above
providing nutrition-assistance for those in need, they have served over 6
million meals in their 28 year history. Volunteers are at the heart of their
work, so join the movement and feel free to dedicate your time with them here: http://foodoutreach.org/get-involved/.
These organizations are
just a preview of the much larger impact Registered Dietitians have on our
community. RD’s are found in more places than you realize and are always there
to help you and your family stay well. Natalie Myers perfectly describes what
every RD experiences daily. “Each
day, I learn something new about what food means in the context of different
people's lives and am encouraged to continue to meet people where they are in
order to sustain health outcomes that are meaningful in their own eyes.” I
hope that now when you hear the word “Dietitian,” a few of these local heroes
come to mind and you know they are there to help you and your loved ones be
well.
For More Info, Check
Out these sites to research and volunteer!
Colin Sobol
