Registered Dietitian Experts In Ottawa

A dietitian (RD) is a regulated health professional who believes in the power of food to enhance lives and improve health. Dietitians translate the science of nutrition into terms you can understand. They can empower you to embrace food, to understand it, and to enjoy it.

Dietitians are held accountable to the highest standards of education and ethics, which means they look beyond fads and gimmicks to deliver reliable, life-changing advice. Dietitians are committed and required to staying on top of emerging research, skills, and techniques. They have the knowledge, compassion, and flexibility to help you achieve your goals based on your overall objectives as well as personal needs and challenges.

The biggest difference between dietitians and nutritionists lies in the legal restrictions that each title carries. Dietitian is a protected title across Canada, just like physician, nurse and pharmacist.   Some dietitians have a job title that includes nutritionist such as “community nutritionist”. To be sure you are accessing the most qualified nutrition professional, look for the initials RD or PDt (DtP in French) after the health professional’s name.

Dietitians have a degree in foods and nutrition from an accredited university program and undergo comprehensive and rigorous training, both on the job and in universities. Just like all regulated health professionals, dietitians are committed and required to stay on top of emerging research, skills, and techniques. They adhere to Principles of Professional Practice.

It’s one way you can be assured the advice and information you are receiving is sound. You wouldn’t ask a celebrity how to build a safe bridge, you’d ask a professional engineer. You wouldn’t ask your neighbour who has an interest in medicine to provide you with medical advice. The same thinking should apply for nutrition advice. Dietitians, just like engineers and medical doctors, are accountable to provincial regulatory bodies for the highest standards of education and ethics. These provincial regulatory bodies are in place to protect the public. They also serve as a point of contact for consumer complaints and malpractice. For more information or to verify if your nutrition provider is registered, contact the regulatory body in your province.

Titles like Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Nutritional Practitioner, RONP, RNCP, ROHP, RHN, CNP are not the same as Registered Dietitian and do not indicate the person is a provincially regulated health professional. They are often used by those who have completed privately owned training programs that vary in length and rigor.

Make sure to check the qualifications of any health professional that provides advice on health and nutrition, especially when it comes to children. Getting the wrong advice could be harmful.

The process starts off with an Initial Consultation. During the initial one-hour consultation, Sara will collect relevant nutrition, behavior, and medical information from you. Together you will determine your nutrition/health goals for treatment and how to implement small, realistic changes into your dietary pattern. Basic nutrition education is provided, and a meal plan will be designed, and ready for the next appointment.

*If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian is asked to attend the initial consultation. Their presence is not required at future sessions unless clinically indicated.

The following appointments will be Follow-Up Sessions. During the half-hour follow-up sessions, Sara will review your eating and behavior patterns since your last visit. The two of you will discuss what went well and where you may have struggled. Strategies along with more extensive nutrition education will be provided to help move you closer to your goals.